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

352 EXPLORATIONS IN BIBLE LANDS
and technical knowledge upon the work at Nuffar was felt
immediately. Haynes' reports, previously and afterwards
often lacking in clearness and conciseness and devoted more
to the description of threatening dangers, illness of the servants,
and other interesting though secondary questions than
to the exposition of archaeological facts, aimed now at setting
forth the characteristic features of the work in which he
was engaged and at illustrating the weekly progress of the
excavations by accompanying
measurements, diagrams, and
drawings. In order to derive the greatest benefit for the
expedition from Meyer's presence, the exploration of the
temple mound was made the principal object of their united
efforts, and with the exception of a few weeks in September,
all the laborers were concentrated around the ziggurrat. The
trenches grew deeper every day, and Ashurbanapal's lofty
terraces rose gradually out of the encumbering mass of later
additions. The hot and trying Babylonian summer, more
uncomfortable and inconvenient than dangerous to health,
passed by without any noteworthv incident.
But when the
cooler nights indicated the approaching fall and brought
with them the usual colds and chills frequently complicated
by dysentery and malarial poisoning of the human system,
Meyer's weakened body proved unequal to the demands
made upon it.
At the end of September his physical powers of endurance
gradually gave way. For seven weeks more he endeavored
hard to overcome the effects of the malignant
disease and remained faithfully at his post. By the end of
November his condition had become so critical that notwithstanding
the extraordinary
became necessary to convey him bv boat to
hardships of the journey, it
Hilla and from
there in a covered litter to Baghdad. But his case was
beyond human aid long before he left Nuffar. On December
20, 1894, he died in the house of Dr. Sundberg,
Haynes' successor as United States consul at Baghdad, like