Blessed by my former life, my father, Jakari being a doctor, afforded me an education where I was taught to read and write, a skill rare down here. Alas I am now relegated to this place for after my mother, Atfae, died my father became given to gambling and died soon a reprobate. And I a boy left with nothing have been reduced to finding what work is available. But to retain my intellect and dignity I exercise the muscles of writing and rhetoric, as I will climb back from this place and find a livelihood soon that includes a fan and a reed pen I am sure. 

Daily the sandstone is transported out of this place. It is moved by being placed on thatches of wood and straw which slide along the sand, being pulled by ropes via the power of man. However in the lower floors where the excavation is fierce they have lowered asses and even camels from the surface to haul the stone; they are kept in a stable on the floor they work. Where the sandstone goes to is of course the treat of the Pharaoh; one route leads northeast to the coast where a giant tomb is being daily expanded and the need of the materials cannot be quenched, another to a more mysterious, and little muttered about location, in the east. This is where the bulk of the stone hewn here goes, down into the depths of the sands. What lingers below I do not know but I have heard that entire halls are made of nothing but gemstone and jewel.

At least two hundred blocks are produced each day from this mine; one block takes half a day from start to finish if you have a team of six men. Many breaks are afforded here, the work is hard, with the stale air and the smell of salted sweat from each man's back. Therefore the best regularity is produced by not overwhelming oneself, so half the day is spent in rest and half the day spent in work. The overseers agree as their is less injury as well as less volatile quotas. Though this is true we do work 6 days a week, as opposed to the usual 4 you find in the city. Another default rest time for us is prayer, which occurs 3 times a day. I have put in a petition for more beds as there is indeed a shortage which often results in observing the curious occurence of a man sleeping standing up.