Explorations in Bible lands during the 19th century - H. V. Hilprecht

314 EXPLORATIONS IN BIBLE LANDS
us acquainted with the low ebb in the finances of the expedition.
It was, therefore, decided to close the excavations of
the first campaign at the beginning of May. But the working
season was brought to a conclusion more quickly than
could have been anticipated. The trouble started with the
Arabs. The methodical exploration of the ruins had proceeded
satisfactorily for about nine weeks till
April, tablets being found abundantly, and the
of ancient Nippur becoming more lucid everyday.
the middle of
topography
Notwithstanding
those countless difficulties which, more or less, every
expedition working in the interior of Babylonia far away
from civilization
has to meet at nearly every turn, we began
to enjoy the life in the desert and to get accustomed to the
manners of the fickle Arabs, whose principal " virtues
"
seemed to consist in lying, stealing, murdering, and lasciviousness.
And the 'Afej, on the other hand, had gradually
abandoned their original distrust, after they had satisfied
themselves that the
Americans had no intention of erecting
a new military station out of the bricks of the old walls
the purpose of collecting arrears of government taxes.
for
But
there existed certain conditions in our camp and around us
which, sooner or later,
had to lead to serious complications.
Hajji Tarfa, the supreme shaikh of all the 'Afej tribes, a
man of great diplomatic skill, liberal views and far-reaching
influence, was unfortunately absent in the Shamiye when we
commenced operations at Nuffar. His eldest son, Mukota,
who meanwhile took the place of his father, was a sneaking
Arab of the lowest type, little respected by his followers,
begging for everything that came under his eyes, turbulent,
treacherous, and a coward, and brooding mischief all the
while. Two of the principal 'Afej tribes, the Hamza and the
Behahtha, both of which laid claim to the mounds we had
occupied, and insisted on furnishing workmen for our excavations,
were at war with each other. At the slightest provocation
and frequently without any apparent reason they