d oars would permit; and it is probable that he refused bluntly
to return to Tanis when Wenamon informed him of the oversight. This and
the inherent distrust of an Egyptian for a foreigner led Wenamon to
regard the captain and his men with suspicion; and one must imagine him
seated in the rough deck-cabin gloomily guarding the divine image and
his store of money. He had with him a secretary and probably two or
three servants; and one may picture these unfortunates anxiously
watching the Syrian crew as they slouched about the deck. It is further
to be remembered that, as a general rule, the Egyptians are most
extremely bad sailors.

After some days the ship arrived at the little city of Dor, which
nestled at the foot of the Ridge of Carmel; and here they put in to
replenish their supplies. Wenamon states in his report that Dor was at
this time a city of the Thekel or Sicilians, some wandering band of
sea-rovers having left their native Sicily to settle here, at first
under the protection of the Egyptians, but now independent of them. The
King of Dor, by name Bedel, hearing that an envoy of the High Priest of
Amon-Ra had arrived in his harbour, very politely sent down to him a
joint of beef, some loaves of bread, and a jar of wine, upon which
Wenamon must have set to with an appetite, after subsisting upon the
scanty rations of the sea for so long a time.

It may be that the wine was more potent than that to which the Egyptian
was accustomed; or perhaps the white buildings of the city, glistening
in the sunlight, and the busy quays, engrossed his attention too
completely: anyhow, the second of his misfortunes now befel him. One of
the Syrian sailors seized the opportunity to slip into his cabin and to
steal the money which was hidden there. Before Wenamon had detected the
robbery the sailor had disappeared for ever amidst the houses of Dor.
That evening the distracted envoy, seated upon the floor of his cabin,
was obliged to chronicle the list of stolen money, which list was
afterwards incorporated in his report in the following manner:--

One vessel containing gold amounting to 5 debens,
Four vessels containing silver amounting to 20 "
One wallet containing silver amounting to 11 "
---------
Total of what was stolen: gold, 5 debens; silver, 31 debens.

A deben weighed about 100 grammes, and thus the robber was richer by
500 grammes of gold