A LIFE OF ADVENTURE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10138, 8 November 1910, Page 7

A LIFE OF ADVENTURE.

THE LATE MR HORMUZD R ASSAM.

The death occurred rt-jtutiy at Hove of Mr Hor.v.vizd Rassam. He was, as his name indicates, an Oriental, horn at Mosul, on llio hanks of the Tigris, in Northern Mesopotamia, not far from the sight of ancient Nineveh, in the year 1826. He had a singularly eventful career, and it must hare seemed to him in the highest degree improbable, during more than one of the incidents of his life, that lie would attain a ripe old ago and die in his house at Hove.

Mr Rassam, whose brother, Charles Rassam, was British Vico-Consnl at Mosul, first came into prominence about the year 1815, when ho was selected to assist Mr (afterwards Sir) A. H. Layiml in his Assyrian researches, which were carried on for the. British Museum. He was again engaged in the same class of work from' 1810 to 1852, and in the. latter year he was commissioned by the "British Museum to conduct researches which he carried on until 18>i, when he received an appointment at Aden, where he subsequently rose to be Assistant Political Agent. He represented the British Government at Muscat, during the disturbance between the rulers of , Muscat and Zanzibar in 1861...

The most stirring chapter of his life undoubtedly opened in 186-1, when he was sent to Abyssinia by the British (Jovernment to endeavour to persuade King Theodore of Abyssinia to release Consul Cameron and other persons who hud been taken prisoners by the King. It v.-as first thought to win the King to a, better temper by conciliatory measures, and Ilassam was 'selected for the task. He was entrusted v,ith a Roval letter and presents from Queen Victoria to King Theodore. The friendly reception which was accorded Rassam was somewhat illusory, for in April of the same year the prisoners were retaken and thrown into prison, together with Rassam. There was, of course, no alternative for Groat Britain but to declare Avar when he was imprisoned, and the campaign which ended in the storming of Magdala followed. An Oriental of exceptional ability, Mr Rassam was recognized by Layard as a suitable assistant, particularly on account of his capacity to deal with the natives in the search for Assyrian antiquities. Excavations were carried out in various places, and, as La yard confessed, they were successful beyond his wildest* dreams. The life of palace, camp, and field in Assyrian days came back before the astonished eyes of the explorer, and discoveries wore also made of the same kind of armour as that pourtrayed on the reliefs of hunting, war, and solemn ceremony. As was afterwards known, some of these excavations were actual site of the ancient capital, Assur. In 1817 Layard returned to England. The importance of the work was realised in that country, and when Layard was commissioned to revisit the East and resume his Assyrian explorations Rassam was induced to accompany him. In Professor 11. W. Rodgers's "History of Babylonia and Assyria" Rassam is credited with having, "by the exercise of skilful judgment and a fortunate combination of circumstances, actually uncovered V,)c longburied library of the Royal city of Nineveh—the library which Assurbanipal had gathered or caused to be copied for the learning of his sages. Here was a Royal storehouse of literature, science, history, and religion brought to light, ready to be studied in the "West when the method of its reading was fully made out. Well might Rawlinson join with Layard in applause over this happy and fortunate discovery, which had linked Rassair.'s name forever with the history of Assyrian research."