volume 2 - Robert Bedrosian's Armenian History Workshop

Raft of Goat Skins Described. 87
to the place whence they came for use again. The raft
can only move down-stream, and its course is guided by
the kalakji, or raftsman, with long wooden sweeps
it is moored to a stake which he usually carries on the
raft, or to a large stone by a rope made of fibre.
When passengers are to be carried the raft is covered
over with planks, and on these carpets and beds are
spread, generally under the shelter of the bales of goods
to keep off the wind. In winter passenger rafts carry
on them a sort of wooden shanty in which passengers
cook their meals and sleep, and when a carpet is hung
over the opening this little building affords shelter not
to be despised. When the river is in flood the journey
to BaghdS.d, not including stoppages, occupies three or
four days ; when the river is low anything from eight to
twelve days. The raft which I had made under the
kalakji's direction measured 30 feet by 20 feet, and the
skins were about 350 in number. We had to use plenty
of skins, for the raft had to carry the altar of Sargon II,
the boundary-stele of Sennacherib, and a lot of inscribed
bricks and pieces of sculpture from Kuyunjik
which the Delegate insisted on taking back with him to
Stambul in order to impress the authorities with his zeal
and diUgence. Besides these things we had to carry a
number of packages of all sorts and kinds for people
in Mosul who had been helpful to White and myself,
and who took the opportunity of sending their things
to Baghdad by what they called " safe hands." We
also agreed to give " privileged passages " to three
specially recommended young natives who were going to
study in the schools of the Dominican Fathers in
Baghdad, and the kalakji said he must take his nephew
with him to help him to guide the raft. The Wall took
a personal interest in our journey, and insisted on sending
a soldier with us to protect the raft and ourselves. The
Delegate declared that he was only sent to watch him,
and I believe he was right. As the Delegate's arrangements
for feeding himself were of the vaguest character,
I got a large bagful of bread-cakes baked, and chickens
and mutton roasted, and several kindly natives brought