December 1933–June 1934

9 Plutarch Street, Athens,

March 2, 1934Dear Mr. McFadden:

Your letter of February 8 reached me yesterday.

You know, of course, from my telegram sent February 19th to Mr. Jayne that the archaeological authorities of Cyprus are favorable to work by us at Curium itself and, if we wish, in certain of the cemeteries belonging to it, though the good early Iron-age cemetery mentioned in my letter to Mr.Jayne of June 1933 is no longer available. The Cyprus Museum itself began excavating it in 1933. You may have seen the account of work there and at a Neolithic site near Curium, in the Illustrated London News of December 23. There will, however, be room enough for us.

The Curator of the Cyprus Museum, from whom I had a letter yesterday, has undertaken to make for us the preliminary arrangements necessary before the application for the permit official permit can be presented and then to hand to Government the formal application which I have sent him. The subsequent procedure will take some time, but if there is no hitch the Permit should be ready by the beginning of April. There will, however, be little use in trying to commence operations seriously before the 11th or perhaps the 16th. The Greek Easter holidays this year come April 6 to 10, and the 13th is also an important holiday pretty generally observed by the orthodox.

It would certainly be very agreeable, and often advantageous to the work, I am sure, to have the use of the schooner, but I don't think we should find it practicable to live aboard her. For that there ought to be a sheltered harbor close to the job so that we could get from the work to the ship quickly and easily whenever there is occasion, regardless of weather. At Curium this would be impossible. Even at Limassol the schooner would ride very unquietly when the wind blows from the Southeast or south. By land it is about 10 miles from Limassol to Curium; by sea 22 knots or more, I should judge, because of the intervening promontory "Akrotiri".

I hope to hear from you very soon as to when you may be expected here. A mild attack of gripPe has set back my work in Corinth, which I plan to leave finished, and I may not be able to start for Cyprus until a little after April 1st. But if you are ready to sail before I am (as is likely, I presume) you might perhaps take my luggage aboard then and pick me up later in Rhodes, after your visit to Crete.

Or it may be that you will find time and be interested to sail to Troy, where my friend Mr.Blegen has been excavating these past two years. He is now here, leaves the 24th for Constantinople and Angora and should be in Troy at the end of the month.

If you intend bringing the schooner through the Corinth canal and think of stopping at Corinth please let me know early about when this would be and how I can communicate with you (at Patras, for instance, or Corfu) in case I cannot be in Corinth at the time of your call.

Anticipating much pleasure in our association,

Sincerely yours,

Handwritten: signature

Handwritten note at right margin: (HILL)