ABSTRACT
Matilda Rassam, the object of Layard's anger, was waiting in Mosul with a story that was not likely to put him in a better mood. It concerned the packing and transportation of the two lions from the Nimrud palace, which had been left on the river bank waiting for the waters to rise; her husband was supposed to take care of the practical details. The story of what happened is contained in a letter she wrote in the middle of April, and her lively account deserves to be quoted:
Your two rafts have started at last & a precious job we have had. Mrs. Badger Rassam & myself started for Nimrood on the 8th the river was then high, but when we reached the village of Nimrood to our great surprise we found that the Lions were half under water & the villagers making every preparation to leave for the Mound. Although we could see what rapid strides the water was making towards the village we still laughed at their fear. After taking a walk to the mound, we found on our return that all the people had deserted the place, & Awad came in while we were at dinner & told us that we barely had time to reach the excavations before the road would be impassable. At the same moment Hannah came in for a shroud to bury the body of a young girl, about 10 years of age, which they had found floating down into the pond where you used to catch such delicious fish. A second Corpse was also floating but could not be recovered. It is supposed they had been about two days in the water. After hearing all this, we thought it high time to decamp & after giving orders to have all your things removed to the mound, we set off & were soon lodged in a black tent. The men bearing your effects, at least those that were portable, reported that the water was knee deep in your rooms. Hannah and Behnan still remained in your house & determined not to leave it; I of course sent for them immediately & after locking all the doors (which was of little use as some parts had already fallen) they left your mansion. By this time the whole plain was covered with water to the foot of the mound & they waded through it up to their waists. It was about midnight when they reached us, the poor fellows shivering & shaking with cold.
The rain now began to fall in torrents, & there were we servants, workmen &c &c huddled together in a miserable black tent which admitted a greater part of the rain. As soon as it was light we went to the edge of the Tel to take a view of the village, but there was little or nothing of it to be seen, the whole plain had the appearance of a rolling sea dashing against the foot of the mound.
We were now quite at a stand still nothing could be done the rain was coming down awfully & did not cease the whole day, the river also continued rising. I never remember spending a more miserable day, & we did nothing but wish for the morning, but as fortune would have it, the morrow was worse than the preceding day. Rassam now resolved to remain till next morning & rain or no rain to start for Moossul. During that night we were literally swimming & the servants were engaged baling the water out of the tent.
… Seeing no chance of the river falling & our situation was so miserable we returned to Moossul leaving orders to have the Lions embarked as soon as the river fell. Sultan Agha had just returned with the intelligence that the raft started yesterday, at 12 o'clock, but I am sorry to tell you that one of the Lions broke into two pieces just as they were putting it on board. It has not in the least injured the piece, for if it had been cut through with a knife it could not have been done better. 178
