Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-18

mastering about IS fairly preSentable specimens,
although we had asked for So
Our first problem was how to approach the
edifice. the stone being piled up In such q
formidable way that for q while it appeared
we would have to attack the monument by
siege and in some fashion effect q breach In
the wall. I was resolved to start q passage
to the central and high point OF the edifice.
Soon we were hard at work moving great
blocks Of stone which were cut quite regular
and from to feet IN length.
TN examining the stones Of the great exterior
wall. we found. to our amusement, that
many Of the stones were covered with thou
sands of inscriptions. Some Of these were UNI
doubleday ancient, others were more modern.
Many Of the inscriptions uncovered In the
process Of taking down the exterior wall were
OF great antiquity. the letters burned black by
. thousand thousand suns. The great struc-
tsire itself Is surrounded by O dozen tomhs
built I'm o circle, and on an artificial platform
OF stones. We started excavating these as well
rs the central monument, thinking them to be
part Of the whole ensemble. Later however,
we discovered that they were the last resting
places OF the IL noble followers OF the queen.
As our excavations progressed we were struck
by the beautiful arrangement Of the stone walls
which divided the edince into II rooms the
stone being well joined. Most of the rooms
measured from six to eight yards square. Lead
ing from the northeast we found the sculptured
ruin OF large entrance, the door thereto being
covered by large stone upon which were many
ancient inscriptions. On either side Of the main
passage were regularly placed pillars Of vol
canic stone, beautifully worked and leading
toward the central room.
As the work went forward it became more
evident that we were excavating an edifce that
was something more than tomb-it must have
been some sacred temple. We knew that legend,
seni-historical in nature placed tina tomb Of
the great queen here. but 1t 10 possible that.
after her reign and death, cult found fits
origin on the site to which 50 many pilgrim
ages were made by all those who worshipped
the memory OF Queen Tin Hinan.
On the third day OF our work. after excavat-
ing six feet OF rock and sand, we came upon
the remains Of the storeroom. Here we found
many date pits. millet, and q considerable guam.
tity Of vegetable matter. We found here also,
some iridescent glass.
The work was very laborious, long, and siow
It was necessary for the stones to be removed
BY the none too eager Negroes, who passed
them from hand to hand. All stones, upon
which Inscriptions appeared. were put aside for
the day when q Iibyan language expert can
decipher them and this scholar viii then add
greatly to our present fund Of information.
The excavations did not proceed without din
culties. We had quite problem In making q
satisfactory explanation to the Caid and the
digging In the most sacred Of all Tuareg tombs
In the midst Of our work on the fourth day
Of excavation, clouds began to cover the distant
peaks. AS soon as the rain began falling we
made rush for our camp near the river bed.
fearing that it might be suddenly swept away
by one Of those rare and terrible Sahara floods.
We feared it would destroy our caravan Of
supplies, which we knew was following the
river bed as the best route to our camp. Rations
were low, and II the food did not arrive within
q few hours, we might be faced with the pros
pect of making an effort to cook some of the
vegetable matter found in the temple store
room, and which had lain there for perhaps
1000 years.
ON the sixth day of our work our food sup
plies were completely exhausted and q
Tuareg guide departed for Tamanrasset, in
search Of our delayed or lost caravan.
On the seventh day we reached storeroom
In the center Of the monument. Leading to
the room was a small stone doorway covered
with inscriptions, and IL Is here that great
events were soon to take place. After four
days spent In cleaning out the room, we came
to large leather covering which bore beauti-
fui fringes and strange designs-the first thing
OF Its kind that has ever been found in the
Sahara. This unusual drapery gave US the feel
ing that we were on the point OF making
great discovery.
While ty,a. late .d3rta5 and