ienced as they were in battle, and strong in their friendship? Each of the twenty-seven was worth five warriors! The Negro threw back his shoulders proudly and lifted his tipsy face to the stars; he threw his arms round Pandion and added: "Now my heart is quiet. You are well-we must go! To the road-tomorrow, if you like!" Pandion did not answer. For the first time he felt that his desires did not coincide with the aspirations of his comrades, but did not know how to be hypocritical. Since his meeting with Iruma that day, he realized that the sorrow that was eating away at his heart was due to his love for her. The girl in the full bloom of her youthful beauty had come into his life immediately after the cruel years of slavery, when he stood on the threshold of liberty! Was, then, this not enough for him who had but recently lain in a dark hole of a prison, clinging to the faintest hope of liberation? What more could he want, in the world and in life, when love called on him so imperatively to remain in that place, in the midst of the golden plain? The secret urge, which he tried to hide even from himself, to remain for ever with Iruma, grew stronger in his heart of hearts. He struggled against himself in an effort to test his love for her. The trustfulness of youth led him unnoticeably into the land of dreams where everything was so easy and simple. The next day he would see Iruma and would tell her everything. . . . And she ... she loved him too! The former slaves had arranged to meet at the opposite end of the village, where most of them lived in two big houses. Cavius, Kidogo and Pandion occupied a small separate house that had been allotted to them on account of Pandion's illness. Pandion, who had been sitting in the house sharpening a spear, got up and went to the door. ''Where are you going?" asked the astonished Etruscan. "Aren't you coming to the conference?" "I'll come later," answered Pandion, turning away and hurriedly leaving the house. Cavius looked keenly after the departing Hellene and turned in perplexity to Kidogo, who was sitting near the door working hard on a piece of thick hide he was making into a shield. Pandion had not told his friends that Iruma was waiting for him at the forest edge. He realized that the return of his friends meant a threat to his new-found love but had not had strength enough to forego the meeting with Iruma. His justification was that he would know the result of the conference from his friends even if he were not present himself. As he approached the forest Pandion searched with his eyes for Iruma; the smiling girl suddenly detached herself from the trunk of a tree and stood before him. She had put on her father's hunting cloak of soft, grey bark which made her quite invisible against the background of the trees. The girl made a sign to Pandion to follow her and walked off along the edge of the forest to a place where the trees jutted out into the fields in a semicircle about three thousand cubits from the village. There she passed under the trees. Pandion, for the first time in an African forest, looked about him in curiosity. He had expected it to be quite different-the forest stretched in a narrow strip along the valley of the river that flowed round the village and was no more than two thousand cubits in width. It consisted of high trees that met overhead in a huge vault forming a dark gallery over the eternal twilight of the river-bed. Deeper in the forest the trees were higher, and on the steep bank of the river they bent downwards so that their branches intertwined overhead. The straight, graceful trunks with white, black and brown bark stretched upwards for a good hundred cubits, like the colonnade of some huge building. The branches were so intertwined in a thick leafy vault that the sun could not penetrate through them. The grey twilight streamed down from above and was lost in the deep hollows between strange roots that rose up like walls. The silence, broken by nothing but the faint gurgling of water, the semi-darkness and the tremendous height of the forest colonnade gave Pandion a feeling of oppression. He seemed like an uninvited guest who 'had insinuated himself into the forbidden heart of a strange nature that was full of secrets. Over the water there were narrow gaps in the foliage through which a perfect cascade of golden fire poured down. The golden sunlight clothed the trees in a hazy brilliance and was split up into vertical strips of light that gradually diminished deeper in the forest. The dark, mysterious temples of Aigyptos came to Pandion's mind. Strings of creeping plants hung in free loops between the trees or hung down loosely forming a wavy curtain. The ground was covered with fallen leaves, rotted fruits and branches; it was soft and fluffy to the feet, and here and there brightly-coloured flowers gleamed like stars. Long strips of rustling bark hung from the tree-trunks like skin torn from the body. Huge butterflies fluttered noiselessly over the earth; the marvellous colour combinations of their trembling wings bright- velvet black, metallic blue, red, gold and silver - filled Pandion with amazement. Iruma led the way confidently between the roots towards the river and brought Pandion to a level piece of ground, right beside the water, covered with a soft carpet of fluffy moss. Here stood a tree that had been blasted by lightning. In the gaping split in the hard yellow wood, Pandion could see the outlines of a crudely carved human figure. The tree was apparently an object of worship-coloured rags and the teeth of wild beasts were hung all round it. Three blackened elephant's tusks were stuck in the ground in front of it. Iruma, her head bowed in reverence, approached the tree and motioned to Pandion to do the same. "This is the ancestor of our tribe, born of a thunderbolt," said the girl softly. "Give him something so that the ancients will be kind to us." Pandion looked himself over-he had nothing that he could give to that crude god, the alleged ancestor of Iruma. The smiling youth spread his hands to show that he had nothing, but the girl was implacable. "Give him this." She touched a belt of plaited giraffe tails that Kidogo had just made for him as a memento of the hunt. The youth obediently unfastened the strip of leather and gave it to the girl. Iruma threw off her cloak. She was without bracelets and necklace, and wore nothing but a wide leather belt that dropped down over her left hip. The girl rose up on tiptoe, reaching up to the splintered wood at the head of the idol where she hung Pandion's tribute. Lower down Iruma fastened a piece of brightly-coloured leopard skin and a string of dark red berries that looked like beads. She sprinkled some millet at the foot of the idol and stepped back, satisfied. Leaning back against the trunk of a low tree with hundreds of flowers amongst its leaves, (The tulip-tree from the family of Bignoniaceae.) she looked fixedly at Pandion. Hundreds of red lamps seemed to be burning over the girl's head, while the sun's rays played on the bronze of her skin. Pandion stood looking at the girl in silent admiration. Her beauty seemed sacred to him in the silence of that forest of giant trees-the temple of unknown gods so completely different from the joyous divinities of his own land. A bright, calm joy suddenly filled Pandion's heart, he was once more the artist, his former strivings were reawakened within him. Suddenly an exceptionally clear vision arose in his memory. Far away, in his distant homeland, to the noise of the sea and the pines, Thessa had stood like this in those far-off days that were never to come again. . . . Iruma placed her hands behind her head, bent slightly from the waist and sighed. Pandion was overwhelmed- Iruma had adopted exactly the pose as that in which he had tried to depict Thessa. The whole past rose before Pandion's eyes. With even greater strength he felt the urge to return to Oeniadae. To the road, forward to new battles, away from Iruma!... Pandion was tormented by desires that had formerly been so clear but were now doubled in his mind. He discovered contradictions in himself, that he had never before known, and they frightened him. Here he felt the call of life-hot like the sun of Africa, youthful like the flowering plains after the rain, powerful like a swollen stream-the power of life. Far away there, in his homeland, were his brightest dreams of great creative art. But was not beauty itself standing before him, close and joyous? So different were Iruma and Thessa; they were in no way alike, yet in both of them there was true beauty. Pandion's alarm was transmitted to the girl. She drew near to him and the melodious tones of a strange language broke the silence. "You are ours, Golden Eyes, I have danced the dance of the great goddess and our ancestor has accepted your gifts. . . ." Iruma's voice broke off, her long lashes covered her eyes. The girl threw her arms round Pandion's neck and pressed tightly to him. Everything went dark before his eyes. With a desperate effort he broke out of the girl's embrace. She raised her head. Her mouth was childishly half open. "Don't you want to live here? Are you going away with your companions?" asked Iruma in astonishment, and Pandion felt ashamed. Pandion gently drew the girl towards him and, trying to find suitable words from amongst those of the language of her people that he knew, he told her of his great nostalgic longing' for his own country; he told her about Thessa. . . . Iruma turned her head upwards to Pandion's broad chest, her eyes peered into the golden gleam of his eyes, her teeth were bared in a feeble smile. Iruma began to speak and in the sound of her words there was that same tenderness, that same caressing love that had intoxicated Pandion when Thessa spoke to him. "Yes," she said. "If you cannot live here, you must go away." The girl stammered the last words. "But if I and my people seem good to you, stay with us, Golden Eyes. Think, decide, come to me ... I shall wait." The girl straightened up, holding her head proudly. Pandion had seen her similarly serious and severe at the time of the dance. For a whole minute the young Hellene stood before her; then, making a sudden decision, he held out his hands to the girl. But she was gone beyond the trees, melting into the gloom of the thicket. . . . Iruma's disappearance struck Pandion like a heavy loss. He stood for a long time in that gloomy forest and then wandered slowly across the golden haze of the glade, going he knew not where, struggling against the desire to run after Iruma, to tell her that he loved her and would stay with her. Iruma, as soon as she had hidden herself behind the trees from Pandion's eyes, began to run, jumping lightly over the roots and slipping between the lianas. She went on faster until she became exhausted. Breathing heavily, she stopped on the edge of a calm pond, a silent backwater of the river, which here became much wider. The bright light blinded her and her body felt the heat after the darkness and coolness of the forest. Iruma looked round her sorrowfully, and through her tears she saw her reflection in the smooth surface of the water; almost involuntarily she examined her whole self in that mirror. . . . Yes, she was beautiful! But, apparently, beauty was not all if the stranger, Golden Eyes, brave, kind and tender, wanted to leave her. Apparently, something else was needed. . . . But what?... The sun set behind the undulating plain. A blue, slanting shadow lay at the threshold of the house before which Kidogo and Cavius were sitting. The way the two friends were fidgeting, told Pandion they had been waiting for him for a long time. With downcast eyes Pandion walked up to his two friends. Cavius got up', solemn and stern, and placed his hand on Pandion's shoulder. "We want to talk to you, he and I." The Etruscan nodded towards Kidogo, who was standing beside them. "You did not attend our council, but everything's been decided-we set out tomorrow. . . ." Pandion staggered back. Too much had been happening in the course of the last three days. Still he did not think that his comrades would be in such a hurry. He would have hurried just as much himself if not ... if not for Iruma! Pandion read condemnation in the looks of his friends. He was now faced with the necessity of coming to a decision, a necessity that had long been tormenting his soul and which he had unconsciously evaded in the naive hope that everything would come right of itself. It was as though a wall cut him off again from that world of liberty which in actual fact existed only in Pandion's dreams. He had to decide whether he would stay there with Iruma or go away with his companions and lose her for ever. If he stayed there, it would be for ever, too; only by the combined efforts of twenty-seven men prepared to face anything, even certain death, for the sake of returning to their own homes, would it be possible to cover the distance that held them prisoners. If he stayed, therefore, he would for ever lose his native land, the sea, Thessa, everything that had succoured him and helped him get to that land. Would he be able to live there, submerge himself in that friendly but strange life when his comrades were no longer with him, comrades who had been tested in times of peril and on whose friendship he had unwittingly become accustomed to depend at all times? After long contemplation Pandion's heart told him the right answer. Would it not, 'moreover, be treachery to leave those friends who had saved him and-thanks to whom he was well again? No, he must go with them and leave half his heart behind him in this foreign land! Pandion's will was not strong enough to withstand this trial. He seized the hands of his comrades, who were watching with alarm the mental struggle that was reflected in his face, and began to beseech them not to leave so soon. What did it matter, now that they were free, if they remained there a little longer, rested before undertaking a long journey and got a better knowledge of the country. ' Kidogo hesitated, for he was very fond of Pandion. But Cavius frowned still more sternly. "Come inside, there are other eyes and ears here," he said, pushing Pandion into their house; he himself went out and returned with a burning brand and lit a small torch. He thought it would be easier to cure Pandion of his indecision if it were light. "What do you hope for if we stay here?" asked the Etruscan in stern tones, his words cutting right into Pandion's heart. ."Especially if you intend to go in the end. Or do you want to take her with you?" The thought that Iruma should go with them on their long journey had not entered Pandion's mind, and he shook his head. "Then I don't understand you," said Cavius brusquely. "Do you think that none of the others have found girls here that they like? Still none of them wavered at the conference, when they had to choose between a woman and their native land; not a soul thought of staying here. Iruma's father, the hunter, thinks that you are not coming with us. He likes you, and your bravery is common knowledge amongst the -people. He said that he is ready to take you into his house! Surely you will not leave us and forget your own country for the sake of a girl?" Pandion lowered his head. He could not explain to Cavius why he was wrong. How could Pandion tell him that he had not merely given way to passion? How could he explain how Iruma had affected him as an artist? On the other hand, the brutal truth of the Etruscan's words stung him; he had forgotten that other peoples have different laws and customs. If he remained there, he would have to become a hunter and merge his life with the life of the people. Such was the inevitable price he would have to pay for happiness with Iruma. . . . Then again, Iruma alone was all that was near to him in this land. The serene, hot expanses of the golden plain bore no resemblance to his own country, to the noisy and mobile expanses of the sea. And the girl was a part of that world, while he had not yet ceased to feel himself a temporary guest there. . . . There, far in the distance, his native land shone like a beacon light. If that light went out, would he be able to live without it? Cavius made a long pause in order to give Pandion an opportunity to think and then began again: "You will become her husband only to leave her shortly afterwards and go away. Do you think her people will let us go in peace and help us? You will be paying them poorly for their hospitality. The punishment that you fully deserve will fall on all of us. . . . And why are you so certain that the others of your party are willing to wait? They will not agree, and I am with them!" Cavius stopped and then, as though a little ashamed at the brusqueness of his words, added: "My heart aches, for when I reach the sea I shall not have a friend who is skilled in the sailing of ships. My Remdus is dead and all my hopes rested on you-you have sailed the sea, you learnt from the Phoenicians. . . ." Cavius lowered his head and sat silent. Kidogo ran over to Pandion and hung a bag on a long leather thong round his -neck. "I looked after that for you while you were ill," said the Negro. "It's your sea amulet. . . . It helped you defeat the rhinoceros, it will help us find our way to the sea if you go with us. . . ." Pandion remembered the stone that Yakhmos had given him. Until that moment, he had completely forgotten that gleaming symbol of the sea in the same way as he had forgotten many other things. He heaved a deep sigh. At that moment a tall man with a long spear in his hand entered the house. It was the father of Iruma. He sat down on the floor with natural ease, tucked his legs up under him and gave Pandion a friendly smile. "I've come to you on an important matter," he said, turning to Cavius. "You told us that you have decided to leave for your own country one sun from today." Cavius nodded his head in affirmation but did not speak, waiting for what was to come next. Pandion looked with disturbed feelings at Iruma's father, who behaved with simple dignity. "The journey is a long one, and there are many wild beasts lying in wait for man in the plains and in the forest," continued the hunter. "You have but poor weapons. Remember, stranger: you cannot fight against beasts as you do against people. Swords, arrows and knives are good for use against man but against beasts the spear is better. Only the spear can stop an animal and reach its heart from a distance. Your spears are useless in our country." He pointed to the thin Egyptian spear with its bronze head leaning against the wall. "This is the sort you need!" Iruma's father laid the weapon he had brought on Cavius' knees and removed the long leather bag that covered it. The heavy spear was more than four cubits long. Its shaft, two fingers thick, was made of hard, firm wood that was polished like bone. The shaft was slightly thickened in the middle where it was covered with the rough skin of the hyena. Instead of the usual spearhead it was surmounted by a blade, three fingers wide and a cubit long, made of light-coloured hard material-the rare and precious iron. ; Cavius touched the sharpened edge of the blade thoughtfully, tested the weight of the weapon and with a sigh returned it to its owner. The latter smiled, studying the impression he had produced, and then said cautiously: "It takes a lot of hard work to make a spear like this. . . . The metal for it is obtained by a neighbouring people, who sell it at a high price. But that spear will save you time and again in mortal struggle. . . ." Cavius could not guess what the hunter was driving at and kept silent. "You brought strong bows from Tha-Quem with you," continued the hunter. "We cannot make such bows and want to exchange spears for them. The chiefs have agreed to give you two spears for each bow, and the spears, in my opinion, will be of more service to you." Cavius glanced inquiringly at Kidogo and the Negro nodded his head in support of the hunter's opinion. "'There is plenty of game in the plains," said Kidogo, "and we shall not need any arrows, but it will be worse in the forest. Still, the forest is a long way off, and six spears in place of three bows will be of more use against wild beasts." Cavius thought for a while, then agreed to the exchange and began to haggle. The hunter, however, was not to be moved-he pointed to the great value of the weapons he offered. They would never have given two spears for a bow, he said, if they had not wanted to know how the bows of the Black Land were made. "Good!" said the Etruscan. "We would have given you our bows as a gift in return for your hospitality if we had not been travelling so far. We accept your terms. Tomorrow you will receive the bows." The hunter's face beamed, he slapped Cavius' hand, raised the spear, examined the red reflection of the torch on the blade and covered it again with the little leather bag, decorated with pieces of different-coloured skin. Cavius held out his hand, but the hunter did not give him the weapon. "Tomorrow you will get six spears as good as this. But this one. . . ." Iruma's father made a slight pause, "this one I bring as a gift to your friend Golden Eyes. Iruma stitched the bag herself. Look how pretty it is!" The hunter held out the spear to the young Hellene, who took it hesitantly. "You are not going with them," said Iruma's father, pointing to Cavius and the Negro, "but a good spear is the first thing a hunter needs, and I want you to make my family famous when you become my son!" Kidogo and Cavius peered into the face of their friend, and the Negro pressed his fingers till they cracked. The decisive moment had come unexpectedly. Pandion turned pale and suddenly, with a sharp gesture of dismissal, returned the spear to the hunter. "You refuse my gift? How is that to be understood?" shouted the hunter. "I'm going with my companions," muttered Pandion with difficulty. Iruma's father stood immobile, staring at Pandion without saying a word; then he hurled the spear down at his feet. "Let it be so, but don't dare so much as look at my daughter again. I'll send her away today!" Pandion stared at the hunter with wide-open, unwinking eyes. The genuine grief that distorted his manly face softened the wrath of Iruma's father. "You found courage enough to make your decision before it was too late," he said. "But if you are going, go immediately. . . ." The hunter again gave Pandion a saturnine glare, examined him from head to foot and made an inarticulate sound. As he left the house Iruma's father turned to Cavius. "What I have said holds good," he said rudely and disappeared into the darkness. Kidogo was greatly troubled at the gleam in Pandion's eyes but realized that he would have no time for his friends at that moment. Pandion stood staring into space as though he were asking the distant expanses how he should act. He turned slowly round, threw himself on his bed and covered his face with his hands. Cavius lit a new torch-he did not want to leave Pandion alone in the darkness with his thoughts. He and Kidogo tried to keep awake without speaking. From time to time they looked at their friend in alarm but could not do anything to help him. The time passed slowly and night fell. Pandion moved on his bed, jumped up and stood listening and then rushed towards the door. Cavius' broad shoulders, however, barred the way, and Pandion was brought up short against his folded arms and frowned wrathfully. "Let me out!" shouted Pandion impatiently. "I can't help it, I must say farewell to Iruma if she hasn't been sent away yet." "What do you think you're doing?" answered Cavius. "You'll ruin her, yourself and all of us!" Pandion did not reply to that but tried to push the Etruscan out of his way; but Cavius stood firm. "You've made your decision, so that's enough, don't make her father more angry," continued Cavius in an effort to convince his friend. "Just think of what might happen." Pandion pushed Cavius still harder but received in return a blow in the chest that made him step back. Kidogo, seeing the clash between his friends, did not know what to do. Pandion clenched his teeth and his eyes gleamed with the fire of wrath. With dilated nostrils he rushed at Cavius. The Etruscan rapidly pulled out his knife and, holding it with the hilt towards Pandion, said: "Here you are, strike!" Pandion was dumbfounded. Cavius thrust out his chest, placed his left hand on his heart and with his right continued offering the dagger to Pandion. "Strike, strike here! In any case I won't let you out of here other than over my dead body! Kill me and then go!" shouted the infuriated Cavius. This was the first time Pandion had seen his morose and wise friend in such a state. He turned away, groaned helplessly, staggered over to his own bed, fell on it and turned his back on his comrades. Cavius was breathing heavily as he wiped the sweat from his brow and returned the knife to its place. "We must watch him all night and leave as quickly as possible," he said to Kidogo, who was quite frightened. "At dawn you'll warn all the others to make ready." Pandion heard the Etruscan's words quite clearly and realized that they meant him to have no opportunity of seeing Iruma. lie felt that he was being asphyxiated, there was an almost physical sense of being in a confined space. He struggled with himself, mustering all his will power, and gradually the violent despair, that was almost madness, gave way to calm sorrow. Once more the hot plains of Africa opened up before twenty-seven stubborn men who were determined to reach their homes, come what might. After the rains the twelve-cubit-high elephant grass had formed ears and stood so dense that even the huge elephant was hidden in its stiflingly hot thickets. Kidogo explained to Pandion why they must hurry: soon the period of the rains would be over and the plain would begin to burn up and would turn into a lifeless, ash-covered expanse where they would find no food. Pandion agreed in silence. His sorrow was still too fresh. Once amongst those to whom he owed so much, he felt that the bonds of male friendship were again binding him, that the urge to go forward, the thirst of battle, were growing in him and that the desire to reach Oeniadae as soon as possible was becoming more powerful. Despite his great longing for Iruma, it was only now that Pandion felt his former self, stepping out firmly on the chosen path without further alarm. The artist's former hungry attention to the forms and colours of nature had returned, and he was filled with the wish to create. The twenty-seven strong men were armed with spears, assegais, knives and a few shields. The former slaves, tried and tested in battle and misfortunes, constituted a considerable force and need have no fear of the numerous wild beasts. The road through the high elephant grass was beset with dangers. They were forced to march in single file, keeping to the narrow paths made by animals and seeing before them nothing but the back of the man in front. Danger threatened them every minute in the high walls of rustling grass to the right and left. At any moment the grass might part and make way for a lurking lion, an infuriated rhinoceros or the huge towering body of a malicious lone elephant. The grass separated the men; it was worse for those who brought up the rear since they could be attacked by an animal that had been aroused by those in front. In the mornings the grass was covered with a cold dew and a glittering haze of water dust hung over men whose bodies were wet as though from rain. At the hottest part of the day the dew disappeared completely and dry dust, falling from the tops of the grass-stalks, irritated their throats; it was stifling in the narrow corridors through which they passed. On the third day of the march a leopard pounced on the bold Libyan Takel who brought up the rear; it was only by a lucky chance that the young man escaped with a few scratches. Next day a huge clark-maned lion attacked Pandion and his Negro neighbour. The spear given him by Iruma's father stopped the lion; his companion, picking up the shield Pandion had dropped in his surprise at the sudden attack, fell on the lion from behind. The animal turned to face its new attacker and fell, pierced by three spears. Kidogo came running up, panting with excitement, when all was over and the warriors, breathing heavily, were wiping the already coagulating blood of the lion from their spears. The beast lay almost imperceptible in the matted brown grass. The others all came running up and loud shouts rose over the scene of the conflict. All the former slaves were trying to convince two squat Negroes, Dhlomo and Mpafu, who, together with Kidogo, were leading the party, that before much longer the beasts would kill somebody. They had to find a way round the tall grass of the plain. The guides did not think of contradicting them. The party turned due south and by evening approached a long strip of forest that led in the required direction. Pandion was already acquainted with this type of forest, a green, vaulted corridor over the narrow stream of a plains river. Such forest galleries cut across the plains in various directions, following the course of the rivers. The travellers were lucky: there were no thorn-bushes under the trees and no lianas to make impenetrable barriers between the trees; the party was able to make good time winding its way amongst the trees to avoid their giant roots. The rustling of the grass in the stifling atmosphere of glaring sunlight gave way to profound silence and cool semi-darkness. The forest stretched for a long way. Day after day the party marched under trees, going out occasionally into the grass for game or climbing the lower trees on the verge of the forest to check the direction they were taking. Although it was easier and less dangerous under cover of the trees, Pandion was oppressed by the darkness and silence of the mysterious forest. Memories of his meeting with Iruma returned to him. He felt that he had suffered an enormous loss, and his sorrow veiled the whole world in a grey haze; the unknown future was as gloomy and silent and dark as the forest they were travelling through. Pandion felt that the dark road through the monotonous colonnade of huge trees, the alternate patches of darkness and sunlight, the alternate depressions and hillocks, must be endless. It led into the unknown distance, striking still deeper into the heart of a strange, alien land, where everything was unfamiliar, and only a group of faithful friends saved him from certain death. The sea, towards which he was hurrying, had seemed near and easily attainable when he had been a captive, but now seemed immeasurably far away, separated from him by thousands of obstacles, by months of difficult journeying. The sea had taken him from Iruma and was itself unattainable. . . . The forest path led the travellers into a swamp, that stretched away to the horizon on all sides, hidden in the distance by the green gloom of excessive humidity and in the mornings encircled by a low blanket of white mist. Flocks of white egrets sailed over the sea of rushes. Cavius, Pandion and the Libyans, puzzled by this great barrier, gazed in perplexity at the bright green thicket of swamp plants with patches of water that seemed to be burning in the sun. The guides were exchanging satisfied glances-they were on the right road, their fortnight's journey had not been made in vain. Next day the whole party set about binding the light porous ambag* rushes, whose angular stalks grew ten cubits high, into rafts. ( Ambag-Herminera elaphroxylon, a water reed that grows to well over 20 feet in height.)After that they sailed past dense jungles of brush-headed papyrus grass, winding their way between floating islands of grass piled up with reddish-brown masses of dried, broken reeds. There were two or three men on each raft who cautiously punted them along with long poles that plunged rhythmically into the silt of the swamp. The stinking, dark water seemed like thick oil. Bubbles of marsh-gas rose to the surface where the poles dug into the bottom and sticky mildew made a rusty-brown, lacy border along the green walls of the reeds. Not a dry place was to be seen all round them, the humid heat was exhausting and a merciless sun beat down on their perspiring bodies. In the evening myriads of midges came to torment them. It was the greatest good fortune to find a hillock that was still above water where they