of letters on the wall of the rock. The rock had been smoothed so as to form a tablet about 27 inches square, which contains six lines of writing on its lower portion. The inscription is about 5 yards from the mouth of the channel, and is on the right hand of an explorer entering from the Siloam end. It could hardly be read at first, because a deposit of lime had formed over it. Dr Guthe removed this by washing the tablet with a weak solution of hydrochloric acid. Major Conder, with the aid of Lieutenant Mantell, expended much labour and patience in taking a "squeeze," sitting for three or four hours cramped up in the water in order to obtain a perfect copy, and repeating the experience in order to verify every letter. Conder's squeezes were the basis of the earliest correct representation published in Europe. Professor Sayce, who had already visited the tunnel and made a provisional translation of the text, was now enabled to improve it; and the following is the translation:—
"1. (Behold the) excavation! Now this is the history of
the excavation. While the excavators were still lifting up
"2. The pick, each towards his neighbour, and while there were yet three cubits to (excavate, there was heard) the voice of one man
"3. Calling to his neighbour, for there was an excess (?) in the rock on the right hand (and on the left?). And after that on the day
"4. Of excavating the excavators had struck pick against pick, one against another,
"5. The waters flowed from the spring to the pool for a distance of 1200 cubits. And (part)
"6. Of a cubit was the height of the rock over the head of the excavators."[1]
The meeting of the two parties of excavators near the
- ↑ This is Dr Sayce's improved translation, in "Records of the Past," Second Series, vol. li. The inscription has since been cut out and stolen.
