Haiman Kopelman on a Camel in front of the Sphynx

My mpggf, Haiman Kopelman was touring Egypt when WW1 broke out. All outgoing ships were helping in the war effort, though Egypt was not yet involved. Thus, ggf was stuck in Egypt for 9 months. He is pictured here on a camel in front of the Sphynx. I'm told that the small group of Americans tourists in Egypt banded together during this time. My ggf, a Lithuanian Jewish immigrant to the US supposedly struck up a great friendship with the man pictured on the donkey.

Family legend has it that the man on the donkey is one Professor Elliot who became Dean of Harvard University. My correspondence with Harvard would seem to make the legend a lie. The dates don't work out, even if the spelling of the surname, with 2 l's had been correct. If Harvard and common sense are correct, just who IS the man on the donkey?
People in photo include: Haiman Kopelman