6AO/55 
ut returning later to duty in Africa, ihe architect is F. T. Birch 
of Dor es Salaam, TangatQrika, the auditor, P. J. Le P. Quadrick, of 
same place; did not realize they were travelling together, ttought 
they were chance acquaintenances making same trip. For both it is 
first trip down Hlle. Vfe lose them when we stop over in Luxor. 
At 2 I 30 our rooB temperature is 99 degrees and not so hot as 
it sounds. I*m adding these words in the dining "room," the only 
place I can write without having the paper blow out ftrOT under my 
hands. 
Assouan 
This morning, June 11, we arrived in Assouan* town of the great 
Hile dam, started in 1098. Last night we tied up along shore just 
to pasE^he night so that we would not get here before 8 a.m, IfSs 
passed custcaas with little trouble. It’s just wonderful idiat a 
special passport, such as the Smithsonian gets its field workers, 
will do,-- ’nothing was opened and here we are before and since lunch 
waiting in theOrand Hotel for 5 p.m. train departure for Luxor. It’s 
" cooler here just lOlj degrees and honestly it’s quite comfortable, I 
am perspiring the least bit, and according to the papers Luxor is 
ii degreea-6 degrees cooler. >lhen you see the granite quarries here 
frem which the Egyptian obelisk in Rew York was cut— hard reddish 
granite, and cut by hand and prised loose with wooden wedges, wet 
to make them swell you will realise the energy output that is himianly 
possible in this warm and desert country. And what they knew about 
si^le physical phenoaena is amazing— and how they applied them to 
their work. It's because of this unique granite ledge that this 
great Assouan Dam was put across the river at this point; guide says 
