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[Page 18]
have cost £600,000. On entering the courtyard which contains the fountain for ablutions, one is struck by the beautiful carving on the frieze on the wall, whilst the roof of the fountain is itself beautifully carved. Passing to the chamber where the sultan, who was assassinated in 1361, was buried, you find yourself in a room which is indeed a fine resting place for its founder, for it is a high chamber of great proportions, with a high dome roof, the top of the square corners of the room being rounded off with wood or stone work, carved to represent hanging curtains. The dome is surrounded by woodwork finely carved. From a window you can see holes in the outside walls which were supposed to have been made by cannon balls when Napoleon invaded the country. In fact one ball still nestles in the hole it has formed. The inspection of this mosque completed our sightseeing for to-day, so after having tea at Santis we made our way back to camp when we received some long looked for letters from home.
Sunday 6/2/16. This afternoon Tad stayed in camp so I took a trip to the Museum and spent a very interesting hour and a half. The Museum is at present in a rather disordered state, and a great portion of ones time on the first visit is taken up in getting the run of the place, but it will make it much more interesting for my second visit. There is no doubt the place is a gold mine of interest, and whereas one sees a few items of interest in a trip to some old site or ruins, he sees the accumulation of years of collecting from hundreds of such places, on entering the glass doors. One of the most interesting exhibits is I think the mummies, for you experience a novel feeling as you stand there and gaze on the stern old features of those great rulers who were all powerful two thousand years ago, but who now lie there shrunken and shrivelled, but the imagination easily supplies the energy and power which their face once portrayed. I hope to have the opportunity of visiting this wonderful museum again and seeing it more thoroughly.
Monday 7th to Friday 11th Feb. 1916. Nothing of particular interest occurred during this week, except that on Thursday I took Mrs. Hyams to afternoon tea at Troppis, where it is served French fashion. On entering you take a plate and go to the cake table