18 THE WELL OF THISBE. greyhounds accompanying us in this way a good idea was gained of the locality, and in company with such a companion as Layard, all was made plain. The well of Thisbe, the beloved of Pyramus. When flogged at school, and, as I well remember, kept in a lovely afternoon to learn this legend by heart, I little thought of the kind act my good instructor was doing me, and how in after years, sitting on the well, drinking its classic waters, I should repeat those lines thus roughly written on my memory, with true pleasure and gratitude to him who, by sheer might of hand and strength of perseverance, gave me a knowledge of a classic tongue spite of my will, and enabled me in later years to enjoy what it once cost me such tears and pains to learn.* On our return there was a breakfast of fresh melons, sad food to tempt one on to fever and ague; then the party dispersed to the excavations, whither I also followed them, as there was full twenty degrees of difference between the thermometer in the tent and in * My gratitude to this good man I cannot express. Spite of every difficulty he sent me forth, knowing enough to wish to learn more. The legend places the well here, though without any reason, as this fountain must have been within the city. However, if we are to look for proof, and correct topography, what shall we believe in the end? THE EXHUMED SCULPTURES. 19 the mound, the one being 104° to 106°, the other 80° to 82° or 84°. Here carpets were spread on a mattress, and each pursued his employment, some deep in studies, the artist drawing, and I, the idle one, seeing, thinking, dreaming. To me there was something solemn in sitting within these caves; it seemed as if I had been brought here to witness the mighty power of God to convince my own stubborn heart; as if I was here to see, to believe, and to carry forth with me, the wondrous truth of His word. Before me were the pages of the prophet of old he had prophesied, he had died, his words remained; and here one was called, as it were, to bear testimony to the truth of every word. The spot we lay in, though pitched upon by chance, seemed the very spot we witnesses should mark. At our very feet was a large bas-relief of the king in his chariot, followed by his eunuchs and people, "girded with girdles upon their loins, exceeding in dyed attire upon their heads; all of them Princes to look to." (Ezekiel xxiii. 15.) "Which were clothed in blue, captains and rulers * ** horsemen riding upon horses." On our right stood two mutilated 20 EFFECTS OF THE SCULPTURES. winged bulls, awe-striking in their very decay. The bas-relief at our feet was very fine; the king shaded by an umbrella; his dress, chariot, and horse's gear delicately and minutely cut. "The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold, On the next stone was depicted a siege without the walls; women were drawing water; the bucket is in the well, a crane with a block supports "Draw the water for the siege; fortify On others, the rope. 66 Captains and rulers clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding upon horses." (Ezekiel xxiii. 12.) On others, "They shall come against thee with chariots, waggons and wheels, and with an assembly of people who shall set against thee buckler and shield and helmet." (Ezekiel xxiv.) Again, I saw the sons and daughters taken as captives; here were prisoners stript and bound"They shall strip thee of thy clothes, and take away the fair jewels." These things, as I sat, I TABLETS DISCOVERED. 21 "Not saw portrayed on the walls, the images of the Chaldean. The place, but gloomily lighted, all tended to increase the feeling. open, but half revealed, thou shalt be hid," (Nahum iii. 11.) In the evening there was another ride, dinner, nargilleh, and conversation. At a late hour, we retired to our tents. Even then there was excitement: the guardians of the gardens below seemed to fire very much at random, and more than one bullet aimed at a boar passed distressingly near to my tent. Thus each day was a valuable record storied up as a memory of the past. Tablets were found (they seemed, by their number, to have entered the record office of Nineveh); many of them resembled cakes of Windsor soap, except, instead of "Old Brown Windsor," they were covered with most delicately cut arrow-headed hieroglyphics. Pieces of glass, &c., were found, but little else during my stay. The task of splicing the ropes was delegated to me. This was duly performed. There was a young wild ass of Mr. Layard's which was a constant amusement; it had been brought up by an Arab, a petty sheik, on the mound, and nothing could now part it from him. The 22 MAHOMET ON THE USE OF WINE. capriciousness of the little brute was extreme; We it would take food from his hand, and then with wonderful activity turn round and kick him. said it was a pity to teach him this. "Teach him, Ya guest," for so I was called; "he kicked, as all his race do, in his mother's womb." The shape, make, and form of the animal were perfect, and already it gave great promise of speed: its nostril was full and round as a bell, its colour dusty pink. One day the sheik, who had charge of it, entered the tent, and Mr. Hormuzd Rassam, whose influence is unbounded, told him to drink some wine. He drank it off, saying, Hormuzd's, not his. rather justly, the sin was They say: Mahomet passed a house where a large party were making merry, and he went on his way pleased, saying, "These men were enemies; a little wine makes them forget their quarrel, and they are friends. Wine then is good for man; it is the gift of God, to make his heart cheerful, happy, and friendly." In the evening he returned by the same road, and again passing the same house he found all fighting and quarreling; so he says in the Koran: "They will ask you concerning wine and lots; answer, in both there is great sin, and also some things |
