d in 1899 by
Mr. Golenischeff, which describes the adventures of Uenuamen, an envoy
sent (about 1050 B.C.) to Phoenicia to bring wood from the mountains of
Lebanon for the construction of a great festival bark of the god Amen
at Thebes. In the course of his mission he was very badly treated
(We cannot well imagine Thothmes III or Amenhetep III tolerating
ill-treatment of their envoy!) and eventually shipwrecked on the coast
of the land of Alashiya or Cyprus. He tells us in the papyrus, which
seems to be the official report of his mission, that, having been given
letters of credence to the Prince of Byblos from the King of Tanis,
"to whom Amen had given charge of his North-land," he at length reached
Phoenicia, and after much discussion and argument was able to prevail
upon the prince to have the wood which he wanted brought down from
Lebanon to the seashore.

Here, however, a difficulty presented itself,--the harbour was filled
with the piratical ships of the Cretan Tjakaray, who refused to allow
Uenuamen to return to Egypt. They said, 'Seize him; let no ship of his
go unto the land of Egypt!' "Then," says Uenuamen in the papyrus, "I sat
down and wept. The scribe of the prince came out unto me; he said unto
me, 'What ail-eth thee?' I replied, 'Seest thou not the birds which fly,
which fly back unto Egypt? Look at them, they go unto the cool canal,
and how long do I remain abandoned here? Seest thou not those who would
prevent my return?' He went away and spoke unto the prince, who began
to weep at the words which were told unto him and which were so sad. He
sent his scribe out unto me, who brought me two measures of wine and a
deer. He sent me Tentnuet, an Egyptian singing-girl who was with him,
saying unto her, 'Sing unto him, that he may not grieve!' He sent word
unto me, 'Eat, drink, and grieve not! To-morrow shalt thou hear all that
I shall say.' On the morrow he had the people of his harbour summoned,
and he stood in the midst of them, and he said unto the Tjakaray, 'What
aileth you?' They answered him, 'We will pursue the piratical ships
which thou sendest unto Egypt with our unhappy companions.' He said unto
them, 'I cannot seize the ambassador of Amen in my land. Let me send him
away and then do ye pursue after him to seize him!' He sent me on board,
and he sent me away... to the haven of the sea. The wind drove me upon
the land of Alashiya. The people of the city came out in order to slay
me. I was dragged by t