The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-21
RELICS OF OLD EGYPT
ARE HARD TO OBTAIN
Disappointment May Follow
Much LabOriOuS
Work.

WAsHINGToN. June 20 When the an
nouncemen, Is made that some explora-
ton expedition has rescued from the
bowels of the earth material that reveals
the history OF people who lived 5000 and
more years ago. few people realize the
attendant difficulties and hardships that
are frequently undergone for the sake OF
that branch OF science. Wallace y.
Stearn.. in a commu pication 10 the Ma
tonal Geographic Society, gives some idea
OF this side OF Me work In the recon-
struction Of Egypt's history.
"Thcse stupendous excavations along
the Nile call for equipment on consid-
cradle scale" he SAYS. work must De
rapid December to April marks the
WORKING year. Every moment Is precious.
Every carload must count. Every shovel
full OF earth must he carefully slfted
whenever there is possibility OF find.
Even basket brigade Is sometimes
pressed into use. AS soon as some APP
parently valuable piece Is located WORK
men are called on. experts are sent In.
every man Is on guard. Carefully every
inch OF soil Is watched as the last baskets
OF earth are removed. Every fragment
must be saved and laid away until every
thing has been uncovered.
Under Tense strain.
Think OF the disappointment when, for
example, a magnificent statue comes out
headess. Think Of the conjecturos as to
the whereabouts Of the missing piece and
the furog when perhaps weeks afterward
the lost IL found. There In an air of
hushed expectancy. n suppressed excite
ment lowering over that keeps men up
under the most tense strain under which
the work IA Of necessity conducted.
AT Deir-el- Bahari the debris had to be
\ -. a.
no risk of covering either temple or tomb.
This precaution doubtless saved the elev-
enth dynasty temple from burial beyond
any hone OF resurrection. Any one who
took part in this work will never see any
dust worth mentioning elsewhere At Il
distance OF Atty yards visitor would
hear "A terrible hubbtb. see.rg nothing but
an impenetrahle haze of dust, from which
would presently emerge a tram, visible
at ten yards. operating under the direction
OF dust imp, almost immediately fol-
lowed by another. over the high en-
bankment would plunge the loads. and tho
train. once started. rolled all day cease
lessly on its double track, save for the
noon hour OF rest
America has Joined hands with the Old
World In prosecuting this work. Wonder
full are the results attained. Every stu
dent Of history and literature. every stu
dent OF the Bible. is vitality concerned In
the combinations yearly coming to light
from the sands OF Egypt. There is need
OF haste
Egypt ia BE Born Again.
"To extend the arabic district OF Egypt
Is an economic necessity. Accordingly
he British Government has erected at
Assuan the great dam. whose ninetysfive
foot head has sent the waters OF the Nile
back over great areas of hitherto dry
ground. Already a dozen temples have
been flooded and ere long will be forever
lost to sight. Already beautiful Phlae,
at the head % the first cataract, Is gone.
The soil IS becoming nfitrhted and the
stores OF treasures, especially the papy-
rus manuscripts, are being ruined, even
before the waters cover the ground above.
'TIowayer. through the genius of the
engineer Egypt Is being born again. In
her awakening the lnpd OF the pharaohs
is again to play a role among nations.
Art and sentiment have been sacrificed
Ia her commercial welfare. The gain to
Egypt through the conservation OF these
life giving waters In rainless land ID
estimated at ylo.oOo,oOo annually"