Cairo
Egypt
March 1920
My dearest Evy,
How are you? As you can see I’ve arrived in Cairo, we have a few days free, Father has decided to catch the Nile ferry on Thursday, he says that it essential that we get supplies. Indeed so it is, but I intend to visit a few of the markets (I’ll stay quite clear of any haggling, you remember what happened last time!). Father appears to be missing Mother quite a bit. I suppose that’s natural; this will be the first expedition he has been on without her since I was born. Am I right in thinking Mother is (more than) a little miffed about not coming? Father says she is not to come over, not until she is fully recovered so Evy, you must make sure that she doesn’t, I think she will take more notice of you (although you never know with Mother). She must miss Egypt awfully though, Father says he will write to her (if he remembers).
It was a good journey over, the sea was quite calm, and certainly it was one of the better journeys we’ve had. At least we didn’t have you, baby sister, suffering seasickness, or are you still claiming to have ‘grown out of it.’ We met a group of like-minded individuals, although their interest seemed to be geared more towards treasure side of exploring, they seem to think there is a non-stop supply of treasure buried underneath the sand. Give me a good, sound telling of, Evy dear, if I ever get like that. The focus should be on the academic side and not the treasure; we should be excavating to find out more about the lives of the Ancient Egyptians, not to find trinkets to sell to foreign tourists.
Father has just arrived back to the hotel, he’s been hunting out supplies (and suppliers), he’s cursing the cheek of the Arab shopkeepers, does that mean our dear father has actually been outwitted! See, Evy, it is not just I who falls victim to their conning. It’s a very easy mistake to make, I say. He says he’s been talking to a group of French Legionnaires, apparently there is ongoing troubles with the Tuaregs (or Bedouin, he couldn’t remember which), the captain warns us to be careful. Father says he was a nice chap, an American he says, rather young for a captain he thought. He asked him if they would care to assist us but unfortunately they are busy (surely Father would realise this) off to Libya. I must say, I wouldn’t enjoy Legionary life at all (though I suppose they don’t either) and surely the Legion is populated by rotters, bounders and cads, at least it appears to be, you hear of fellows joining up because of some ‘trouble’ usually involving something unsporting.
Now, onto the expedition! We shall be heading off down the Nile, until we get to a small settlement; I forget the name at the moment. We then have a three day trek through the Sahara (on camels, oh the joy!) until we get to the tomb, apparently, and if Father is correct the tomb is relatively undisturbed. Hopefully we shall find many useful objects, which will be a great asset to the museum. Father has spoken to Dr. Bay, he is the curator at the Museum of Antiquities in Cairo if you remember and he has agreed to let us split the collection of artefacts between the British Museum (I am here as their representative) and the Museum of Antiquities.
I think we shall have success on this expedition, Father is in excellent form, certainly the clever and famous Egyptologist. The tomb is supposedly from the 18th Dynasty; it is the tomb of a daughter of one of the Pharaohs, a Princess Hessatira. Very little is known about her so this little dig has some importance. The main theory at the moment is that she was some relation of Thutmose, but we’re not sure whether it is Thutmose I, II, III or IV. Hopefully we will find a wealth of information on her.
Now, dear sister, I must go now, I have a busy few days ahead,
Your ever-loving brother,
Jonathan x
March 1920 Expedition
Somewhere along the Nile
Egypt
Dear Evy,
Yes, Evy dear, you can laugh, I know there is no post boxes along the Nile, or indeed in the desert but I intend to keep you updated all the time and this is a much better way than one huge letter at the end of the expedition, you can have lots of little letters!
It has been a nice journey so far. The Nile and its banks are particularly beautiful at the moment; I’ve enjoyed just sitting and gazing. There is also quite a bit of activity in the water, crocodiles I believe. I just hope they aren’t overly hungry crocodiles, I don’t relish the idea of becoming a crocodile’s dinner if I have the misfortune of ending up in the river, I should think it would be a rather unpleasant experience. If you remember, Evy, we did once ponder the consequences of becoming ‘lunch’ to one of the many nasty creatures Egypt boasts though I don’t think the crocodile was covered in much depth, if I remember correctly it was desert inhabitants we focused on. That must have been nearly 10yrs ago, I think it was the year before the Great War so 1913, you would have been 12 and I would have been nearly 17. I can’t remember where we were going. Wasn’t it near Thebes? I can’t think at the moment.
I was speaking with Father earlier today, he told me he is thinking of reducing the amount of expeditions he goes on and instead focus more on lecturing, a sort of semi-retirement he said. Well! I’ve never been as shocked! This is the last thing I expected. I mean Father has be having huge luck recently, he’s had very successful expeditions and is discovering a wealth of new information. Naturally I questioned him on this sudden announcement. Apparently he’s feeling his age, although I can’t see why, he is only 50 (he’s not 51 for a few months), not an old man by anyone’s standards, and he’s in the best of health so I cannot understand where this has come from.
I hope he isn’t serious, that it is just a brief idea that he will soon forget about. Father not going on expeditions would be plain wrong, it’s his life, and he is the great explorer, forever seeking the (not always) unknown. It just wouldn’t be right.
Anyway, Evy dear, we shall soon be on our way across the desert. I must admit I quite miss having you here; it’s no fun without you. If I can I shall write when I get there.
Love to Mother,
Jonathan x.