DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | Rocket, v. 1, issue 1, March 1940

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Rocket, v. 1, issue 1, March 1940

Page 16

16

before the tomb was discovered by the British archaeologists. Come over here and sit down, and I will explain to you how I got them and how you may help me to present to the world, a gift from ancient Egypt, which will rock the medical world.

III

My curiosity as to the circumstances of the recovery of these works of art, carried me reluctantly back to the table which occupied the center of the room. My reluctance, being due to the fact that pieces as rare as these were, were as a usual thing, not open for the assistants study until they were returned to the Museum. However the prospect of the story that was at hand, was enough to quickly seat me at the table with a last appraising glance. In a moment, my informant-to-be, started his amazing explanation.

"I came to Egypt with Theodore Davis in 1902, as the physician of the expedition he had formed, for the principal purpose of finding King Tut-Ankh-Amen's tomb which he, like a few others, was sure was to be found here in the valley of the kinds. Though I was of high ranking nobility in England, with an estate and enough money to keep me comfortable, I had chosen medicine as a hobby till it became an obsession with me. I then devoted my career to the study until I was given the opportunity to join Mr. Davis. I did so principally because I was tubercular and Egypt offers a far more healthful climate than foggy old London."

"At any rate, after the first few weeks of establishing my laboratory, I found myself with a great deal of spare time which I used in ramblings about the valley near camp, poking around with my stick and here and there finding a fragment of pottery or some other small artifact which would catch my fancy."

"One day as I was poking around in the sand near the entrance to the tomb of Ramses VI, I found, to my astonishment, a step hewn out of solid rock. Dropping down to my knees, I quickly made the sand fly in dog fashion, until I had uncovered several steps. My enthusiasm at the thought that I had made a real discovery urged me, at top speed, down to camp where I burst in among the men shouting out my discovery. I was, however, greatly disappointed in my reception, as many times before, I had run into camp with news of great discovery which proved generally, to be some high boulder or fragment of statuary of so little value that it was not worth removing. Ignoring my pleadings for examination of my find, the men returned to work, forcing me, through my pride, to return unaccompanied to my find. With the indignation which arose within me, there also came the thought that if I were to continue the investigation myself, I might be able to prove that I was not so childish in my discovery as they believed."

"It took me almost three days to remove the sand and dirt from those steps, 16 of them, as my duties around camp in my medical work took almost half a day. Discarded brushes, trowels, and other instruments of excavation, helped me to do a thorough job of cleaning around the seals on the door, which I found at the bottom of my stairway. These seals being meaningless to me, I stopped and pondered for a time, as to whether I should open the door or not. It was possible that it was nothing more than an empty chamber in the wall. If it was and I managed to bring the men back to unseal it, life would be unbearable for me around camp."

"With a decisive shake of my head, I quickly removed the seals and with a mental prayer that I was doing right, I swung open the door. The sight which met my eyes, sent me reeling back to the step not a moment too soon, as a huge stone slab dropped from above

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16 before the tomb was discovered by the British archaeologists. Come over here and sit down, and I will explain to you how I got them and how you may help me to present to the world, a gift from ancient Egypt, which will rock the medical world. III My curiosity as to the circumstances of the recovery of these works of art, carried me reluctantly back to the table which occupied the center of the room. My reluctance, being due to the fact that pieces as rare as these were, were as a usual thing, not open for the assistants study until they were returned to the Museum. However the prospect of the story that was at hand, was enough to quickly seat me at the table with a last appraising glance. In a moment, my informant-to-be, started his amazing explanation. "I came to Egypt with Theodore Davis in 1902, as the physician of the expedition he had formed, for the principal purpose of finding King Tut-Ankh-Amen's tomb which he, like a few others, was sure was to be found here in the valley of the kinds. Though I was of high ranking nobility in England, with an estate and enough money to keep me comfortable, I had chosen medicine as a hobby till it became an obsession with me. I then devoted my career to the study until I was given the opportunity to join Mr. Davis. I did so principally because I was tubercular and Egypt offers a far more healthful climate than foggy old London." "At any rate, after the first few weeks of establishing my laboratory, I found myself with a great deal of spare time which I used in ramblings about the valley near camp, poking around with my stick and here and there finding a fragment of pottery or some other small artifact which would catch my fancy." "One day as I was poking around in the sand near the entrance to the tomb of Ramses VI, I found, to my astonishment, a step hewn out of solid rock. Dropping down to my knees, I quickly made the sand fly in dog fashion, until I had uncovered several steps. My enthusiasm at the thought that I had made a real discovery urged me, at top speed, down to camp where I burst in among the men shouting out my discovery. I was, however, greatly disappointed in my reception, as many times before, I had run into camp with news of great discovery which proved generally, to be some high boulder or fragment of statuary of so little value that it was not worth removing. Ignoring my pleadings for examination of my find, the men returned to work, forcing me, through my pride, to return unaccompanied to my find. With the indignation which arose within me, there also came the thought that if I were to continue the investigation myself, I might be able to prove that I was not so childish in my discovery as they believed." "It took me almost three days to remove the sand and dirt from those steps, 16 of them, as my duties around camp in my medical work took almost half a day. Discarded brushes, trowels, and other instruments of excavation, helped me to do a thorough job of cleaning around the seals on the door, which I found at the bottom of my stairway. These seals being meaningless to me, I stopped and pondered for a time, as to whether I should open the door or not. It was possible that it was nothing more than an empty chamber in the wall. If it was and I managed to bring the men back to unseal it, life would be unbearable for me around camp." "With a decisive shake of my head, I quickly removed the seals and with a mental prayer that I was doing right, I swung open the door. The sight which met my eyes, sent me reeling back to the step not a moment too soon, as a huge stone slab dropped from above