الرئيسية
Chapter 3 The flight to Cuzco
The plane to Cuzco was full. We took off from Lima and soon left the thick cloud behind. I looked down and saw the coastal plain. It looked very dry and reminded me of the desert in Egypt. But after a short time we started to go over mountains. These mountains were green - they were covered in trees and bushes. The sides were steep and I could see fast-flowing rivers.
There was a big party of German tourists on board. But Dr Hafez and I were able to sit together. He read through the papers I had brought with me. As he read, he nodded to himself.
"Yes," he said. "It is just as I thought. Good." He put the papers away in his briefcase. "Sorry, Leila," he said, "but I just had to read these latest papers that you brought. These papers show that we're working along the right lines."
I asked him how the excavations were going.
"We're digging at a site near Quenco," he said. "It's about three hours by car from Cuzco. We now believe there was once a great city there."
"That's really exciting, isn't it?"
Dr Hafez smiled. "Yes, it is exciting. Of course, everyone knows about Machu Picchu, the great Inca city that was lost for hundreds of years. That's where those German tourists are going, no doubt. But we believe there are other Inca cities and cities of the peoples they conquered. Some of them haven't been discovered. Not yet, anyway."
I could see that Dr Hafez had something that he wanted to tell me. "What have you found?" I asked. -.,.
Dr Hafez looked around him. But the Germans were laughing and talking to each other. No one was listening to our conversation.
"You've come at a good time, Leila," Dr Hafez went on. He spoke in a quiet voice. "Two days ago we found a wall in the city. We think it
may be the wall of a tomb. We're going to break through into the tomb this week."
I was really excited now. "A tomb," I said. "What kind of tomb?" "It could be the tomb of a king," he said. "How do you know?"
"There are some marks on the wall. There's also a picture of a llama. That's a sign that it may be a royal tomb."
I didn't say anything. I just looked at him. Dr Hafez laughed.
"It's funny, isn't it? Here we are, two Egyptians digging up ancient Inca tombs. But our experience in the Valley of the Nobles is really useful. It is very interesting to discover the similarities and differences between the ways the Incas and the Ancient Egyptians buried their dead."
"For example," Dr Hafez went on, "the Incas and the Ancient Egyptians put gold and silver objects beside the bodies of their kings and they dressed them in beautiful clothes. They put gold masks on their faces. They put gold figures of animals in their tombs. And they put food and drink beside them. They believed that their kings and queens would need food and drink when they went into the next world."
"Did the Incas make mummies of their kings and queens?"
"Yes, they did," Dr Hafez said. "The Inca kings were mummified. And there was something really interesting that did not happen in Egypt. Every year at important festivals, the mummified kings were put on litters and dressed in fine clothes. They were taken through the streets!"
"So there were some differences between what the Incas did and what the Ancient Egyptians did?"
"Yes, of course. And the Incas did something else that the Ancient Egyptians never did."
"What was that?" I asked.
Again Dr Hafez looked around him as if he didn't want anyone to hear what he was going to say. "The Incas killed women and servants and buried them with the king. They were to take care of the king in the next world."
After that we didn't speak for a few minutes. Dr Hafez turned away and looked out of the window. We were flying over high mountains. They were covered in snow.
"The Andes," I said. "They're beautiful, aren't they? I've never seen mountains like these before."
Dr Hafez nodded. "Some of the mountain tops are over 6,000 metres high. It is amazing to think we are not far from the equator and yet there is always snow."
Dr Hafez didn't speak again for a while. Then he turned to me. "Leila, that man we met at the airport. Mander, was that his name?" "Lander. Martin Lander. He said he works for United Mining."
"I'm sure I've met him before. His name wasn't Lander, though. He used to work for United Mining, but he got involved with some people who were taking Inca objects out of the country. I think he had to leave his job with United Mining. And that's another thing. I don't think United Mining is working in Peru now."
"Maybe it's a different man. Lander said he didn't know you."
"Yes, maybe you're right. But you can't be too careful. You didn't tell him anything about our work in Peru, Leila, did you?"
I felt my face grow hot. I remembered the questions Martin Lander had asked me. "Well, I told him a little about it. But not much."
Dr Hafez looked serious. "You must be careful, Leila. There are people who come to Peru and dig up old Inca cities. They aren't archaeologists like us. They don't care about the things of the past. They break into tombs. They find gold and silver things and take them out of the country. These things should be in museums for everyone to see. But the thieves sell them to rich collectors."
"Don't these collectors know the things are stolen?"
"Some do, some don't. But most of them don't care. So be careful what you say and who you speak to, Leila."
"Yes, Dr Hafez," I said.
"Anyway, before we land, I need to talk to you a little about our work and how we are organised. There are two teams under my direction. You will be in charge of one team with three local archaeologists. I find it is better to have small teams rather than one big one. I need someone who understands me. Someone I can trust. That is why 1 was so keen that you came to Peru. I find it can be very difficult here sometimes. The local people have different ideas and as I don't speak Spanish and they don't speak Arabic, we have to use English. Sometimes I can't understand their English. I think a younger person is needed."
I was really surprised. "But Dr Hafez," I said. "Are you sure it is a good idea for me to be in charge of a team?
"Yes, of course. Don't worry. It will be all right."
The FASTEN SEAT BELTS sign came on and the plane started descending. The flight attendant told us that we would be arriving in Cuzco in ten minutes. I fastened my seat belt, but my hands were shaking a little. Dr Hafez looked at me.
"You look a bit pale," he said. "Are you all right?"
"Yes, of course," I said. "I just don't like landing. Especially in small planes like this."
But I was also thinking about what Dr Hafez had said. Me, in charge of local archaeologists? I wasn't expecting that.
We hit the ground with a bump, but the plane soon slowed down. There was the usual roaring sound which always frightens me and we taxied towards the terminal of Cuzco airport.
"Okay now, Leila?" Dr Hafez asked. I tried to smile. "Yes, thanks. I'm fine."
Cuzco airport was quite small. The German tourists got off first. Smiling men and women from their tour company were waiting for them. They were holding up a sign saying WELCOME TO PERU TOURS GROUP. We waited until the tour party had got out of the way. We picked up my luggage and headed for the exit. A woman about the same age as me was waiting for us. She was wearing
trousers, a brown shirt and a short overcoat.
"Leila, I want you to meet Amalia Guzman, one of the local archaeologists working on our excavation. Amalia, this is Leila El-Assaby. She's flown all the way from Egypt to work with us."
We shook hands..
"Did you have a good flight?" Amalia asked. "Yes, it was fine, but I'm feeling a bit tired." "Leila doesn't like flying," Dr Hafez said.
"I'm sorry to hear that," said Amalia. She looked at me without a smile. Then she turned to Dr Hafez.
"I've got the Land Rover here, Dr Hafez," she said. "Let me help you with your things."
Dr Hafez refused her offer of help. I had much more baggage than Dr Hafez, but Amalia didn't offer to help me. Instead, she turned and led the way out of the airport. In a few minutes we were in the Land Rover. Amalia drove. She chatted to Dr Hafez while she drove. I sat in the back. We drove out of Cuzco and along a dusty road.
I was so excited to be in Peru. I couldn't wait to get to the site of the excavation and see what Dr Hafez had done. I had explored tombs in Egypt with Dr Hafez, but this would be different. I was excited and a little nervous. Would I be able to do the work Dr Hafez wanted me to do? He had brought me out to Peru to do a job. I hoped I wouldn't let him down.
