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[Page 61]
it is quite willing to fall back in again. We struck a job like this the other day. We fell to work in all the flush and pride of our strength and lightly and gaily tossed the sand aside. When engaged in this exhilarating occupation it is well to remember that every time you lift a spadeful of this elemental combinations half of it falls off again. This is rather dampening to the ardour born of novelty but it saves the wear & tear of pernicious reactions. Well, as said we started off with much unnecessary flourishing and wide sweeping of arms and a beautiful sight it was to see the sand shooting out like smoke from a Jack Johnson. Sometimes a well meant but somewhat inaccurately judged shovelful would be deposited down the back of some toiling neighbour. But little accidents like these were overlooked, such was the prevalence of good spirits. Well we got down a foot or so and by that time were beginning to find some benefit in straightening up every now & again to admire the scenery or watch the progress of our neighbour. It was really wonderful too observe how scientific & observing many of us became. Stones that before had seemed quite commonplace and
uninteresting, suddenly and most unaccountably possessed a fascination and interest that before we would have thought impossible. It is surprising how much discussion and argument we could raise on points whose existence we before had not the slightest cognisance. We reverted to our happy old schooldays and
[Sketch] Ruins east of second pyramid Sunday 14/3/15
found that we could remember things that surprised the best of us. We waxed quite warm it times. I would never before had thought it possible that so many conflicting ideas and theories could have been brought to the solution of the origin and history of these pebbles of the desert. Some of us too, were found that we