New-York tribune., 1904-10-28

49, .,vy n ANy,A pTYpF5R ATFs: A RECORD OF
DIscoyEE ASp ~ 9bs staH of b The RBsbyionian R
rTpedition OF the University OF Pennsylyainia- ana
so-1 ~ Trs1TinEs ane Photographs svo pp. Kill
So Imported by Charles Scribner's sons
zr--,,,sn with the ostensible object OF exciting
a, england an interest in Babylonian research
NJ. Geere's book pays but little. or at most but
secondary, attention 20 the work OF excavation
on which he was engaged IN Turkey ana Egypt
THE bulk OF his volume is devoted to accounts
~ b,s travels and Of his experiences with the
natsves who assisted or hindered him on his
.ourneys ana IN his work The author Is so
Searful Of trenching on the ground already COW
,red bv Petrie Hilprecht and others that he does
not even give a resume OF their accounts OF the
discoveries in which he was an efficient agent
His FIRST fifty pages are taken up with the
STORY Of his cement as member OF the
r.af NJ fhe Babylonian expedition OF the UNI
s,o-s,,, ~ Pennsylvania and of his fruitless
arlp 70 Nippur. He was turned DacK py lhe
semporary abandonment OF the enterprise Dy
az HAYNES. in view of the hostile attitude
OF the neighboring Bedouin tribes. he taxes
occasion here and elsewhere in his narrative
40 disavow any responsibility for this IN ms
ewes. unnecessary interruption OF the work;
and II is difficult 20 get away from the
Impression that his underlying purpose Is 10 de-
Fend himself from the accusation, by Dr.
Peters OF having allowed himself 10 be turned
back by the report OF the danger and oirncuItg
OF the task" or even. as DR.. HLprecht puts It,
az having been induced" 20 return 10 Europe
Return he did, however. and was soon en-
gagged by DR. Petrie TO assist him IN season
digging in Egypt at Oxyrhynchus. wheTe ne
p-siste6 Messrs. Grenfell and Hunt in unearth-
lng their memorable finds" and later al
resbaeheh and Bahsamun. Under the expert
- TDr Mr. (seeTe acquired an
understanding Of the most approved methods
M "excavating' that stood him in good stead
srhen he was re-engaged by the University OF
Pennsylvania 10 return to Nippur with MI
k4avnes and TO resume digging on that interest
snr site Armed with this six months expert
Rnoe. he criticises severely the methods en-
,loyed by DR. Peters in the previous stages OF
she work. which he characterizes as "erTauc
Rnd Hpssmodic."
Deeply worried his account Of the work shows shows
him 10 have been, and anxious 70 secure Ialelnie
results in the shape of tablets and portable arqqi-
ties he inaugurated a system OF examining us
snounds by means OF deep uencnes, tui.Iels - anu ~
tlsafts. which may be all very Wen as 4 mems ISL "a
Il Isl not proposed TO continue excaYatlng- out
s certain 10 lead TO disaster when pushed TOO faT-
frequently placed his dumping grounds over pOr-
tions Of The mounds which had-and in too many
eases st have-tO be cleared before the nature OF
their contents San toe i IopeP4y, ~ ,i eoestooG mus
Mr.. Haynes 10 whom the author yields un-
Erudging admiration for his determination and
endurance. unfortunately followed the dsas-
frous methods inaugurated by Dr. Peters" and
a. was not until the arrival Of DR.. Hiprecht on
the scene that order began to emerge from
chaos, according TO Mr.. Geere. who finds it
Himcult ito understand his IDr. Hilprechtsl
silence 81 face Of the ridiculous criticism 10
which ne has been subjected both in America
End Europe To DR.. Hilprecht, indeed, Mr..
Eeere gives the entire credit for saving the
work from complete failure and OF assuring its
ultimate success. Had he not visited the Site
ts S. almost certain that the haphazard methods
Df excavation would have been continued until
Che mounds were reduced 10 a condition OF Ut
Ger incomprehensibility"
Mr.. Geere writes entertainingly Of life In
Bsgdad. where he spent several months con-
Ealesctng from an attack OF typhoid fever and,
Though with unnecessary detail Of a trip to
Eejef and Kerbullah. cities held by the Shah
bect Of Mahometans in even greater veneration
GhAn Mecca An amusing incident Of the work
at Eippur was the visit OF a commission an
pointed by the Turkish government 10 inquire
Into the report that vast freasure. guarded by