1953: McFadden's death (2 of 2)

American Embassy. Kabul, Agfanistan

Sept. 13, 1953Dear G. Roger:

Sorry to have not written for so long; sheer laziness and heat inertia. Received two from you and eagerly awaiting the third, to tell me all about the Gordion results. Had one from Ellen, posted at Naples on her way home; she must be there by now, getting built up on Ma Kohler's food. Also a couple of briefies from Mabel, and from Gemal. The latter mostly concerned with the health of the dogs and cats, with illustrations. Mt brother writes that Janaver & wife arrived safely, all his offsprings are expecting new offsprings, and so are not at the moment receptive, and the little woman won't have any more dogs around because they eat the asparags in the garden. So Webber's. Hevent heard from my sister about the errand entailed of collecting the others for Webbers, but suppose she will duly do it about now. Nor heard anything from the damsel-caretakers. Adana should produce, if your prognosis was right, about December.

Present plans are to leave here about Nov. 15, have asked passage, Karachi Beirut, for Nov. 20. No timetables available here for Beirut Nikosia, or Nikosia Ankara, so told them to ask for first plane out of Beirut, and Wed. (25) plane Nikosia Ankara; if they still run on wednesdays in the winter as they did in the summer. Which should give two or three days in Curium, if it hasnt been shaken down by the earthquake, of which we hear rumors. I asked Ellen and Geraldine to send any pix of objs available for exchange to you in Cyprus, if they couldnt get them to Turkey before you left - so that I can pick them up in Cyprus when I pass by, and so go well armed to the battle of Ankara. Hope to effect the exchange while in Akara, and also to visit Gordion to see results of summer digging at Gordion, and on the way through Istanbul to look into question of bronzes again if they have not been already sold. Then a week in London; among other things at Institute of Archaeology, to find out what they know, if anything, about the digging, sticking together, and preserving of wall-paintings, for the future at Gordion.

Have noe seen as much of agfanistan as I ever could wish to; the central part, with mountains, quite nice, but of ciurse not very archaeological; though Bamian a good site, but already dug. The rest is mostly flies, fleas, sand and heat; and many places with oblly ditch water to drink. Theres not a drop of the real strong waters to be had - religious prohibition. And one lives on agfan pilau and melons, which may be allright but get a little bit tiresome after a while. We took three weeks for the trip and went right around - Bamian, Kunduz, Mazar, Balkh, Andkhui, Maimana, Herat, Farah, Kandahar etc. - finally came to lighten the Kunduz monastery to dig buddhist (Cyrus and Hiram) and I will make a sondage at Balkh. Leave here on Wednesday 16 and return early in November - 10 or 12 I guess, at any rate in time to be sure not to miss that plane from Karachi on the 20th. There is a good hotel (as agfan hotels go) at Kunduz, and Hicy can live there, at Blakh I will borrow the French excavation house. Cyrus has not run down in the comparing department yet, and I guess by mid-November he will be going louder and stronger - it is very dull. Thank Good eur dear colleague Dr. Goon was not along too!

John Young promised me to make and send a list of terracottas desirable in his eyes for the division; and I wonder if he ever coughed it up. One of the original purposes of my fall visit to Cyprus (projected before George was drowned) was to look into a division of spoil, which would help clear things up - and I guess should be done in all departments before you leave next summer. Perhaps you will be thinking about this during the fall, and we can have a session with Megaw when I get there. By the way what are your plans about going to Athens? I remember I suggested November, and perhaps I won't find you in Cyprus. But unfortunately my timetable will not allow for Greece.