BSY_FB_28-019

January Thursday 19 1905

Umm idj-Djimâl 9:00 A.M. Temp. 43 ° Baro. S 27.50 " Baro L 27.72
1/3 in of ice at night - Clear, Calm. Beautiful day.

Very busy and fascinating day for all, finding new wonders
of intense interest as this city of the past gradually opens up
its secrets. Many new inscriptions & buildings throwing more
light on the history of mankind.

With one week of good weather and no interference from the
government or Arabs, we can obtain enough data to cause a
sensation when the results are published.

This complete city of an Arabic civilization now dead - as far
as known, the only thing of its kind in the world - I believe to be
doomed to distruction? within a very few years, after having
stodd for at least twenty centurys?. The railroad now building
from Damascus to Mecca runs within ten miles to the west
and even now can be seen rising in the clear air the white steam
from the locomotives as they slowly pull the construction trains
South along the foot hills of the blue Mountains of Gilead.
From the North and East the Druse, those vultures for the
ruins are crowding the Arab nomads, and even now the
city is recognised as the property of the Druse village of
Dhibin, some 12 miles to the N.E. Only its slight inaccesibility
gives it a short respite, before the Druse swoops down on his
prey and carrys? away every lintel, every inscription, every piece
of earring in fact nearly every cut stone, to build his miserable
hovel of a nest. (Altis Nest)

January Thursday 19 1905

Umm idj-Djimâl 9:00 A.M. Temp. 43 ° Baro. S 27.50 " Baro L 27.72
1/3 in of ice at night - Clear, Calm. Beautiful day.

Very busy and fascinating day for all, finding new wonders
of intense interest as this city of the past gradually opens up
its secrets. Many new inscriptions & buildings throwing more
light on the history of mankind.

With one week of good weather and no interference from the
government or Arabs, we can obtain enough data to cause a
sensation when the results are published.

This complete city of an Arabic civilization now dead - as far
as known, the only thing of its kind in the world - I believe to be
doomed to distruction? within a very few years, after having
stodd for at least twenty centurys?. The railroad now building
from Damascus to Mecca runs within ten miles to the west
and even now can be seen rising in the clear air the white steam
from the locomotives as they slowly pull the construction trains
South along the foot hills of the blue Mountains of Gilead.
From the North and East the Druse, those vultures for the
ruins are crowding the Arab nomads, and even now the
city is recognised as the property of the Druse village of
Dhibin, some 12 miles to the N.E. Only its slight inaccesibility
gives it a short respite, before the Druse swoops down on his
prey and carrys? away every lintel, every inscription, every piece
of earring in fact nearly every cut stone, to build his miserable
hovel of a nest. (Altis Nest)