"WEAKNESS OF THE BONES"
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All is not archaeology on an archaeological expedition. One of our problems was getting some of the appurtenances of modern civilization into the medieval world in which we were working. Gasoline is essential to a motorized expedition, and there are no filling stations in the land of the horse and camel. At first, Aden Airways found that it could not fit gasoline drums into its Dakotas, so the fuel was carried in the planes' tanks. The same planes also regularly delivered--and carried away--mail and people.
A few weeks after starting work I received an unexpected letter in Arabic, mailed from Egypt:
After compliments, I am a British subject. I beg to inform your good self that I am in possession of books written in the Arabic language about antiquity places in Aden. I am ready to supply you with these books as a guide provided you pay me $50,000 as insurance before supplying the books in question. If the books mislead you and your endeavors are frustrated, you have the right to obtain a refund of the money from me. On the other hand, if your research is successful, it then becomes my money and you have no right to claim it. I must also be informed by wire what sort of antiquities you have and whether all went well or not. If you are agreeable, please let us complete our agreement through the British. Consulate at Port Said. Please accept my profound respect.
I had to admire the high goal this confidence man set for himself. He was not interested in small change, and he thought no
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