This edition published in Great Britain in 2010 by Top That!

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0246897531
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by
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of otherwise than as a complete book, and any unauthorised sale of such part illustration, photograph or reproduction shall be
deemed to be a breach of the publishers copyright.
ISBN 978-1-84956-307-9
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, incidents and dialogues are products of the authors imagination or are used
fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Creative Director Simon Couchman. Editorial Director Daniel Graham. Art Editor Matt Denny.
Written by Gordon Volke. Illustrations by Neil Reed and Robert Nicholls.
Consultant Editor Dr Neal Spencer.

White Christmas
December 25th, 1915
Happy Christmas to my new journal and friend.
The choir
were in fine
singing voice at
this mornings
church service.

We are having a white Christmas this year but without any

snow! The frost this morning was the thickest I have ever seen. It
covered everything with a freezing layer of dazzling white, turning
the leafless trees into icy skeletons and spiders webs into glittering
patterns of enchanting beauty. The breath from the horses
bringing people to church hung in the air like clouds.
Reverend Thomas, who has taken over Fathers duties while
he is away at The War, came striding out of the vestry and slipped
over. I saw his legs go right up in the air in front of him before he
hit the ground. Fortunately, he was wearing so many heavy robes
that he did not hurt himself. He is such a boring man, I could not
help but laugh at his misfortune.
Mama and my twin sisters, Lydia and Kate, clubbed together
to buy me a special Christmas gift. It is a brand new set of art
materials, complete with its own carrycase. I am thrilled with it.
Drawing and painting are very important to me. As well as being
my hobby, I use this method to illustrate my scientific findings
and keep a record of all the things I see and do.

NOTE:

I dont know Mamas age.

She will never reveal it!
The twins are almost
seventeen. They think they
are very superior to me
because I am only fourteen.
4

Mama with Lydia and Kate.

Children from the village called after church this morning,

singing Christmas carols. It is an old custom that has been
carried out since the Middle Ages. Cook, as always, had
prepared some special treats for the carollers (plus one or two
extra for my younger brother, Tom, and myself). When I heard
our little visitors singing these words, I felt the past
coming alive:

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,

The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

My ten-year-old brother,
Tom. I have much
more in common
with him than I do
with my sisters!

This is my house in
Little Waltham. It looked
very festive covered in a
thick layer of frost.
Talking of the past coming alive, I have a secret to reveal to you,
my new journal and friend. I will write more tomorrow. I am
fatigued from todays festive frivolities.
5

I miss Father
more than words
can describe.

A New Adventure
December 26th, 1915
Visiting the past is a highly dangerous business!

Morning Before he went off to France to serve as an army chaplain,

Father used to conduct scientific experiments in the summer
house at the bottom of our garden. I used to help him. We are
both passionate about knowledge and learning everything we
can about this amazing world in which we live.

Dearest Father and the summer house - my favourite place in the whole world.
One day last summer, experimenting on my own in Fathers
absence, I found a strange machine, powered by a mysterious
green crystal, hidden in the shed adjoining the summer house. It
is a TIME MACHINE! Father built it and left it there for me to
discover when he went away. I have already used it to visit
different periods in the past and have recorded first hand what I
have seen. Tom comes with me on these exciting journeys. He
stumbled on the secret by accident, and the price of his silence is
to allow him to share my adventures. (I do not mind. He is a
bright and cheerful companion.)
6

The shed in
which the
time machine
is stored.

WAR NOTE: Poppies are abundant on the killing fields that surround the trenches.
Mortar shells expose the seeds, giving them the light that they need to germinate.
Other than my little brother, however, I do not want
anyone to know that we have the ability to go time-travelling.
If news of Fathers amazing invention ever leaked out, its
unique knowledge-gathering powers would be lost forever.

Poppies

Afternoon A telegram arrived just after breakfast this morning, brought by

an army courier. My blood ran cold as we assembled in the
sitting room to read it. Was it one of those terrible messages that
every family dreads, informing them that their loved one had
been killed in action? Mercifully, no! Father was due to come
home on leave in the New Year, but the fighting has greatly
intensified and he cannot get away. We are all heartbroken.
They said this war would be over by Christmas. I fear they are
wrong and it will drag on for years.

Recruiting posters like this can be seen all over

the village. Men are joining the army in droves.
Soon, there will not be enough left at home to
work on the land and in the factories. Women will
have to do their jobs. That will upset a lot of
people, including Mama. She believes ladies should be
ladies and do very little. I do not agree. Women are
the equal of men and should be treated as such!
A recruiting poster for the war.
Tom keeps pestering me to go time-travelling again during
these Christmas holidays. I promised him we would visit the
wonders of ancient Egypt. But, at the moment, I am having second
thoughts about this promise. Visiting the past is a highly dangerous
business and I am fearful something dreadful might happen!
7

ER !
B
M
E
REM ge crystal!
Char

New Years Eve

December 31st, 1915
The greatest danger of time-travelling is getting stuck in the past.

Morning Uncle George is coming to visit us tonight. He is Fathers twin

brother (twins run in our family). The two of them look very
alike, but they have very different characters. Dearest Father is
gentle, rational and passionate about science. Uncle George is
lively and funny and mad about history. In fact, he is a professor
of ancient history at his university. I expect, as it is New Years
Eve, he will drink too much of Mamas finest port and have to
stay overnight.

Uncle George

Here is a portrait of Uncle George. It makes you smile just to look at him. If he
were a nursery rhyme character, he would be Old King Cole.
8

This is the crystal. Father saw it fall to Earth one night and
picked it up from the ground next morning. Fully charged,
it is immensely powerful. It can transport the time
machine through eons of time in a matter of seconds.

Midday

The greatest danger of time-travelling is getting stuck in the

past. The crystal that powers the time machine comes from
another world. I imagined this would make its powers infinite,
but it is not the case. After being stranded on a previous time
travelling expedition, I learned that the crystal needs an electric
charge to maintain its potency. So, this afternoon, I will take
steps to make sure that Tom and I do not get caught out again.

Early
evening

This afternoon, I arranged a method for charging the crystal

using some of Fathers equipment. I am pleased to report that it
appears to be working. The pulsating green light emitted by the
crystal is growing brighter and stronger by the hour.

Success!

I have learned a great deal about the capabilities of the time

machine since my earlier explorations. By studying Fathers
scientific notes I have compiled the following technical
instrument instructions:

The circular disc must be turned to specify the following:

MYA = Millions of Years Ago;
BC = Before Christ (a date that
comes before the date of Jesus birth);
AD = Anno Domini (a date that
comes after the date
of Jesus birth).
These number dials represent the year.

Any location on Earth is described by two

numbers latitude and longitude. Set
these coordinates on
the larger dials to
navigate to precise
geographical locations.

Calendar dates within a specific year can be entered on

these smaller dials for date sensitive time travel.
9

Balderdash and Piffle!

Happy New
Year!

January 1st, 1916 - New Years Day

War is horrible and sad and totally avoidable.
Toms
new kite.

Lydia and Kate were allowed to stay up and see in the New
Year, but I was banished to bed along with Tom. We were
deemed too young to stay up until midnight. If only they knew
what we get up to when we go time-travelling!
Uncle George came down to breakfast this morning looking
as if he had been run over by the omnibus that goes from the
village to town twice a week.
Are you all right, Uncle George? I asked, mischievously. I copied this
I drank far too much of your mothers finest port last
picture of
night, he groaned.
poet Rupert
Mama tried to change the subject by reading from the
Brooke from
morning paper. The article remembered the much-loved
the newspaper.
poet, Rupert Brooke, who died in April last year.
With tears f illing her eyes, she recited the
beginning of his poem The Soldier:

If I should die think only this of me

That theres some corner of a foreign field
That is forever England.
Balderdash and piff le! There is nothing romantic about dying in
a war. It is horrible and sad and totally avoidable. I cannot
understand why our king, the German kaiser and the Russian

The front line.

10

tsar cannot get together and sort out their differences instead of
expecting millions of ordinary people to die on their behalf.
Theyre all part of the same family, after all!
By late morning, Uncle George had recovered sufficiently to
take Tom kite-flying on Old Oak Hill. Then he made a date to
meet me at the summer house after lunch.
I have something to show you, he whispered, mysteriously.
It was a beautiful Egyptian artefact, a model boat made out of
wood and complete in every detail.
It was found in a tomb, explained Uncle George. People in
ancient Egypt believed they needed things from this life to help
them in the next. This boat would have enabled the dead to
journey across the river to the sacred city of Abydos.
Why are you showing me this, Uncle? I asked, curiously.
I just thought you might be interested, he answered, casually.
Ive been made Head of Ancient Egyptian Studies at the
university and so I gain access to these magnificent treasures from
time to time.

Uncle George is
very cunning. He
knows that a gentle
hint can be far
more persuasive
than instruction!
The ancient Egyptian model boat.

Late As Uncle George departed this evening, he gave me a shabby

entry! leather-bound book on ancient Egypt. I think Uncle George
knows about the time machine and is hinting it should be used to
visit ancient Egypt!
11

s there
a
w
y
h
W
and in
s
h
c
u
so m ook?
the b

Fathers Book
January 2nd, 1916

Midday In the aftermath of the Christmas and New Year festivities the
house was very still this morning. Lydia and Kate were still
recovering from their late night and Mama was visiting an
elderly friend, with Tom, in the village. I decided to take
advantage of the peace and quiet to set about reading the old
leather-bound book that Uncle George gave to me last night.
I took the book to the summer house and upon opening it
was surprised to discover a considerable amount of sand in
between the faded pages. Stranger still, the detailed descriptions
that adorn every page are in Fathers distinctive handwriting!
Over the next couple of hours, I pored over the contents
of Fathers book. Although I have only scratched the surface, the
level of detail is outstanding! (The book contains far more
information on ancient Egypt than the history books I use at
school.) Most interestingly, I have learned that Egyptian
civilisation lasted for 3,000 years. Thats over a thousand years
longer than our own civilisation! I had no idea that there were
so many interesting people and places to see.

The book contains over 500 pages, all of which have been penned in Fathers own hand.
It must have taken him years to compile this many field notes and observations.

Egyptian civilisation lasted for 3,000 years!

Evening We had school exams at the end of last term. According to my

I hate
Latin!

12

report, I was outstanding at mathematics, science, history and

geography but poor at Latin. I hate Latin! I know it is the
key to the past and the language of scientific classification, but
somehow I cannot get my mind to cope with its stupid word
order and ever-changing word endings. Mama now expects me
to spend the remainder of the Christmas holidays revising my
Latin and trying to catch up. How can I escape?

I really
hate
Latin!

A Map of Ancient Egypt

Not to scale
A map of the River Nile, showing some of the important places built beside it.
I copied it from Fathers book to make a nice page for my journal.
Mediterranean Sea

Alexandria Giza
LOWER
EGYPT
Western Desert

Heliopolis
Cairo
Memphis
and Saqqara
The River Nile
Eastern Desert

UPPER
EGYPT

Abydos
Thebes
Valley of the Kings

Karnak
Luxor

Red Sea

N
Aswan
Philae
Abu Simbel

E
S

13

Am I following in
Fathers footsteps?

January 3rd, 1916

First light With Toms constant nagging, my own aversion to Latin

revision and a new-found desire to know more about ancient

Egypt, I have made up my mind to go time-travelling again!

Time Travel - The Golden Rules

1. Be prepared for visiting a strange environment. I shall need food, water,
camping equipment and many other items essential for survival.
2. Keep a record of everything I see. Fathers invention gives me unique access
to the past. I will be experiencing history at first hand. I must preserve all
my findings in the form of notes, sketches and paintings so I can discuss
them with Father when he returns.
3. Make sure Tom and I always get back safely!
4. At all times, everything must be kept secret!
Food provisions:,
Christmas cakeolate,
tinned meat, chocted),
biscuits (assor up,
water, tinned so
dried fruit.

Kit items:
Art materials
Matches
Rope
Tent
Tin opener
Compass
Mallet

Water canteen
Tinderbox
Lamp
Fuel
Penknife
Cooking pot
Emergency flares

Shopping reminder:
It is the twins birthday soon and I must buy them both a decent present
I completely forgot last year!

3.05pm The time machine is fully equipped, the crystal is pulsating like a
tiny green star and Tom is strapped into his seat. So this is it!
Ancient Egypt, here we come!
14

Illustration Note: This is the stone sculpture of King Djoser that I observed being completed.
Note the long, false beard he wears on his chin. It is a sign of his kingship.

The First Journey

to Ancient Egypt
2648 BC

15

Djosers Step Pyramid

Day 1, Saqqara, 2648 BC

MYSTERY NOTE:
The landing dislodged a piece of paper tucked away in a nook of the time machine. It read: Remember you cannot
change the course of history! and was written in Fathers handwriting.

Ibis birds Today we witnessed the final stages of construction of the very first pyramid.
are abundant
in ancient We landed with a BUMP on the outskirts of a place called
Egypt. Saqqara in the year 2648 BC. After concealing the time machine

16

with a wigwam framework of large palm leaves, Tom and I both

wanted to witness the final stages of construction of the first
great Egyptian monument, the Step Pyramid.
The scene before us as we approached the
pyramid construction site was awe-inspiring!
Thousands of people were toiling
together, pulling ropes and sliding
wooden rollers under enormous
blocks of limestone to move them
across the sands.

Approximate Pyramid
Dimensions:
Height: 60 metres
s
Area: 121 x 109 metre

Field Notes & Observations:

The Egyptians are willing workers.
Tom and I watched in amazement as
the great lumps of stone were
moved about by sheer human
strength and determination.

A shaduf an early Egyptian

lifting device.

Workers building the enclosure wall that

will eventually surround the pyramid.

Add appropriate
attire to golden rules
of time travel.

Day 7, Saqqara, 2648 BC

Oh, how foolish can you be! Tom and I travelled back to
ancient Egypt wearing our everyday clothes. As soon as we
stepped out of our time machine, we stood out like sore thumbs!
They do not like outsiders here, so we were soon arrested by the
Pharaohs soldiers and sent to work on the pyramid site!
Despite being prisoners, we are not being badly treated.
They want us to work hard, so it is not in their interest to starve
us or beat us. During rest periods, I have managed to sketch this
picture of the construction site.
The pyramid is being built for King Djoser. He is a rich and
powerful pharaoh and this is to be his tomb when he dies. The
person in charge of this massive project is a man called Imhotep.
According to Fathers book, hes a genius a royal official, a
doctor, a priest, a far-seeing philosopher and, above all, a
brilliant architect.

I am very
worried about
Tom. He is
only a boy and
these long
hours labouring
in the hot sun
are making
him ill.

The Step Pyramid

We must try to
escape but that is
easier said than done!

17

The Statue of Djoser

Ancient Egyptian
Flora:

Day 18, Saqqara, 2648 BC

Mercifully, we were sent to work inside today. We were
given the job of clearing up after the stonemasons, who are just

The donkey is
adding the finishing touches to a huge statue of Pharaoh Djoser.
an important
load carrier in It was no fun sweeping up the choking dust and rubble, but at
ancient Egypt. least it was cool. Tom brightened visibly out of the glaring heat.

Papyrus: The ancient Egyptians use this tall plant to make paper.
It grows on the banks of the River Nile.
18

Umbrella Plant: This is a tall plant with

foliage like the supporting ribs of an umbrella.

Blue Lotus
Abundant in
well-drained
areas. The
shape and
form of these
beautiful
flowers
remind me
of Cooks
dumplings!

No wonder this country worships Re, the sun, as its chief

god. It is an all-dominant presence. Either side of the Nile, the
expanses of burning, arid desert go on for miles and miles. It is
only the flooding of the river every spring and summer that
allows Egypt to exist at all. The floodwater leaves behind a rich
deposit of mud and silt, which keeps the valley fertile and allows
a wide variety of crops to be grown.
Unlike my sisters, who eat very little in order to preserve
their hourglass figures, I am very fond of my food. Cook says I
am her best customer. Lydia and Kate say I am a glutton and a
dumpy little thing. Whoever is right, I am on a prisoners diet
now and growing thinner by the day. But there is a good side to
this sad state of affairs. The shackles around my wrists, used to
restrain me overnight, are becoming looser as I lose weight.
Soon, I shall be able to slip my hands out of them and escape
like that man, Harry Houdini, whom Uncle George so often
mentions.
I saw Imhotep, the pyramid architect, today. He was pacing
up and down along one side of his pyramid, deep in thought and
looked very agitated. I wonder what problem is troubling him?

Chrysanthemum: These decorative flowers grow

on sunny sites throughout the region.

Today we had some relief from the burning Egyptian sun.

Day 19 My fellow workers are amazed by my ability to draw and paint

the things around us. Although we cannot understand each

others language, they point and smile excitedly at my pictures. I
would like to give them some as keepsakes, but I barely have
enough time and energy to do these for my journal.

Day 22 There is an abundance of plants and flowers in the areas close to

the Nile. If my dwindling energy levels permit I will attempt to
identify and illustrate the most common species for my journal.

Statue of King Djoser.

Stonemasons at work on the
life-sized statue of King Djoser.

Interesting Note:
Fathers book
says that over
90% of Egypt
is desert.

The River Nile is the lifeblood of ancient Egyptian civilisation.

The yearly flooding enabled farmers to grow crops and plants close to its banks.
19

Escape!
Day 23, Saqqara, 2648 BC

Field glasses saved

Tom and me from
a life in shackles!

I shall have to resort to desperate measures tonight!

Late I think Imhotep is having trouble positioning the topmost layer

afternoon of his pyramid. Earlier today I saw him squinting upwards with
More ancient his hands shielding his eyes. He looked very frustrated. I do not
Egyptian Flora: think he can see the summit clearly.
Unfortunately, we are working outside again now and poor
Mandrake

Tom is visibly wilting in the heat.

Wish Id never mentioned going time-travelling, he moaned.
I want to go home to see Mama and Bruno (our dog) again.
Clearly, I shall have to resort to desperate measures tonight.
I just hope what I have in mind will work.

Hollyhock

Safflor

Delphinium

20

Day 25, Saqqara, 2648 BC

It worked! We are both free. Here is what happened
In the middle of the night, when our guards were asleep, I
managed to wriggle out of my shackles in the way I had hoped.
Taking my field glasses from my bag, I sneaked away and
hid behind one of the huge stones until the sun came up
next morning.
Imhotep appeared soon afterwards, peering up at the top of
the pyramid again. Summoning all of my courage, I walked over
to him, bowed and gave him the field glasses. At first, he did not
know what to do with them. So I showed him. When he looked
through them properly for the first time, I have never seen
anyone look so amazed! He literally jumped for joy at being
able to see distant objects so clearly and hugged me as if I was
his daughter.

Seizing my opportunity, I led him to the prisoner compound

and pointed to my brother. Imhotep understood immediately what
I wanted. He ordered the guards to free Tom and took us both to
the pharaohs court. Having worked for weeks as prisoners, we
are now living a life of luxury as guests of King Djoser.

This is a picture of the royal gardens, which are beautiful.

Tom has recovered his health already and I am putting on weight again.
The food here is delicious, especially the honey cakes!

Fig trees are plentiful in the

royal gardens and attract the
local baboon population.
The animals bare bottoms
send Tom into hysterics!

King Djoser
This is the second time I have drawn and painted this scene. King Djoser greatly admired the first
picture and demanded that I give it to him. He seems to be very impressed by my artistic skills.
21

Today I have had

a lucky escape!

The Beast
Day 33, Saqqara, 2648 BC
A terrifying ordeal took me completely by surprise!

Morning The ancient Egyptians are very fussy about being clean and
smelling sweet. Almost every day, a servant brings us freshly
laundered clothes and scented oils, which we have to rub all over
our bodies. I think this is lovely, but Tom is not so keen. He says
it is very girly.
Pharaoh Djoser has not been seen for the last few days. I
imagine he is busy attending to state business or could be away
inspecting his army.
My brother and I are really enjoying our new luxurious
lifestyle. It is like staying at a top class hotel on permanent
holiday. However, when we do decide to go home, we cannot
arrive back in England wearing Egyptian robes. Our modern
clothes are dirty, so I am going to wash them today
and then store them in the time machine, ready for our
eventual departure.

The jars that

contain the
fragrant oils
that Tom so
dislikes!

Evening I had the most terrifying ordeal that took me completely by

surprise. I went down to the River Nile with our dirty washing.
Looking around, I wondered why it was only men doing the
same thing either side of me.

washed.
Toms socks remain un them
ear
He will just have to w I am
.
home dirty and smelly again!
not going near the river
22

They
stink!

I soon found out! Just as I was rinsing my dress, a dark

shape appeared in front of me. It was a huge crocodile! The
beast reared up out of the water, opened its terrifying jaws and
made a lunge for me. Luckily, I pulled back just in time and the
creature missed me. I picked up a sharp stick and poked the
crocodiles nose with it, driving the creature back into the river.
It submerged with a snort of anger and rage. Now I know why
the men do the washing in this country!
When I returned to the royal palace, I was shaking with fear.
I could not get the terrifying image of the crocodiles jaws out of
my mind. So I have illustrated the scene. I have always found
that painting is the best way to clear my memory of something
really dreadful.

The beast that attacked me was over 5 metres long. Fathers book states that Nile crocodiles are
famed for their ferocity and eat animals much bigger than themselves and human beings! The
crocodiles method of hunting is to lay submerged and motionless, just breathing through the nostrils
on the top of its snout, and then rear up to snatch its prey, which it drags back underwater and
drowns. This species is typically 3.5 metres in length, but can grow to be 6 metres!
A Nile crocodile.

23

King Djoser
2667-2648 BC

The King is Dead!

Day 35, Saqqara, 2648 BC

Notes: The correct name for turning a dead body into a mummy is embalming.
An average mummified body was wrapped in about 350 square metres of cloth.
Thats about 200 modern bedsheets!

His body will be mummified - a process that takes seventy days.

Now I know why King Djoser has not been seen for a while.
He is dead! He died suddenly and unexpectedly a few days ago.
His body will be mummified a process that takes seventy days
and then he will be buried in the heart of the Step Pyramid
that Imhotep has built for him.
Tom and I have decided to stay and see the ceremony. It will
be a great state occasion something we shall remember for the
rest of our lives. Our family will not miss us. However long we
are away time-travelling, the time remains the same at home.
The clock in the summer house stops when we depart and does
not resume until we return.

Day 105, Funeral Week, Saqqara, 2648 BC

The last ten weeks have flown by. Imhotep has been very busy
supervising the final stages of the pyramid construction and
making preparations for King Djosers funeral. Tom and I have
been helping him with the arrangements and so I have neglected
you, dear Journal!

Day 1 Watched all the preparations for the grand procession to

the Step Pyramid.

Day 2 Imhotep has stopped speaking to us and is avoiding me. He

looks very upset about something. I wish I knew what it was.

24

The dead kings

pyramid is
nearly finished.

Day 3 Have the feeling I am being followed by the Pharaohs

soldiers. They seem to be keeping an eye on me. I cannot
understand why. Perhaps it is time for us to leave?

Day 4 In the middle of the night, I was seized and taken away from
Tom. I do not know what is going on and I feel very frightened.

Day 5 The mummified body of Pharaoh Djoser was brought to his

pyramid today. So was I! It would seem that the King wants me
to serve him in the Afterlife!
I have been walled up alone in a barren, torch-lit room with
my paints and other meagre possessions. Obviously, I am to be
the Pharaohs court artist for all eternity. I have precious little
water in my canteen and I feel thirsty already.

Day 6 Spent all night shrieking and banging on the door. Nobody
answered. Nobody came.
Discovered and ate the (now melted) chocolate that I
packed in my provisions and finished the last of my water.
Slept fitfully for a few hours. Have woken up feeling slightly
stronger and determined not to give in! I shall keep myself
occupied for as long as I possibly can, recording in my journal
every detail of my imprisonment. Maybe, when the tomb is
excavated in the far distant future, people will learn about the
overwhelming vanity and cruelty of a man who thinks he is a god.
Oh, what I would give for a drink of Cooks home-made
lemonade. It is cloudy grey and bites the back of your throat!

25

IMPORTANT NOTE: The scene that I have illustrated is not from this period in Egyptian history (pyramids were never decorated with such
pictures). The scene is from the Book of the Dead and was copied onto papyrus rolls and placed in the tombs of wealthy people a thousand
years from now. As an artist, I would have liked to visit this highly decorative period in Egypts past.
26

Lord of the Underworld

Funeral Week: Day 7, Saqqara, 2648 BC
I wonder if I shall face the final judgement of Osiris?

There is nothing to draw in my place of imprisonment. So, to

pass the time, I have copied a Book of the Dead scene from
Fathers book and made notes as to what it all means. While
studying Fathers notes I made the life-prolonging discovery
of an ornate jug, half-filled with water. I presume this was
intended for me to use to mix my paints in the Afterlife.

Anubis

Judgement scales

The sinner is eaten by this

terrifying creature, Ammut the
Gobbler. He is part lion, part
crocodile and part hippopotamus.

This figure is Anubis, the God of Death. He

has the head of a jackal. He takes people who
have died to face the judgement of Osiris.

Ammut the
Gobbler.

The judgement is made by weighing the dead persons heart against a feather on the scales.
If the heart is lighter, the person has not sinned and enters paradise. But if it is heavier,
it is tainted by sin and a terrible fate awaits !

Osiris

Osiris is Lord of the Underworld. He decides whether

someone should be allowed to enter paradise or not.

Thoth

Every weighing is recorded by Thoth,

the Record Keeper, who has the head
of an Ibis bird.
I must leave this entry unfinished. I cannot paint or write any
more because I feel so tired and weak. My head is pounding and
I have finished the last of my discovered water. I wonder if I
shall also face the final judgement of Osiris?
27

Hope that Tom is

getting on ok
without me.

Goodbye World
Funeral Week: Day ???
What shall I draw for my final picture?

People say that when you fall over a cliff or drown in a lake,
your whole life flashes in front of your eyes. Sitting here on my
own in total silence, my life has passed in front of my eyes at a
snails pace! For hours, I have thought about my family, my
friends, my work, my passions and the future I will no longer
have. I shall miss them all dreadfully.
My mouth and throat feel as dry as the desert surrounding the
Nile. And my stomach keeps gurgling like water running out of
the bath. Here is what I would like to eat and drink:

1. Cooks Sunday lunch with lots of roast potatoes and gravy

2. Treacle pudding and custard
3. Cheese and biscuits
4. A jug of ice-cold water or a cup of tea. No, sixteen cups of tea!
Home, sweet home.
Never has my home seemed
so far away as it does at this
moment. I would give anything
to be there now!

28

Our Father, which art in Heaven,

hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done,
in Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
For ever and ever.
Amen.

Help me!

ing
It is no fun playosses
noughts and cr .
on your own

Osiris

NOT
FAIR!

What shall I draw for my final picture?

I know, I will try to finish a picture of
Osiris. Perhaps my efforts will help me to
pass into paradise after the judgement.

No!
No!
No !

No!

My last I have finished my final sketch and the torches that light my
entry final resting place are starting to fade. I do not have the strength
to do any more. My head is aching as if it is being hit by a
hundred hammers. I am going to lie down and sleep.
Goodbye, dearest Journal. You have remained my friend and
confidante right to the end.
Goodbye, sweet world.

Why
me?

H. Gray
29

Saved!
January 3rd, 1916
Saved at the eleventh hour!

The time and date in

the present have not ch
anged
despite the fact that w
e
have been gone for near
ly
four months.

Late My ordeal is over! I was saved at the eleventh hour! Here is

afternoon how it came about ...
I lay on the cold stone floor, barely conscious, waiting
for oblivion. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my chest. In my
dehydrated, dream-like state, I thought it was Anubis searching
for my heart so he could take it to be weighed! Then I came
round a little and realised that I was being prodded by a long
stick. Thank God! Toms smiling face was staring at me through
a small, secret panel in the ceiling and he was lowering down a
rope ladder!
Jumping up, I seized the ladder and began climbing towards
my little brother. It was hard work, especially in my exhausted
state, but I found the energy of a madman. The secret panel was
just big enough to crawl through and Tom helped to drag me to
the other side. We then made our escape down a narrow tunnel
that led to the outside world.
Imhotep had helped Tom to plan and conduct the rescue.
He was waiting anxiously behind a pillar as we emerged from
the pyramid. He returned my field glasses and gave us both a
hug to say goodbye. Despite his high rank, he could not be seen
to be obstructing the will of the Pharaoh.
It was all plain sailing after that. Under the cover of
darkness, we made our way to the time machine, which nobody
had touched. We changed our clothes, set the dials and here
we are, back in the present once again.

30

Bruno was there to greet us when we emerged from the shed

behind the summer house, with the wall clock showing 3.06 pm.
His tail wagged so hard, I thought it would fall off. It is so lovely
to see him again. He is a symbol of home.

This is Bruno.

Evening I felt very ill after my near-death experience in the Pharaohs

tomb, so Mama has ordered me to bed for a couple of days. I am
to be built up by Cooks finest cooking and do no Latin revision.
Oh, joy of joys!
IMPORTANT!
Sitting up in bed, looking through Fathers book, I realise we
REMEMBER
have experienced only a tiny fraction of ancient Egypts long and
TO BUY
colourful past. When I have recovered, I think Tom and I must
return for another visit. It cannot possibly prove as perilous as our TWINS
BIRTHDAY
recent adventure.
It is the twins birthday soon. If I had a shilling for every time PRESENT.
Mama has reminded me to get them a present, I would have
enough money to buy them something really expensive!
31

Fiasco
January 6th, 1916
YUK! - The awful hat
that I tried on.

Morning

Evening

Present ideas:
Hat?

Scarf?

Chocolates?
Jewellery?

Gloves?

An omnibus
travels from
our village to
I plan to buy the twins a present today and get it wrapped up.
Otherwise, I will not hear the last of it from Mama. Fortunately, the nearby
town twice a
the omnibus goes from the village square to town this afternoon.
week. It is
driven by a
My trip to town turned out to be a total fiasco and through
cheerful man
no fault of my own. My Aunt Harriet and Cousin Millicent were called Alfred
there! They are the most objectionable human beings ever
and costs 1d
for the
created and I cannot abide to be in their company. This is what
return trip.
happened:

An encounter of the worst kind!

Saw them approaching down the high street. Took

evasive action, ducking down a dark alleyway. Nearly fell headfirst into an open dustbin.
Spent a very unpleasant half an hour wandering the
narrow backstreets and grubby passageways of town. Finally, I
stumbled out onto the high steet only to find my relatives
coming straight towards me again!
Dived into a milliners shop to avoid meeting my ghastly
relatives. The sales lady was very pushy and tried very hard to
sell me a hat. It was a pink creation that looked like a strawberry
blancmange on my head. I escaped to the nearby department
store and who should walk through the doors two minutes
later but my aunt and cousin!

Make-up?

Theatre
tickets?
32

ult to
ic
f
if
d
o
s
it
d
Why do I efnints for my sisters?
buy pres

Book?
?????

The next hour was spent playing hide-and-seek inside the

store. At one point, I thought I had time to buy the twins a
pretty headscarf each, but Aunt Harriet and Millicent appeared
from the lift and I had to abandon the purchase.
When the shop closed at 5.30 pm, I still had not bought
anything suitable. Mama will be most upset when she discovers I
have nothing for Lydia and Kate for the second year running.
The odious pair followed the omnibus home in their
ridiculous motor car. I almost died with embarrassment when
they overtook us, honking their horn as if they owned the road!
To make matters even worse, they have come to visit! I had
better go now as Mama is calling for me to come and entertain
Millicent. (Latin revision would be preferable!)

Aunt Harriet
Cousin Millicent

Aunt Harriet and Millicent. Why do I dislike them so? Because they are
snobbish and self-centered. Their only concern is to feel superior to other people
at every opportunity. It is a trait I cannot abide!
33

The wretched camp

bed that affords Millicent
a place to sleep.

My Nightmare
January 7th, 1916
I would rather share my room with a baboon!

IMPORTANT NOTE: In case Millicent gives the game away, Tom and I have decided to resume
our time-travelling as soon as possible. We are going to see the Great Pyramid at Giza.

Mid- Mama was not satisfied with burdening me with my cousin all
morning evening. She erected a camp bed in my bedroom and invited

34

Millicent to spend the night with me too. Mama means well. She
thinks I spend too much time on my own. But I would rather
share my room with a baboon than my cousin.
Feigning tiredness, I switched the light off early and went to
sleep. This was a big mistake. I had a vivid nightmare about my
terrifying experience in King Djosers tomb. More importantly, I
appear to have talked in my sleep.
When I awoke Millicent was upon me in a flash.
What machine were you talking about? she asked, sharply.
Ive no idea, I lied.
Anubis is an ancient Egyptian god. What made you dream
about him?
Uncle George was here at New Year, I answered, a bit
more truthfully. He aroused my interest in the subject.
Sounded like a very real dream to me, she commented.
Anyone would think you had been there in person!
Dont be so silly, Millicent, I said, turning over and going
back to sleep.
I thought the matter was closed. But, earlier this morning, I
found my nosy cousin had borrowed the key to the summer
house and was snooping around inside. A most unexpected turn
of events saved the day. A huge scorpion, which must have
travelled back with us from Egypt, crawled out from under the
shed door. Millicent took one look at it and fled, screaming.

I hate you and your revolting scientific work!

she shrieked. I caught the scorpion and put
it carefully into a small, makeshift
vivarium. I will return it to the
desert as soon as we return to
ancient Egypt.

This is the scorpion that

preserved our priceless secret.

The scorpion is the most ancient

type of arachnid and is revered in
ancient Egypt. The one that travelled
back with us is very docile due to
the change in temperature.

10.00 pm Tom frightened the life out of me tonight. I looked into his room
at bedtime to make sure he was ready to leave for Egypt at first
light next morning. The room was in complete darkness and I
thought Tom was asleep. Suddenly, he switched on the new
f lashlight Mama had given him for Christmas. He shone it
upwards from under his chin, illuminating the ghastly gurning
face he was pulling. He looked hideous! I screamed out loud and
Mama came running along the landing to see what was wrong.
We apologised for disturbing her and she told us both to get into
bed immediately.
Bring that f lashlight with you tomorrow, I whispered
to Tom, as Mama closed her bedroom door. It might come
in useful.
What do you think I wanted it for? Tom replied.

Tom is so proud of his flashlight, he asked me to

draw a picture of it in my journal. This is the
latest invention from America. It has electric
batteries in the tube and a small electric bulb
at the front. Mama calls it a torch.

Toms Flashlight

35

The first canals in Britain

were built in the 16th
century. I find it
amazing that the ancient
Egyptians managed this
engineering feat four
thousand years earlier!

My Experiences
in Giza
2475 BC

Field Notes & Observations: There is a network of canals linking the River Nile to the site of the
great pyramids. These man-made waterways would have been essential for transporting heavy
building materials closer to the construction sites.
36

Arrival in Giza
Day 1, Giza, 2475 BC
Tom and I
returned the
stowaway
Early We set the dial for 2475 BC on January 8th at 5.47 am and, a scorpion
to its
morning matter of seconds later, found ourselves near the site of the
natural
Great Pyramid at Giza. We had landed in a hollow surrounded environment.

The whole place looks like one of those colourful picture postcards.

by sand dunes which suited my little scorpion friend admirably

(and perfectly concealed the time machine from passers-by). It
scuttled off and disappeared without even a goodbye wave of its
powerful pincers.
In the early morning sunshine, the Great Pyramid was a
magnificent sight.
Do you want to paint this scene, Netty? asked Tom.
Id love to, I replied.
Good! he said, lying down on the sand dune and closing his
eyes. Ill take a nap. I went to sleep very late last night!

Notes Pyramids were developed from low-rise mud brick tombs called
from mastabas. King Djoser created the first pyramid by placing six
Fathers mastabas of decreasing size one on top of another. (Tom and I
book visited the resulting Step Pyramid during our first expedition to
ancient Egypt.) The Great Pyramid is the greatest example of
pyramid architecture in the world. Such was the difficulty of
building the largest-ever pyramid that the feat was never
repeated on such a grand scale.

FOLLOWING IN FATHERS FOOTSTEPS:

As with my previous time-travelling expeditions, I feel sure that I am following
in Fathers footsteps. His book on ancient Egypt contains information that is not
yet known in our time and contains detailed records of buildings that have not
been discovered or excavated in 1916!

The Great
Pyramid contains
more than two
million limestone
blocks.

The Great Pyramid

Day 1, Giza, 2475 BC
The pyramid of Khufu.

Midday I am grateful to Tom for giving me time to complete this sketch

and the accompanying notes.
The Great Pyramid is the one on the right. It was built for a
pharaoh called Khufu and is often called The Pyramid of
Khufu. According to Fathers book, it covers an area of nine
acres! Unlike the Step Pyramid we visited previously, this
pyramid has smooth sides. It is one of the most amazing
buildings I have ever seen in my life.

Pyramids were built to protect the

bodies of the pharaohs buried inside them.

Menkaures Pyramid Dimensions:

Height: 66.5 metres
Area: 102 x 104.6 metres

Khafres Pyramid.

Khafres Pyramid Dimensions:

Height: 143.5 metres
Area: 215 x 215 metres

Menkaures pyramid.
Khafres causeway.

38

Cap stone.

SPECIAL NOTE: Khafre built his pyramid (the one in the middle) on high ground
to make it look bigger than his fathers pyramid (The Great Pyramid).
The pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure are to the left. These two
pharaohs were Khufus sons (or possibly one was a grandson).
The three pyramids face the rising sun and were intended to be
stepladders to the stars. These pharaohs believed that when
they died they would travel upwards from their pyramids and
join Re, the sun god.

Khufus pyramid took thousands of labourers

over twenty years to build. It is the largest of
all the pyramids and is one of the Seven
Wonders of the Ancient World.

Great Pyramid Dimensions:

Height: 146 metres
Area: 230 x 230 metres

The Great Pyramid

of Pharaoh Khufu.

The burial pyramids of

Khufus three chief wives.

The area surrounding the Great Pyramid is dominated by gridded streets of stone mastaba tombs.

39

Tomb Robbers
Day 1, Late Afternoon, Giza, 2475 BC
Finger ring.
NOTE:
Fathers book
says the
finger ring is
an amulet.
These are
given to
people in this
life to wear
in the next,
bringing them
good luck.

40

Tom and I thwarted tomb robbers.

Just as I was putting the finishing touches to my notes and

illustration of the Great Pyramid, three men raced around the
corner and almost knocked Tom and I over.
Theyre in a terrible rush, commented Tom.
I have a feeling they are up to no good, I added.
We watched the f leeing men disappear in the direction of the
Sphinx (another famous landmark on this site) and witnessed
one of them drop something in the sand. It was a little bag. We
picked it up and found it contained a beautiful finger ring.
Finders keepers, eh Netty? said Tom with a grin.
Certainly not, I replied, snatching the bag out of his hand.
Those men are tomb robbers and this is stolen property. It must
be returned at once!
With that, I marched my protesting little brother straight over
to the Great Pyramid. A guard stood in the entrance, holding a
spear. I expected him to look pleased that the amulet was being
handed back, but instead he acted very strangely. Putting his
fingers to his lips, he ushered us into a small room and indicated a
low door with a dark passage beyond. Then he left us alone.
That guards a traitor, said Tom. Hes working for the
tomb robbers.
Youre right, I agreed. Because we showed him this stolen
ring, he thinks were part of the gang!
Trembling with fear, we ducked through the low door and
crept down a dark passage that led deep into the pyramid.

Main burial
chamber.

In the distance, we could hear the murmur of voices

coming from the burial chamber. Peeping around
Entrance.
the corner of a huge coffin, we saw two men
?
plundering the chests and caskets.
We must stop them, whispered Tom.
?
? ?
How? I replied.
My incomplete plan of the pyramid complex.
Watch this, he chuckled.
Tom rummaged around in his backpack and took out his
f lashlight. Then he crept down towards the Pharaohs coffin.
Waiting until the robbers were right beside him, he suddenly
reared up with his torch shining upwards at the most ghastly
gurning face he has ever pulled! The tomb robbers took one look
at this horrific apparition and fled, screaming with terror.
I knew this f lashlight would come in useful, chuckled Tom.

No matter how hard I try, I am not able to accurately show the layout of the pyramid site using
ground level illustrations. In light of this, I have resorted to copying a detailed plan from Fathers book.
Khafres pyramid.

Menkaures pyramid.

Western cemetery.

W
S

The pyramid of
Pharaoh Khufu.

Causeways.

A plan of the pyramid

site at Giza.

Great
Sphinx.

Pyramids of Khufus
three chief wives.
Causeway.

Temple of the Sphinx.

Eastern cemetery.
41

An Unplanned Expedition
to Deir-el-Medina
1440 BC

Tom has gone off to play with a boy, about his age, called Paheri. This has left me
plenty of time to draw and paint this bustling place.
42

Everyday Egyptians
Day 1, Deir-el-Medina, 1440 BC
On this trip I hope to observe and learn about normal Egyptian people.

Returning to our time machine, Tom and I felt very pleased

with ourselves. I set the dial for 1916 AD and then strapped
myself into my seat. We took off in the normal way, and I sat
back to watch the dial whizz round at breakneck speed.
Somethings wrong, sis! gasped Tom. The dials turning at
a snails pace. At this rate, it will take weeks to get home!
Eventually, the numbers stopped turning altogether and we
landed with a THUMP in 1440 BC. I jumped out of my seat and
looked at the dial.
No wonder the dials not working properly, I shrieked.
Its full of sand!
In Giza, the time machine was surrounded by dunes, so it
was not surprising that some sand had got into the dial
mechanism. Tom and I took it in turns to blow the sand out of
the dial. When we were satisfied that it would work properly
again, we opened the door and went outside.
The time machine has landed on a rocky outcrop that is
Replenish
strewn with large boulders. The boulders provide adequate
food
cover, so we did not have to worry about hiding the machine.
provisions!
After setting up camp, we went on a short walk and
unwittingly stumbled across a village called Deir-el-Medina.
What excited us about this place was that it was full of
ordinary ancient Egyptians. Having experienced the discomfort
of being pisoners and the luxury of the Pharaohs court, we now
hope to learn about everyday Egyptians.

43

I have yet to see

any old people
during my time
in the village.

Egyptian Family Life

Day 3, Deir-el-Medina, 1440 BC
Their special community is a haven of order and civilisation!

Toms new friend, Paheri, insisted on taking us to meet his family.

The sidelock of
youth hairstyle
is a celebration
of the youth of
the wearer.

Although we could not speak to each other directly, we made

ourselves understood by a system of smiles, nods, hand gestures
and simple pictures. The family were very kind and gave us a
simple meal of bread, fish, fruit and water (we were also offered
beer, but I declined much to Toms disappointment!).
Afterwards, we learned each others names. The father is called
Ameny. He is a craftsman employed by the pharaoh to build
coffins. His wife is called Seniseneb, and the other children are
called Neferu and Ahmose. Neferu is only six and has her head
partly shaved so that her hair curls down on one side. Fathers
book says this is called the side-lock of youth.

The Pharaoh, King Tuthmosis the Third, looks

after the residents because they are building his
tomb. Instead of making more pyramids,
which take a long time and are easily broken
into, the kings of Egypt are now hiding their
treasure-laden, mummified bodies inside
sandstone caves. Were in The Valley of
the Kings!

44

Deir-el-Medina.

Ameny

Ahmose

Paheri

Seniseneb

Egyptian family
portrait.

Neferu

Ahmose is fifteen, a young man in training to be a stonemason.

Like me, he is somewhat shy and awkward in company, so we
have not really spoken to each other yet.
After our meal, we were shown round Deir-el-Medina. It is a
busy little place, packed with other skilled craftsmen and their
families. They all seem very pleased to be living here. Their special
community is a haven of order and civilisation.
Ordinary ancient Egyptians do not wear fancy clothes. In
fact, they do not wear many clothes at all. The men just wear
kilts or loincloths and the women wear simple gowns made of
white linen. Young children wear nothing at all. Good job Mama
is not here to see it!
This is a happy place. The families in Deir-el-Medina have
work, food and each other for company.

Typical male
clothing.

Typical
female
gown.

Field Notes & Observations: The village is home to lots of skilled workmen, who are employed by
the pharaoh of the era, King Tuthmosis the Third. Men appear to be the head of the household, but
the women I have seen are not treated as second-class citizens as in many other countries
(including my own!). The village does not have its own water supply or means of growing food.
Everything is brought in for the residents on donkeys.
45

Day 5, Deir-el-Medina, 1440 BC

Tom thinks that Ahmose is getting sweet on me!

1.00 pm Ahmose went for a long walk with me today. We crossed the
valley to the tomb of King Tuthmosis the Third that he is helping
to build. This pharaoh has been very successful and has plenty
of money to spend on an elaborate burial chamber. He wants it
to be cut deep inside a mountain of rock, concealed from the
outside world for all eternity.

Bedtime I have just related todays events to Tom. He sat up in his bed
opposite me, looking very concerned.
Youd better watch yourself, Netty, he said. Ahmoses
getting sweet on you. You dont want to end up a young
Egyptian housewife, do you?
Typical Egyptian homes.
Dont be so silly, Tom, I scoffed.

The empty house

Field Notes & Observations: The workmen are divided into two groups, those that work on the right of
the Pharaohs tomb and those that work on the left. The men work for ten days and then have two days
off. Ameny conveyed to me that they only work for about six months of the year. They are not paid
wages. Instead, they are given a house, food and clothing.
46

Day 7

I hate to admit it, but Tom is right! There is an empty house at

the end of the street. Ahmoses parents took me to look at it
today. There was no point in this. The house is exactly the same
as the one they live in, so they must intend that we should live
there together. That is the equivalent to getting married in
ancient Egypt!

Day 10
Morning

A family party is being planned for tonight. Tom was all set to
stay in the hope of getting some beer, but he changed his mind
when I told him he would be expected to wear eyeshadow and
make-up along with the other men. So we have decided to go
home. Rude though it seems, we will sneak away when everyone
is busy getting ready for the party.

Back home
Ahmose must have seen us leaving. He ran after us and reached
our time machine before we had a chance to depart. I could see
through the window that he was very upset and looked fearful of
our time machine, so I told Tom to abort take-off.
I opened the door and Ahmose stood there, his face all
crumpled up and his eyes brimming with tears. He thrust a thin
linen bundle into my hand and ran off in a cloud of dust.
This time, the dial worked properly and we returned to the
summer house in a matter of minutes.

My wedding gift.

This is what was in the bundle

given to me by Ahmose. It is a
pretty necklace, which he
intended to give me as a wedding
gift. I cannot be seen wearing it.
So what am I to do with it?
47

The Great
Sphinx guards the
three pyramids
(Khafre, Khufu and
Menkaures tombs)
behind it.

The Great Sphinx

January 8th, 1916
My illustrative study of The Great Sphinx.

6.15 am Because we always arrive back in the present at exactly the

same moment we departed, it is still very early in the morning.
Tom has sneaked indoors to go to bed, but I am fearful of being
discovered if I try to do the same. So I intend to while away the
hours until breakfast by catching up on some of my drawings.

9.30 am

The face is
There! I have spent the last three hours working on a full colour 4 metres
wide.
painting of the Sphinx. Actually, there are lots of Sphinx statues
in ancient Egypt, but this is the largest and is known as The
Great Sphinx.

The Sphinx faces due east, so it lines up with the rising sun each
morning. This makes it a holy place.
Over time the sphinx was buried deep beneath
Egypts constantly shifting sand.
There are secret tunnels under the Sphinx.

48

Ritual
beard.

out of solid bedrock and

Carved
enlarged with blocks of limestone,

The sacred
cobra.

it is the largest statue in the

ancient world.
Built by Pharaoh Khafre, The Great
Sphinx, at Giza, has the body of a lion
and the head of a man.
The eyes
are 2
metres wide.

The Sphinx will not be fully uncovered for

another nine years. This makes my sneak
preview even more special!
This picture shows the Sphinx as it was
when I saw it.

Measurements of The Great Sphinx:

72 metres long
20 metres high

49

The Nudge Button

January 8th, 1916
Cooks porridge has never tasted so good!
My favourite porridge toppings are
brown sugar and honey - yum!

10.30 am After breakfast I returned to the summer house to prepare

for another time-travelling journey. Our last adventure had
been exciting and fun, and I was keen to make another
before the end of the Christmas holidays.
Having put the green crystal on charge again, I tidied out
the time machine and then unpacked the little rucksack that I
got for Christmas. Guess what I found? The finger amulet ring
that we tried to return! I must have stuffed it in my bag when
we became involved with the tomb robbers. Now I have two
Egyptian artefacts that I dont know what to do with!

11.30 am Tom returned home with some bicycle oil he had bought in
the village.
Lets put some on the time dial, he suggested. It might help
the numbers to spin round more smoothly.
As we lubricated the moving parts, we noticed a small flap
that we had not seen before. We lifted it up to reveal a button.
Wonder what its for, Netty, murmured Tom.
Lets be scientific and find out, I replied, pressing it firmly.
The time dial clicked loudly and the right-hand number
wheel moved round once. A second press moved the next
wheel round and so on. There was also a plus and minus
lever above.
I know what this is for! I cried. Its a nudge button. We
can use it to move forwards or backwards in time by one, ten, a
hundred or a thousand years or any combination in between.
50

My new
green rucksack.
It will be
very useful on
my timetravelling
adventures.

How does that help us? asked Tom.

It means we dont have to waste the crystals precious power
by coming home every time! I exclaimed, excitedly. We can stay
for longer in the past!

January 9th, 1916

5.00 pm The omnibus was cancelled today, so I could not get into town to
buy essential supplies. This meant that I was forced to
trudge to the village shop. What was I going to tell Mr Givens,
the nosy shopkeeper, I wanted these
things for? Although it is unseasonally
mild for this time of year I could hardly
say I was going camping in January!
Luckily, Tom was in the shop with his
friend, Daniel, buying sweets. He said
they were making a den and the stuff I
was buying was to stock it up. He can
be very quick when he wants to be, my
little brother!

Bedtime

The local
village store.

In contrast to
Mr Givens
At dinner, Mama asked me how I am getting on with my Latin
his wife is
revision. I think she suspects I have not yet done any. She also
very polite
gave me a hand mirror and told me to keep it. Mama is hinting
and knows
that, unlike my older sisters, I do not take enough care with my her place in
appearance. She is right. I am not the least bit bothered about the this world.
latest fashions or what I look like. I have far more important and
interesting things to occupy my mind these days.
Tom was in his element today, playing with Daniel and
building dens in the nearby woods. I am not so happy.
Oh, for another taste of the blazing Egyptian sun!

The hand mirror that Mama gave me.

51

January 10th, 1916

Morning My latin revision hangs over me like a suffocating ghost, but I
cannot bring myself to start the tedious task. Instead, I will
spend my time researching the picture symbols that the ancient
Egyptians use in their writing and on their buildings and
sculptures. They are known as hieroglyphs.

The discovery of the Rosetta Stone, in 1799, enabled scholars to decipher hieroglyphs.

c,k

u,v,w

HIEROGLYPH NOTES:Ive paired some decorative hieroglyphic signs with the modern letter sounds
they represent. Hieroglyphic writing is not like our alphabetic system as one sign often represents a
combination of two or more consonants. Many other hieroglyphs were not spoken at all and only served
to clarify meanings.
52

Morning Mama knocked on my bedroom door and told me the twins

were going to be opening their birthday presents at breakfast. I
had completely forgotten again. What could I give them? I had
nothing or did I? Suddenly, a brilliant idea flashed through
my panic-stricken brain. I grabbed some coloured tissue paper
from a drawer and hurried down to the summer house. I had the
perfect presents for Lydia and Kate in my rucksack!
Lydias gasp of delight when she put on her delicate finger
ring was only outdone by Kates when she held up her ornate
Egyptian necklace.
Where did you get these, Henrietta? asked Mama.
Lets just say I picked them up on my travels, I replied,
with a smile.

Here is what Lydias finger ring and Kates necklace looked like.

Midday Todays newspaper says that Mr Howard Carter, the well-known

archaeologist, is still trying to raise funds to find the tomb of
Tutankhamen, the boy pharaoh, who is buried somewhere in
The Valley of the Kings.
We shall beat him to it! Tom and I are ready to go. We shall
meet the real king, face-to-face, before the day is out!

NOTE: The scarab beetle (better known as the dung beetle) is sacred in ancient Egypt. Why? Because the way the beetle
rolls a ball of dung across the ground looks like the way the sun moves across the sky during the day. The sun is the ultimate
god, so anything resembling it is holy.

January 11th, 1916

53

An Accidental
Adventure in Thebes
1347 BC
The royal couple on their
ill-advised walkabout
through the streets.

54

The King and Queen

Whether Toms mind was still running on matters

Scouting, or whether he just made a mistake, I shall never know.
The fact remains that, when I asked him to work the time dial,
he set it for 1347 BC instead of 1327 BC. So we have arrived
twenty years too early, landing in the desert near the court of
King Akhenaten and Queen Nefertiti at Thebes. This pharaoh is
Tutankhamens father. The young man we have come to see has
not yet been born!
This pharaoh is very unusual and liked to break with
traditions of the past. He was certainly doing that as we arrived.
Instead of remaining aloof in his palace, he had decided that he
and his queen should mingle with his subjects by walking
through Thebes. It was not a good idea! Crowds of excited
Egyptians surged forwards and threatened to overwhelm the
royal party.
Guess who saved the day by being prepared! Tom took a
an old policemans whistle from his rucksack and blew it hard,
indicating that the crowd should move back. Nobody had ever
heard such a peculiar noise before and so obeyed
immediately, thinking Tom had some kind of magical
power. Toms actions saved the pharaoh and his
queen from being mobbed!

EXCITING NEWS!
The king has invited us to stay in the royal household to thank us for saving the day!
This will make a pleasant change from camping in the inhospitable desert!

Tom insisted
on bringing his
Day 1, Arrival at Thebes, 1347 BC
rucksack filled
with various
The young man we have come to see has not yet been born!
bits and
pieces so that, Tom has joined the Boy Scout pack that has just been formed
to quote his in the village. Now he does not want to do anything that is not
new motto, connected with Scouting! It took me quite a while to persuade
he will
him even to come on this time-travelling journey.
be prepared.

The Scout
emblem.

Toms
whistle
55

Art and Religion

Day 5, Thebes, 1347 BC
He really is a very unusual pharaoh.

Afternoon King Akhenaten is a splendid fellow! But there are many aspects
of his life of which I dont approve. He has more than one wife,
for example, and Queen Nefertiti just happens to be his favourite.
However, he is not a war-loving pharaoh. Quite the opposite.
He is a philosopher and art-lover with a gentle disposition. We
get on very well together, despite the fact that we cannot talk
directly. We communicate through the medium of my pictures.
Akhenaten really is an unusual pharaoh. As well as changing
Egypts art style, he has completely reformed the countrys
King Akhenaten
hates unnatural religion and is about to move the capital from Thebes to a new
sideways-on city some 480 kilometres upstream. These drastic reforms are not
Egyptian art. going down too well with his subjects. I suspect it will all be
changed back when he is gone.
The King loves the fact that my pictures look just like the
people or things they represent. Egyptian art is not like this.
For the past two thousand years, everybody and everything has
been shown sideways on. Akhenaten hates that. From now on,
the King has ordered that all images of himself and his court
should look natural. And he wants me to paint a special portrait
of Nefertiti.

Day 7
morning

Yesterday, at the bequest of the King, I spent all day painting a

portrait of the Queen, (a copy of which I made for my journal).
Akhenaten was so pleased with the picture, he took it straight to
his chief sculptor and demanded that a bust be made of it.

Present-day fact: This very same bust was excavated five years ago, in 1911!
I distinctly remember that Uncle George was most excited by the disovery.
56

Thutmose, the master

sculptor, made a bust of
Queen Nefertiti following
my drawing. Nefertitis
name means the beautiful
woman has come.

Queen Nefertiti

Early Tom and I have often needed to go home in a hurry to escape some
evening terrible danger or avoid a time-travelling disaster. On this occasion,
however, I feel that we must leave soon because we are becoming
too comfortable. So we have decided to use our newly-found nudge
button and will travel on to visit Tutankhamen tonight.

Last
entry
for
today

Horror of horrors! Our time machine has disappeared! It must be

buried in the drifting sand. We scrabbled around for hours in the
moonlight, poking into the dunes with long sticks, but we failed to
find it. We have no choice but to stay at the Pharaohs court but it
is moving to the new site next week!
57

A Grand Procession
Day 12, Thebes, 134 7 BC
The grandeur of the procession made me realise just how rich and powerful the Pharaoh is.

7.00 am The day of the big move has arrived. The Pharaoh, his various
wives and children, and everyone in his huge royal court are
leaving Thebes in a grand procession.
The city of Akhetaten, to which everyone is going, is a brand
new settlement on the banks of the River Nile. Among many
other splendid features, it has a grand royal palace and a massive
statue of Aten the god that the Pharaoh wants everyone to
worship to the exclusion of all the others. The pharaohs subjects
are not happy about this.

Late This entry in my journal is being made from the safety of our
afternoon time machine. How did we find it? It came about in the most
extraordinary way
Tom joined me at my roadside easel to say that a sandstorm
was fast approaching. I did not take much notice, thinking it
would just pass by harmlessly, but a huge swirling sand cloud
came veering round the city walls and hit the procession. Total
chaos ensued! Everyone (including the Pharaoh) was forced to
take cover from the choking darkness.
As the sand clouds started to clear, Tom yelped with delight.
Look, Netty. Its back! he shrieked.
The sandstorm had uncovered our time machine! Not
wasting another second, we ran to the machine and locked
ourselves inside. This time, I will work the time dial and move us
on twenty years to the latter part of Tutankhamens reign.

58

The Grand Procession

Akhenaten is holding his hook and a
flail. Along with his false beard and
double royal crown, these are the
symbols of his kingship.

Double royal crown

False beard
Hook

Flail

Map showing
relocation.

Field Notes & Observations on Thebes :

Thebes is an ancient city on either side of the Nile near the modern town of Luxor.
The main part of the city is situated on the east bank.
The west bank houses all the royal tombs and is known as the city of the dead.
It is the site of the famous Temple of Karnak.
Not to be confused with Thebes in Greece, often mentioned in Greek literature.

Akhetaten
Thebes

Our Second Journey

to Thebes
1327 BC

NOTE: Ancient Egyptian hand mirrors were made of bronze and did
not give a very clear reflection.
60

Who would have

thought that a
mirror could prove
to be so useful!

Mirror Magic
Day 1, the royal court at Thebes, 1327 BC
All done with mirrors!

Early With plenty of power still left in the crystal, it took less than
evening three seconds to travel this tiny morsel of time. The time
Banquet foods
that I saw:
Duck
Oryx
Goat
Gazelle
Cucumber
Melon

Dates.

Sycamore figs.

machine is no longer in the desert outside Thebes. It is now

inside the city, hidden behind some trees in the garden of the
Pharaohs magnificent palace.
It was obvious from the busy preparations that were going
on that a big party or feast would be held later tonight.
Servants were rushing in all directions with huge platters of
delicious-looking food, and a troupe of dancing girls were
practising their routine on the lawn. Through a window
brightly lit by f laming torches, we could see Tutankhamens
queen, Ankhesenamen, putting on her brightly coloured makeup with the help of her handmaidens.
She doesnt seem very happy, whispered Tom, listening to
the young queens shrieks of annoyance and frustration.
Its that hand mirror shes using, I added. She cant see
herself properly in it.
Suddenly, I remembered the mirror that Mama had given
me before we left. It was in my rucksack. Taking it out, I
tiptoed into the dressing room, gave a polite curtsy and handed
the mirror to the Queen. Ankhesenamen squealed with delight
as she saw, for the first time, exactly what her face looked like.
I was asked to stay at the royal make-up session and,
afterwards, Tom and I were invited to join the feast.
We had found our way in!

The mirror
that Mama
gave to me.

Bread made
from barley.

Red and green

grape varieties.
Pomegranates.

Even by modern standards the banquet food was varied and

impressive to behold.
61

The war leader

who never goes
to war!

Tutankhamen
Day 11, the desert, 1327 BC
This is the life!

First light

Thankfully
the ostrich
I hate to appear smug, but my predictions about Akhenatens evaded the
reforms all seem to have come true. The country has reverted
hunters
today.
to its old religion; the capital has returned to Thebes and official
art is back to being sideways-on again. Tutankhamen is
responsible for these changes. As a result, he is a very popular
young pharaoh.
Tutankhamen is head of the Egyptian army. But all the
fighting is done for him by his soldiers. Recently, they defeated
Egypts old enemy, the Hittites, in the north of the country. All
the new wall paintings show him leading his troops into battle,
but he never actually left the royal palace.

Final entry
for the day
Sacred rattle
The discs in
the centre
rattle when
shaken.

Tom and I had a fabulous time today! Tutankhamen went for a

days sport in the desert and he took us with him! After
travelling to the desert by camel, Tom tried his hand at archery.
The Pharaoh is very skilled with a bow and arrow, having
practised since he was a little boy.
Later in the day, Tutankhamen and his friends went ostrich
hunting. Im glad to say they did not catch anything. A chariot
race followed the hunt. Tom and I were with the Pharaoh. It was
incredibly exciting and we won by a whisker! The royal dogs
had a wonderful time, racing alongside.
The day ended with a delicious feast in the moonlight with
musicians playing and singing.
This is the life!
Bronze cymbals

Flute
Made of wood and very melodic.
62

Made an awful
metallic din!

A study of
ancient
Egyptian
instruments.

Bone clappers
This fun
instrument
is played like
castanets.

Important note: Tutankhamens special advisor, a man called Ay,

has also had a hand in returning Egypt to its old ways. He is an
elderly official who has guided the boy pharaoh, helping him to
rule the country when he was too young to do it alone. Tom does
not like Ay. He says he looks shifty and is not to be trusted.
From my point of view, Ay has always been very polite but I
know what Tom means. Maybe, having effectively been in power
for so long, he is jealous that Tutankhamen has come of age and
can now do the job himself?

Tutankhamen in
pursuit of ostrich.
Notes on Tutankhamen:
Tutankhamen was born around 1342 BC in the new city of Akhetaten.
His mother was called Kiya. She was King Akhenatens second-favourite wife.
Enjoyed a happy childhood amid the splendour of the recently-built palaces and gardens.
Became pharaoh at the age of nine.
63

My picture of
Mr Howard Carter.

Murder!
Day 17, the royal palace at Thebes, 1327 BC
I fear that we are in mortal peril!

Midday This is very interesting. I looked up Tutankhamen in Fathers

book and there is very little information about the latter stages of
his life. It also says that his tomb has never been found. Maybe
Mr Howard Carter will succeed in unearthing this, in which
case a great deal will then be learned about the young pharaoh.
In the meantime, my journal will be the only accurate record of
Tutankhamens reign.

2.00 pm Tom has just arrived with some appalling news. He saw Ay push
the Pharaoh down a steep flight of stone steps!

1 1.15 pm

I am numb with disbelief. Tutankhamen is dead! Everyone

thinks his fall was a terrible accident, but Tom saw what
happened he was murdered!

Day 18
6.00 am

Tom sobbed his way through the night. I kept him hidden
behind my bed and gave him frequent hugs. I fear we are
now in great danger and must leave as soon as possible.

8.15 am

64

Tried to take advantage of all the wailing and lamenting going

on in the palace, but found our way barred by a soldier outside
our door. He pushed us roughly back inside without so much as
a smile. Is this normal behaviour at such a time or are we under
house arrest?

Decided to record in words and pictures exactly what

happened here last night. It may be the only way that future
generations will learn the truth.

Disturbing Notes & Observations:

This is what the murder scene looked like according to Toms eyewitness account.
He confirms it is accurate in every detail. We must make sure this picture is
never seen by Ay. It would be our death warrant. As it is, Tom suspects the
evil councillor saw him witness the murder. The guard is still at the door,
preventing us from leaving.
Is Ay proposing to murder us, too?

65

The Mask of Tutankhamen

Day 25, Thebes, 1327 BC
My picture can only hint at the splendour of the real thing!

Morning Ay does know we share his terrible secret. He is keeping watch

Must think
of an escape
plan!

on us, twenty-four hours a day. Wherever we go, whatever we

do, there is always one of his soldiers not far away, following us
from a distance. There is no doubt about it Ay is after us. But
he cannot be seen to be after us, so he is biding his time.
Poor Ankhesenamen is devastated. She is still the queen, but
she cannot rule Egypt on her own. I know that there have been
female pharaohs before most notably a woman called
Hatshepsut, who successfully ruled the country for fifteen years
about a century ago. Unfortunately, Queen Ankhesenamen is not
dominant or forceful enough. She is gentle and loving. I really
dont know what is going to happen to her.
Ay is very cunning. Because he is an old man, his tomb in
The Valley of the Kings is ready and he has given it to
Tutankhamen. This makes him appear very generous to everyone
in the land except us! He allows us to witness all the elaborate
preparations for the boy pharaohs journey to the Afterlife, and
makes sure we are supervised at all times. We are in great danger,
but there is nothing we can do about it. It is very frightening.

Late This afternoon we were taken to the royal workshops to see

afternoon Tutankhamens death mask being made. It is exquisite! Even Tom,
whose idea of something beautiful is a giant knickerbocker glory
ice cream, said it took his breath away. I asked if I could paint it
and, to my surprise, permission was granted. My picture can only
hint at the splendour of the real thing!
66

Other things being buried with the boy pharaoh:

Food and drink, lamps, jars, chests, beds, headrests, chairs, a beautifully decorated wooden throne, board
games, necklaces and pendants, a bow and arrow, a rare iron sword, a chariot, boats of various sizes
almost anything he would be likely to need as he travels to the next world!
Above the golden cheeks, the mask
features blue petals of lapis lazuli in
imitation of the kohl make-up
Tutankhamen wore in life.

Measurements:
The mask is about
50 centimetres high and
weighs around 10 kilograms.

The forehead of the mask includes a royal uraeus

(a spitting cobra) and a vulture's head.
These are symbols of the two
guardian deities of Lower
and Upper Egypt:
Wadjet and
Nekhbet.

The Mask of Tutankhamen.

The mask is made of solid gold

inlaid with coloured glass and
semi-precious stones. It will
be placed in the innermost
coffin in Tutankhamens tomb.
67

Afterlife Provisions
Some of the treasures buried with Tutankhamen.
The number and variety of valuable possessions that were buried with
Tutankhamen is breathtaking! I have drawn some of my favourites.
I hope to discuss the items with Uncle George when I return to the present.
This statue is a depiction of
Tutankhamen in a papyrus boat
in the role of Horus, son of the
Sun God. It is made of marble
and is covered in gold leaf.

A statue of the
living god, Netjer
Ank. The King
believed Netjer Ank
would help him in
his passage through
the underworld.

Ecclesiastical chair.

Statue of Anubis.

Canopic jars.
68

Golden throne.

Alabaster
boat.

A gold-leafed statue
of the Goddess
Menkheret carrying
the body of King
Tutankhamen
wrapped in a shroud.

A bust of the
Sun God
emerging from
a lotus flower.

Gold-leafed falcon.

The sarcophagus of King

Tutankhamen. It held his
three coffins, one inside the
other. At each corner the
figures of the four goddesses
Selket, Isis, Nephthys and
Neith are depicted with wings
outspread and arms circling the
sarcophagus as if to protect the body of the king.

King Tutankhamen's
royal sceptre.
69

River Journey
Days 41-45, the Nile, 1327 BC

Queen Ankhesenamens
future is even more
uncertain than ours!

The river is the countrys great highway.

Tom went
fishing in the
reed beds.
He is really
enjoying this
trip and
seems to have
forgotten we
are not here
through choice!

Since the tragic death of her young husband, Ankhesenamen

has become very close to me. We have developed a system of
hand signs and sounds by which we manage to communicate
with each other quite successfully. The Queen showed me a
desperate letter she has written to a Hittite prince, asking him to
marry her and become pharaoh in Tutankhamens place. Ay will
never allow this to happen. He is not going to hand over his
power, especially to an enemy of Egypt!

Cargo boat.

70

Fishing boat
made from
papyrus
reeds.

While Tutankhamens body is still being mummified, Ay has

started acting like the next pharaoh. Following several days of
official business, he has gone on a tour of his new kingdom,
travelling on the Nile from Upper to Lower Egypt. Tom and I
have been forced to go with him.

The River Nile is the countrys great highway. Boats of all shapes and sizes ply up and down it every
day. The wind from the north blows you downstream; the current carries you upstream.
Note the farmer ploughing the
rich, dark soil on the riverbank.
This is what is left every year
when the floodwaters
recede. Wheat and barley
are the main crops
wheat for making bread
and barley for making
beer. They also grow
peas, beans and many
other vegetables.
The river teems with fish and other wildlife.
Roast duck is an Egyptian luxury but you
have to catch one first!

71

The Hippo Hunt

Day 46, the Nile, near Thebes, 1327 BC

Animals that
I observed
during our
river voyage:

We should have seen this coming!

hippopotamus,

Mid This is ghastly! Ay has decided to go hippo hunting today. On a catfish,

morning positive front, our guard has now been lifted and Ay is being pintail ducks,
really nice to us. Maybe he has decided that two visiting children
pelicans,
pose no threat to him and intends to let us go?
crocodiles,
Ankhesenamen has accompanied us on this river trip. Ay
forced her to come and is being especially kind to her. Tom
cormorants,
reckons he wants to marry her in order to put his claim to be
es,
pharaoh beyond doubt. That is a ridiculous notion. He is nearly hoopo
three times the Queens age and also her uncle. No! The Hittite
perch,
prince will come and rescue her, you mark my words.

geese,

Late
afternoon

72

We are so stupid! We should have seen this coming. Ay had no

intention of letting us go. He was lulling us into a false sense of
security before doing his worst.
The hippo hunt was frightful. The creature was a fully grown
male who is dangerous enough on his own. Wounded by several
spears and bleeding so profusely that the waters of the Nile turned
red, the animal was in a frenzy of aggression. That was when Ay
chose to push Tom and me into the river!
Tom was lucky. The waves carried him towards the bank.
I, on the other hand, found myself in deeper water with the
thrashing hippopotamus opening its enormous jaws in front of me.
I shall never forget, out of the corner of my eye, catching a
split-second glimpse of Ay looking down from the boat, rubbing
his hands together gleefully.

toads.

I will not give you the satisfaction of seeing me die! I thought

to myself, leaping backwards to avoid the closing jaws of the hippo
and then struggling towards the bank.
Snorting furiously, the animal came after me, and I have no
doubt it would have caught me had Tom not come to my rescue.
Among all of his Scouting items, he had a coil of rope. He threw
it to me and just managed to pull me out as the hippos jaws
closed together again behind my legs.
Good job I came prepared, eh Netty? chuckled Tom.
Long live the Scouting movement, I gasped.
May it last a hundred years!

The wounded hippo.

In recognition of Toms bravery, I asked him

to do the writing to accompany this picture.
Regretfully, he has not done the job well.

The name hippopotamus means river horse. They have barrel-shaped

bodies and short legs. They are very heavy. The one that nearly killed
my sister must weigh about 3 tons. They have thick grey skin and pink
tummies. They can stay underwater for long periods and can walk or
even run along the riverbed. That is all I know - Tom.
73

Final Adventure
Day 47, Thebes, 1327 BC
Facing death on a daily basis is a tiring business!

Tom and I hid in a deserted farmhouse, waiting for nightfall. Animals that
Luckily, we were not all that far from Thebes. So, under cover I observed in
the desert
of darkness, we sneaked out and made our way back to our
outside
time machine at the palace. I imagined Ays soldiers would be
Thebes:
out in force, searching for us, but there was no sign of any.
lions,
As dawn broke, we parted the foliage to reveal our precious ship
and found Ay standing there, waiting for us.
jackals,
With an irate snarl, he grabbed both our wrists and dragged
hyenas,
us, yelling and protesting, to this disgusting place. It is where the
antelope,
bodies of the dead pharaohs are turned into mummies.

2 pm, January 11th, 1916

I am now writing from the safety of home and I have the time and
leisure to record our miraculous escape from the clutches of the
evil Ay. This is what happened
As night fell I settled down to sleep, but was soon disturbed
by Tom vigorously shaking my arm.
Netty! he gasped. Something just moved.
Youre imagining things, I scoffed.
No, Netty, Tom insisted. Look over there!
I looked up and felt my heart miss a beat. Tom was right!
Three of Ays soldiers had entered the room via a secret panel in
the wall and were coming towards us.
Look out, Tom! I yelled, as the first soldier raised a gleaming
dagger. This is it, sis, wailed Tom.

74

gazelle,
bull,
cobra,
termites.

Tom and I pressed our backs against the door and closed our
eyes, waiting for the fatal blows to fall. Instead, we felt the door
opening behind us, and we fell backwards on top of one another.
Looking up, we saw Ankhesenamen hastily locking the door again
with Ays soldiers pounding on it furiously from the other side.
Thank you for saving us, I whispered, indicating my
meaning with a grateful smile. The young queen then led us
back to the time machine and waved us goodbye.
Grinning with delight, Tom jumped inside and prepared for
immediate take-off.
Come on, Netty. Were ready! he called.
One second, Tom, I replied, turning to Ankhesenamen.
I had to know what was going to happen to her. She pointed into
the distance, indicating the arrival of her Hittite prince, and ran
her finger across her throat to say he had been murdered. Then
she held up her wedding finger and said one dreaded word, Ay.
My brother was right! The poor girl was being forced to marry
her uncle. Who knows what will become of her?
As I turned to leave she thrust two items into my hand. The
first was my hand mirror, which she was returning. The second
was an exquisite fan showing her beloved Tutankhamen before
this tragedy befell him.
I tried to refuse the latter, but she insisted I took it. And then
she was gone, melting into the night like a shadow.
Lets go home, Tom, I said, using my sternest voice to
disguise my tears.
Right you are, sis, he called, cheerfully.
The summer house clock started ticking again as we emerged
from our time machine. We had been away for a long time.
Personally, I feel exhausted. Facing death on a daily basis is
a tiring business!

It must be
nice to be a
ten-year-old
boy. Nothing
ever gets
clouded by
emotion!

75

I feel much
better after a
good nights sleep.

Introducing Algenon
Great Waltham, January 12th, 1916
Tom and I have a good luck mascot for the time machine.

Morning Did you know, my dear Journal, that teddy bears were only
invented about twenty years ago? I imagined, like dolls, they
had been around for centuries, but not so. They were thought up
at more or less the same time in America and in Germany. Why
do I mention this? Because I have been sent one as a present!
Dearest Grandmama (the one who used to worry so much
about catching colds) bought a German teddy just before the
war. She meant to send it to me, but sadly she died and it
remained in her cupboard until Grandpapa discovered it
recently. He has now sent the toy to me. I think Lydia and Kate
are a little jealous, but I do not care. I was always Grandmamas
favourite. I have decided to call my bear Algenon, or Algy for
short, and I shall keep him in the time machine. He can be my
mascot and bring Tom and me luck.

Fascinating Facts About Teddy Bears:

The name teddy bear is American. The New York shopkeeper
who invented soft toy bears named them after the American
president, Theodore Teddy Roosevelt.
Algy was made by the Steiff company in Germany. Margarete Steiff was a wheelchair-bound polio
victim who sewed toys to keep herself busy. The soft toy bears that she made were so popular with
local children that her brother took her clever designs and manufactures them at his toy factory.
Before the war, teddy bears were being made and sold in their thousands all over the world. It is a
craze. I am sure it will not last.
76

4.30 pm

This afternoon I commenced a much-needed tidy up of the

summer house. There is only one way to tidy up properly. That
is to take everything out of the cupboards and then put it all
back neatly. I had reached the everything out stage when a
dreaded face appeared in the doorway. It was Millicent. She had
come with Aunt Harriet for another visit and, as usual, had been
sent to find me by Mama.
My hateful cousin looked at my scientific equipment with
obvious disdain, but then her eyes alighted on the golden fan that
was given to me by Queen Ankhesenamen. I had been stupid
enough to take it out of the drawer where it was hidden.
Where did you get this from? she asked, sharply.
I w-w-was given it, I stammered.
By whom? she demanded. This is solid gold. It must be
worth a fortune.
I was at a loss for words until dear Uncle George came to
my rescue!
Teas ready, he called through the window. Then he strolled
into the summer house and picked up the fan.
Have you finished examining this, Henrietta? he asked.
Oh er yes, I replied, responding to his wink.
I gave this to Henrietta to study, he explained to Millicent.
It belongs to my university.
Hurray for Uncle George!
This fan features

The fan given to me by

Queen Ankhesenamen.
Due to the hot climate,
personal fans were very
important in ancient Egypt.

an engraving of
Tutankhamen
hunting ostrich
on his chariot.

PERSONAL NOTE: I am still struggling with my Latin grammar. Agricola (a farmer) and nauta (a sailor) are first declension
nouns, but dominus (a master) is a second declension noun. What does this mean? I really do not understand!

A Brief Account of a Near Disaster

77

The Final Chapter

Great Waltham, January 13th, 1916
Uncle George. Is he hinting that I should visit the final phase of ancient Egypts history?

This evening, after supper, Uncle George sat next to me on the sofa.
Have you read Shakespeares Antony and Cleopatra?
he asked.
Not yet, Uncle, I replied.
You should try it soon, he said. I think youll find the
characters really come to life in front of you.
Suddenly, I realised he was telling me to visit the final phase of
ancient Egypts 3,000-year-long history.
But what about Alexander the Great? I exclaimed.
Dont be ridiculous, Henrietta, scoffed Millicent, who was
listening in on our conversation. Shakespeare didnt write a play
about Alexander the Great.
Stupid girl! Why doesnt she mind her own business? She has
no idea what were really talking about!

Fathers Study, January 14th, 1916

Morning This is the penultimate day of the school holidays. Fired up by
my Uncles suggestion, I went to find Tom to see if he would like
to make one final journey to The Gift of the Nile (as Egypt is
often called). Annoyingly, he has gone into town with Mama to
buy a new school uniform. So, I will have to wait for him.
I hate anything that is incomplete. That would be true of this
journal if Tom and I do decide to visit Antony and Cleopatra and
skip over Alexander the Great. So, to pass the time this morning, I
intend to fill in this missing section of Egyptian history just, as they
say, for the record.
78

Alexander the Great

356 - 323 BC
Alexander the Great conquered Egypt, introducing Greek
customs that changed the country forever.
Notes about Alexander the Great:
Between the ages of 13 and 16, he was taught by the famous Greek philosopher Aristotle.
He became king of Macedonia in 336 BC, at the age of 20, and soon controlled the whole of Greece.

My picture of a famous bust depicting

Alexander the Great.

He was one of the greatest generals the

world has ever known. In a matter of
a few years, his Greek army occupied
all the countries at the eastern end of
the Mediterranean Sea.
He conquered Egypt, without much
trouble, between 332 and 331 BC
and adopted the ways of the pharaohs,
likening himself to the sun god.
He founded a new capital city in the
north of the country where the Nile
flows out into the Mediterranean. It
was named Alexandria in his honour.

I cannot complete this urite joke:

oning Toms favo
section without menti the fireplace?
Who invented
Alexander the Grate!

Alexander died on June 13, 323 BC,

at the age of 33. His body was taken
from Babylon and buried in Alexandria,
in the style of the pharaohs, in a
multilayered coffin made of gold.

79

Our Exploration
of Alexandria
47 BC
Tom knew I was itching to paint
this magnificent monument, so
he went off to play on his own
for a while or rather, to play
with Algy. I am beginning to
think I should have given the
toy to my little brother!

80

The Lighthouse of Alexandria

Day 1, Alexandria, 47 BC
One of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world.

It took a long time to get everything ready for our trip. For one
thing, I had to wash and dry our Egyptian costumes, which
Mama saw hanging on the washing line.
What do you need those for, Henrietta? she asked.
I am putting on a play, I replied, hastily.
I see, dear, she murmured and wandered away.
Dearest Mama! She believes everything anyone tells her.
With the green crystal fully charged again, our journey to
47 BC took eleven minutes and fifteen seconds. We landed on
the outskirts of Alexandria, the splendid city at the mouth of the
Nile, founded by the aforementioned Alexander the Great.
Having changed our clothes, and hidden the time machine, we
looked around and were awestruck by an enormous building
overlooking the harbour. It was the famous Lighthouse of
Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Our Egyptian
washing.

Notes on the Lighthouse of Alexandria:

It was completed in 270 BC on Pharos, a small island in Alexandria harbour. At
first, the giant building (which must be a good 150 metres high) was just used to
guide ships into the port. Now it has a fire surrounded by metal mirrors at the top
and serves as a lighthouse.
According to Fathers book, the walls were strengthened against the pounding of
the waves by having molten lead poured into them. This certainly seems to have
worked. The Pharos (as the lighthouse is often called for short) fell down only after
being hit by two earthquakes, one in 1303 AD and the other in 1323 AD.
81

Ancient
Egyptian
coins.

Queen Cleopatra
Day 3, Alexandria, 47 BC
The last pharaoh of Egypt.

Earlier today Tom found two bronze coins featuring a side profile portrait of Cleopatra.
I think the portrait is somewhat unkind as it highlights her prominent nose.

The barge she sat in, like a burnished throne,

Burned on the water; the poop was beaten gold,
Purple the sails, and so perfumed, that
The winds were love-sick with them

82

This is how The Bard describes Cleopatras progress down the

Nile in her royal barge. Beautiful though his words are,
Shakespeares account is not scientifically accurate. After
witnessing a similar scene for myself, I am in a position to give a
true picture of what went on and record it for posterity.
Queen Cleopatra, the last pharaoh of Egypt, did indeed
travel in a golden barge, but the sails were a dirty beige colour
and they certainly did not smell of perfume. Tom and I watched
her being carried ashore on a small litter, thronged by a cheering
crowd. She had a powerful air about her, but she was not
classically beautiful. She reminded me of a famous music hall
star or an actress from the new cinema.
As the royal procession came towards us, Tom dashed
off, calling: Algy must see this!
Suddenly, the people in the crowd around us began to stop
and stare at Tom and me. They thought Algy was a real bear
cub! This brought us to the attention of Cleopatra, who ordered
her entourage to stop as she motioned us forwards.

When Tom showed her that Algy was, in fact, a toy,

Cleopatra clapped her hands together like a child. Sitting
the bear beside her on her throne, she indicated that we
should join the procession behind her, which eventually
led us to her splendid royal palace.

Algy ascends to the

throne of Egypt!

Cleopatra
Notes from Fathers book on Cleopatra: Her Early Life:
Born in 69 BC, Cleopatra came to the throne of Egypt in 51 BC at the age of
18. She proved herself to be a capable (and often ruthless) ruler. When she asked
Rome for help in dealing with a revolt led by her brother, Cleopatra met Julius
Caesar. They started a relationship and in 47 BC she gave birth to a son
nicknamed Caesarion (which means Little Caesar).
83

Julius Caesar
Day 4, Alexandria, 47 BC
The Queen is an expert in the mixing of poisons.

Morning When I meet Julius Caesar, said Tom, Im going to say:

Youre Julius Caesar,
The Roman geezer
Who squashed his nose in a lemon squeezer!
No youre jolly well not! I exclaimed.
Why not? retorted Tom. Unless he can speak modern
English, which wont be around for another 2,000 years or so,
he wont understand a word I say!
I had to admit, Tom had a point!

Afternoon

It is my experience from time-travelling that great men are just

men when you get to know them. This is certainly true of Julius
Caesar, whom we finally met today. He is one of historys most
famous names: a powerful general and brilliant writer who
subdued most of the known world and brought it under Romes
control. In the few hours that I have spent in Caesars company
I have found him to be kind-hearted and funny quite unlike
the cold, stern Roman he is always portrayed.
Cleopatra has a wicked sense of humour. Following our
arrival with a bear, she has given us jobs at the royal zoo! It is
full of exotic animals, including lions and zebra, and there is also
a whole house full of venomous snakes. The Queen is an
expert in the mixing of poisons. I have witnessed her
administer a lethal dose of poison to an animal that was
sick and in a lot of pain.

A highly venomous Egyptian Cobra.

84

Smudge

Tom and I
have been given
jobs at the
royal zoo. My
favourite
animal is a
zebra that I
have named
Smudge some of the
stripes on his
hind legs join
together and
look a bit like
an ink blot.

She is particularly fond of using the venom from the

Egyptian cobra, commonly know as the asp. Its poison is quickacting, fatal and painless.

Late Tom is playing hide-and-seek with some of the local boys, so I

afternoon have time to do a special picture. I did not witness this incident
first-hand. I just read about it in Fathers book. It is so amusing,
I felt I had to paint it!

Caesar

Cleopatra

Illustration Note: Apparently, when Caesar first arrived in Egypt, he was given a Persian carpet as
a welcoming present. When it was displayed by two servants, Cleopatra was rolled up inside it and
landed at her visitors feet! Caesar was so taken by this playful trick, he soon became the young
queens devoted partner!
85

Beware the Ides of March

Day 6, Alexandria Naval Dockyard, 47 BC
Time-travellers can only observe.

Morning Whats the date today, Netty? asked Tom.

June 23rd, 47 BC, I answered.
Poor old Julius is leaving here today, said Tom solemnly.
Hell never come back to Alexandria.
What are you talking about? I asked.
Beware the eyes of March and all that! quoted
my brother.
The Ides of March, I corrected him, referring to the wellknown date in the Roman calendar on which Julius Caesar was
assassinated. Then it hit me! Tom was right! Caesar was going
to the east of the empire to quell an uprising and would then
return to Rome and be murdered! He was a doomed man!
I had just said goodbye to Caesar, who is catching a ship
back to Italy today.
Ive got to warn him, Tom, I cried, dashing from the palace
towards the docks. Caesar was already on the gangplank when I
arrived. I tried to think of the words to warn him not to travel,
but my Latin let me down! I could only remember caveat
which means take care. I shouted it as loud as I could, but he
just thought I was wishing him a fond farewell. I had failed to
stop him! Oh, how I regretted not doing my Latin revision!
Steeped in misery, I returned to Tom.
When I arrived back at the palace, Tom held up the piece of
paper that he had found in the time machine.
Remember this, sis? he asked. Father wrote it. It says:
You cannot change the course of History.
86

My picture
Suddenly, I brightened. Father knew that a situation like this of a famous
would arise one day. So he was telling us not to be upset when
bust of
something tragic happens. We cannot stop it. Time-travellers can Julius Caesar.
only observe.
I now accept that history must run its course and
so I wish to celebrate the life of a remarkable man.

Important Notes on Julius Caesar:

Born in 100 BC, Caesar distinguished himself in the Roman army as a young man.
He later entered Roman politics and was renowned as a brilliant speaker and writer. Caesar led the
Roman army to conquer most of Europe, and crossed The Channel to Britain in 55 BC.
Eventually he grew so powerful that his enemies became jealous and accused him of wanting to rule
Rome like a king. He was stabbed twenty-three times by a large group of assassins on the Ides (15)
March 44 BC. His death marked the end of the Roman Republic (where people voted for their
leaders) and the beginning of the Roman Empire (rule by an emperor).
Caesars ill-fated departure for Rome.

87

My Account of an
Ancient Egyptian Conflict
31 BC
Quinquereme
cross-section.

The quinquereme that I observed

was powered by three rows of oars.

As quinqueremes are so large, rocks

are placed in the hull as ballast.

The towers at each end of the

warship house powerful catapaults.

Before Tom and I departed to observe the Battle of Actium, I was fortunate enough to be shown
around one of Antonys impressive quinquereme vessels. The knowledge that I gained on the tour has
enabled me to make this splendid entry in my journal.
88

The Final Chapter

Day 1, Alexandria, 31 BC
Egypt is at war with Rome!

Shortly after Caesars departure, Cleopatra gave birth to a baby boy

called Caesarian (which means little Caesar) and everything went
very quiet at the royal court in Alexandria. Tom was all set to go
home, but I desperately wanted to see the final chapter of Egypts long
and fascinating history.
The crystal was still pulsating with plenty of power as we moved
forwards in time from 47 BC to 31 BC. The first thing we noticed as
we emerged into the baking August heat was how rundown the palace
now looked. We found a mongoose that looked very thin and
neglected, so my brother hurried off to find him some food and water
while I wandered towards the royal palace.
The Queen has a new partner called Mark Antony. He is a
Roman, like Julius Caesar (in fact, he was Caesars right-hand man for
many years). But Mark Antony has many enemies in Rome, most
noticeably a powerful man called Octavian. Octavian has persuaded
the Roman Senate to send their forces to destroy Mark Antony. So
Egypt is at war with Rome!

Mongoose
This is the mongoose we found.
Mongooses are a bit like cats, only
much fiercer! They eat worms,
insects, chickens, rodents and snakes.
They are famous for killing large,
venomous snakes, like cobras.
Time travel note: Tom and I have re-entered the royal household by offering our services in the
kitchens. This lowly position enables me to observe events without courting unwanted attention.
89

Mark Antony is rarely

without a drink in his hand.

Mark Antony
Day 6, Alexandria, 31 BC

Mark Antony is
a bad influence
on Tom!

The self-proclaimed gods are just like the rest of us!

Mid Cleopatra VII Selene Philopator, Queen and Pharaoh of Egypt,

morning descendant of Sun God Re, is very fond of figs. Last night, at a
lavish banquet with Mark Antony, she ate far too many and
woke up this morning with a crippling tummy ache yet another
reminder that the self-proclaimed gods of this world are mere
mortals, just like the rest of us.

90

Midday

The mongoose is now fully recovered and follows my little

brother everywhere! Tom has named him Rameses.
Earlier today, Tom and I met Caesarian for the first time.
The young man, who is now 16, was clearing out his room.
Obviously, he is eager to leave childhood behind and enter the
adult world. Consequently, he was throwing out all of his
juvenile belongings play swords (he has real ones nowadays),
wooden toys, puzzles, games and Algy! Cleopatra must have
given the toy bear to him when he was little. Tom indicated he
wanted the teddy and was given it with a scoff of contempt. Tom
did not care. He was thrilled to have his precious toy back!

Late
evening

As Tom and I were clearing away the plates, Mark Antony

offered us a glass of red wine this evening. Smiling politely, I
indicated that it would make us feel unwell and hurried away.
What did you do that for, Netty? snapped Tom, angrily.
Keep away from that man, I retorted. Hes a really
bad influence.
It is true. Fathers book says Mark Antony has a reputation
for being wild and undisciplined.

Now Antony is with Cleopatra, he is even more reckless and

irresponsible. I think he should be more of a father to the three
children they have had together in the past eleven years.
Otherwise, these children will grow up to be wild, too!

11.15 pm My feelings about war have already been well documented in this
journal. But, having promised Tom, I have no choice but to allow
him to witness the great showdown between the forces of
Octavian and those of Mark Antony and Cleopatra. Fathers book
notes that the battle took place at sea between two sets of
warships. So, helping to lift some cargo onto one of the Queens
supply vessels, we have sneaked on board and set off for the coast
of Greece where the battle fleets are gathering.

Important notes on Mark Antony :

He led a reckless youth, wandering the streets of Rome with his brothers.
By the age of 20, he had run up huge debts and was forced to flee the country.
In addition to Cleopatra, he had four other wives Fadia, Antonia, Fulvia and Octavia.
His daughters by Octavia went on to give Rome two of its most notorious emperors, Caligula and Nero.
This is why I do not want Tom associating with this man!

Mark Antony
91

The Battle of Actium

Day 20, off the coast of Greece, 31 BC
Warships, some big and some small, locked in combat on the sparkling Ionian sea.

8.40 am We have spent several tedious days waiting for this battle to
commence. Finally, this morning, Tom came running down the
deck and yelled to me in football parlance (a game that grows
more popular every year at home):
Its all kicking off now, Netty!
The towers housed

Quinquereme warship
Antony's fleet consisted primarily of massive
quinquereme boats.

Battering ram.
Important note:
Sails were taken down in
preparation for battle.

powerful catapaults.

I estimate that each quinquereme vessel had 400 persons on

board. Based on my observations at the naval dockyard, each
vessel had 300 oarsmen, over 100 soldiers and assorted
other crew members.

Field Notes & Observations: The Battle of Actium pitted the forces of Octavian against those of Mark
Antony. Both sides tried to manoeuvre into position to ram the opposing side and thus sink their ships. The
ramming tactic swiftly became a stalemate as most of Antonys boats were too slow to catch the Liburnian
vessels, which, in turn, were too small to inflict damage on the larger quinqueremes.
92

12.00 pm Fortunately, we are far enough away from the warships not to be
able to witness the terrible fighting on the decks. All we can see
are two f leets of warships, some big and some small, locked in
combat on the sparkling Ionian Sea.

6.00 pm Tom cheered Antony and Cleopatras side as if he was watching

a rugby match at school. He chose the wrong one. They were
the losers on this long but spectacular day.

Boarding gangplank.
Battering
ram.

Octavians' fleet was made up of small, manoeuvrable

Liburnian vessels. They are designed for speed, and use

Liburnian warship

two banks of oars on each side.

The battle turned in favour of Octavian when his smaller Liburnian vessels used
their speed advantage to get close to the quinqueremes and destroy the oars.
After a few hours, many ships in Antonys fleet were dead in the water.
Tar-covered flaming arrows were then fired at the stricken vessels
to set them on fire.

Supply Vessel

When Cleopatra saw Mark Antony was losing the battle, she fled
back to Egypt (taking us with her in a supply ship, I am pleased to
say!). Antony also abandoned the fight and followed her, leaving most
of the ships in his fleet to be captured or sunk.

In the aftermath of
the defeat at Actium,
Mark Antony killed himself rather
than suffer the humiliation
of defeat.
93

Last Journey
to Ancient Egypt
30 BC

After referring to Fathers book, I have learned that Octavian (now called Emperor
Augustus) had visited Egypt and planned to parade Cleopatra through Rome bound in
chains an insult that the proud queen could not tolerate, so she took her life.
94

It took us three
days to return
to Alexandria.

The Basket of Figs

Alexandria, 30 BC
The final events in an extraordinary real-life drama.

Tom and I decided that we had to observe the final events in

this extraordinary drama. So, we used the nudge button to travel
forwards in time by just under one year. We arrived outside
Cleopatras mausoleum at 6 pm on August 12th, 30 BC.
We were just too late! We found the Queen lying on a bed,
stone dead. Suddenly, Tom grabbed me by the arm. Casting my
eyes downwards, I saw a large snake slithering towards me
across the stone floor. Another appeared out of a basket of figs
beside Cleopatras body and moved at terrifying speed towards
Tom. So this was how the Queen committed suicide! She used
her extensive knowledge of poisonous snakes to give herself a
Cleopatra
dignified and painless exit. But now they were coming for us!
was only 39
The two Egyptian cobras reared up and drew back their
when she died
heads, preparing to strike. Tom and I closed our eyes, waiting
and had ruled
for the end. Then we opened them again. There was a sudden
Egypt for
commotion in the room. What was going on?
more than
By an extraordinary stroke of luck, Rameses, the mongoose, 20 years.
had stowed away in the time machine and had followed us into
the mausoleum. He found us in the nick of time! With an
aggressive squeal, he threw himself forwards and sank his teeth
into the first cobra, killing it instantly. The second snake just had
time to inject some poison into the brave mongoose before being
bitten in half. Tom and I watched in horror as poor Rameses
writhed around for a few moments on the floor and then lay
deathly still.
Tom cried his eyes out about Rameses as we trudged back to
the time machine and prepared to go home.
95

Final Entry

Very
distressing !

January 14th, Great Waltham, 1916

I hope that the passage of time will not spoil your pictures or your writing.

After dinner, I sneaked off to the summer house to get away

from Millicent (who is visiting, again!) and find a suitable hiding
place for this journal. I made two terrible mistakes
1. I should have known she would follow me!
2. I paused to look through my journal and relive some of the
thrilling times we had enjoyed in ancient Egypt.
I first became aware of her when I felt her unpleasant breath
on my neck. She was looking over my shoulder, reading the
journal too.
So thats your little secret! she whooped, triumphantly.
Daddy left you a time machine and you go visiting the past.
Dont you dare breathe a word about this to anyone!
I snarled.
Of course I wont, dear, she answered, coolly. Then she
pressed her face close to mine and added, menacingly:
Provided you take me with you on your next trip!
To ensure her silence, I promised to do this. But I cannot
abide the thought of her company on our journeys. Neither can
Tom. So we have agreed to make our next trip in absolute
secrecy. Then she wont know we have gone.
So there we are, my friend. You are now a
fully up-to-date journal. I will put you somewhere
safe and hope that the passage of time will not
spoil your pictures or your writing. Goodbye and
thank you for being the main purpose of such a
wonderfully exciting adventure.
Millicent has discovered

my
time-travelling secret!

96