When the prince reached the land of Hak, the priests raised a statue of Atmu, patron god of the province, and the officials fell prostrate; then the nomarch brought a golden sickle to Ramses, and begged him to open the harvest as viceroy of the pharaoh, that being the time to gather in barley.
Ramses took the sickle, cut a couple of handfuls of ears, and burnt them with incense before the god the guardian of the boundaries. After him the nomarch and the great lords cut barley also, and at last harvesters fell to reaping. They cut only ears, which they packed into bags; the straw remained on the field behind them.
When he had heard a tedious service before the god, the prince mounted a two-wheeled car, a division of the army moved on, and the priests followed. Two lords led the horses of the heir by the bridles. After the heir, on a second car, rode the nomarch, and next an immense train of lords and court servitors. The people, agreeable to the will of Ramses, did not present themselves, but laborers in the fields, at sight of the procession, fell on their faces.
In this manner when he had passed a number of pontoon bridges thrown over arms of the Nile and canals, the prince reached toward evening the city of Anu, the capital.
For some days feasts of greeting continued; they rendered homage to the heir, and presented officials. At last Ramses begged to interrupt the festivities, and requested the nomarch to acquaint him with the wealth of the province.
Next morning the review began, and lasted a fortnight. Every day in the court of that palace where the heir had his residence appeared various guilds of craftsmen. These came under command of guild officers, to exhibit their productions. In turn came armorers and swordsmiths, makers of spears and axes, manufacturers of musical instruments, fifes, trumpets, drums, harps. After these came the great guild of cabinetmakers, who exhibited armchairs, tables, couches, litters, and carriages, ornamented with rich drawings, made of various wood, mother- of-pearl, and ivory; then they brought kitchen utensils, things for the fire, spits, two-eared pots, and flat pans with covers; jewelers rivaled one another with gold rings of wonderful beauty, amber bracelets and anklets, or chains made of gold mixed with silver. All these were carved with artistic skill, and inlaid with precious stones or enamel of various colors.
The procession was closed by potters who carried more than a hundred kinds of earthen vessels. They brought vases, pots, plates, pitchers, and jugs of the most varied forms and sizes, covered with paintings ornamented with beast and bird heads.
Each guild made an offering to the prince of its most beautiful productions. These filled a large hall, though among them no two things were similar.
At the end of the curious but interesting exhibition, his worthiness
Ranuzer asked the prince if he was satisfied.
The heir thought awhile.