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a　night　hast　thou　slept；　and　the　Lion　also。　See；　he　
sleepeth　yet。〃

〃Blessed　is　sleep；〃　I　answered；　〃for　it　swallows　up　
recollection。〃

〃Tell　me；〃　he　said；　〃what　hath　befallen　ye；　and　what　
is　this　strange　story　of　the　death　of　her　who　dieth　
not。　Bethink　thee；　my　son：　if　this　be　true；　then　is　
thy　danger　and　the　danger　of　the　Lion　very　greatnay；　
almost　is　the　pot　red　wherewith　ye　shall　be　potted；　
and　the　stomachs　of　those　who　shall　eat　ye　are　already　
hungry　for　the　feast。　Knowest　thou　not　that　these　
Amahagger；　my　children；　these　dwellers　in　the　caves；　
hate　ye？　They　hate　ye　as　strangers；　they　hate　ye　more　
because　of　their　brethren　whom　_i_　She　_i_　put　to　the　
torment　for　your　sake。　Assuredly；　if　once　they　learn　
that　there　is　naught　to　fear　from　Hiya；　from　the　
terrible　_i_　One…who…must…be…obeyed　_i_　；　they　will　
slay　ye　by　the　pot。　But　let　me　hear　thy　tale；　my　poor　
Baboon。〃

Thus　adjured；　I　set　to　work　and　told　himnot　
everything；　indeed；　for　I　did　not　think　it　desirable　
to　do　so；　but　sufficient　for　my　purpose；　which　was　to　
make　him　understand　that　_i_　She　_i_　was　really　no　
more；　having　fallen　into　some　fire；　and；　as　I　put　it
for　the　real　thing　would　have　been　incomprehensible　to　
himbeen　burned　up。　I　also　told　him　some　of　the　
horrors　we　had　undergone　in　effecting　our　escape；　and　
these　produced　a　great　impression　on　him。　But　I　
clearly　saw　that　he　did　not　believe　in　the　report　of　
Ayesha's　death。　He　believed；　indeed；　that　we　thought　
that　she　was　dead；　but　his　explanation　was　that　it　had　
suited　her　to　disappear　for　a　while。　Once；　he　said；　in　
his　father's　time；　she　had　done　so　for　twelve　years；　
and　there　was　a　tradition　in　the　country　that　many　
centuries　back　no　one　had　seen　her　for　a　whole　
generation；　when　she　suddenly　reappeared；　and　
destroyed　a　woman　who　had　assumed　the　position　of　
queen。　I　said　nothing　to　this；　but　only　shook　my　head　
sadly。　Alas！　I　knew　too　well　that　Ayesha　would　appear　
no　more；　or；　at　any　rate；　that　Billali　would　see　her　
again。

〃And　now；〃　concluded　Billali；　〃what　wouldst　thou　do；　
my　Baboon？〃

〃Nay；〃　I　said；　〃I　know　not；　my　father。　Can　we　not　
escape　from　this　country？〃　

He　shook　his　head。　〃It　is　very　difficult。　By　Ko^r　ye　
cannot　pass；　for　ye　would　be　seen；　and　as　soon　as　
those　fierce　ones　found　that　ye　were　alone；　well；〃　and　
he　smiled　significantly；　and　made　a　movement　as　though　
he　were　placing　a　hat　on　his　head。　〃But　there　is　a　way　
over　the　cliff　whereof　I　once　spake　to　thee；　where　
they　drive　the　cattle　out　to　pasture。　Then　beyond　the　
pastures　are　three　days　journey　through　the　marshes；　
and　after　that　I　know　not；　but　I　have　heard　that　seven　
days'　journey　from　thence　is　a　mighty　river；　which　
floweth　to　the　black　water。　If　ye　could　come　thither；　
perchance　ye　might　escape；　but　how　can　ye　come　
thither？〃

〃Billali；〃　I　said；　〃once；　thou　knowest；　I　did　save　thy　
life。　Now　pay　back　the　debt；　my　father；　and　save　me　
mine　and　my　friend's；　the　Lion's。　It　shall　be　a　
pleasant　thing　for　thee　to　think　of　when　thine　hour　
comes；　and　something　to　set　in　the　scale　against　the　
evil　doing　of　thy　days；　if　perchance　thou　hast　done　
any　evil。　Also；　if　thou　be　right；　and　if　_i_　She　_i_　
doth　but　hide　herself；　surely　when　she　comes　again　she　
shall　reward　thee。〃　

〃My　son　the　Baboon；〃　answered　the　old　man；　〃think　not　
that　I　have　an　ungrateful　heart。　Well　do　I　remember　
how　thou　didst　rescue　me　when　those　dogs　stood　by　to　
see　me　drown。　Measure　for　measure　will　I　give　thee；　
and　if　thou　canst　be　saved；　surely　I　will　save　thee。　
listen：　by　dawn　to…morrow　be　prepared；　for　litters　
shall　be　here　to　bear　ye　away　across　the　mountains；　
and　through　the　marshes　beyond。　This　will　I　do；　saying　
that　it　is　the　word　of　_i_　She　_i_　that　it　be　done；　
and　he　who　obeyeth　not　the　word　of　_i_　She　_i_　food　is　
he　for　the　hyenas。　Then　when　ye　have　crossed　the　
marshes；　ye　must　strike　with　your　own　hands；　so　that　
perchance；　if　good　fortune　go　with　you；　ye　may　live　to　
come　to　that　black　water　whereof　ye　told　me。　And　now；　
see；　the　Lion　wakes；　and　ye　must　eat　the　food　I　have　
made　ready　for　you。〃

Leo's　condition；　when　once　he　was　fairly　aroused；　
proved　not　to　be　so　bad　as　might　have　been　expected　
from　his　appearance；　and　we　both　of　us　managed　to　eat　
a　hearty　meal；　which；　indeed；　we　needed　sadly　enough。　
After　this　we　limped　down　to　the　spring　and　bathed；　
and　then　came　back　and　slept　again　till　evening；　when　
we　once　more　ate　enough　for　five。　Billali　was　away　all　
that　day；　no　doubt　making　arrangements　about　litters　
and　bearers；　for　we　were　awakened　in　the　middle　of　the　
night　by　the　arrival　of　a　considerable　number　of　men　
in　the　little　camp。

At　dawn　the　old　man　himself　appeared；　and　told　us　that　
he　had；　by　using　_i_　She　_i_　's　dreaded　name；　though　
with　some　difficulty；　succeeded　in　getting　the　
necessary　men　and　two　guides　to　conduct　us　across　the　
swamps；　and　that　he　urged　us　to　start　at　once；　at　the　
same　time　announcing　his　intention　of　accompanying　us　
so　as　to　protect　us　against　treachery。　I　was　much　
touched　by　this　act　of　kindness　on　the　part　of　that　
wily　old　barbarian　towards　two　utterly　defenceless　
strangers。　A　threeor　in　his　case；　for　he　would　have　
to　return；　sixdays'　journey　through　those　deadly　
swamps　was　no　light　undertaking　for　a　man　of　his　age；　
but　he　consented　to　do　it　cheerfully　in　order　to　
promote　our　safety。　It　shows　that　even　among　those　
dreadful　Amahaggerwho　are　certainly；　with　their　
gloom　and　their　devilish　and　ferocious　rites；　by　far　
the　most　terrible　savages　that　I　ever　heard　ofthere　
are　people　with　kindly　hearts。　Of　course　self…interest　
may　have　had　something　to　do　with　it。　He　may　have　
thought　that　_i_　She　_i_　would　suddenly　reappear　and　
demand　an　account　of　us　at　his　hands；　but　still；　
allowing　for　all　deductions；　it　was　a　great　deal　more　
than　we　could　expect　under　the　circumstances；　and　I　
can　only　say　that　I　shall；　for　as　long　as　I　live；　
cherish　a　most　affectionate　remembrance　of　my　nominal　
parent；　old　Billali。

Accordingly；　after　swallowing　some　food；　we　started　in　
the　litters；　feeling；　so　far　as　our　bodies　went；　
wonderfully　like　our　old　selves　after　our　long　rest　
and　sleep。　I　must　leave　the　condition　of　our　minds　to　
the　imagination。

Then　came　a　terrible　pull　up　the　cliff。　Sometimes　the　
ascent　was　natural；　more　often　it　was　a　zigzag　roadway　
cut；　no　doubt；　in　the　first　instance　by　the　old　
inhabitants　of　Ko^r。　The　Amahagger　say　they　drive　
their　spare　cattle　over　it　once　a　year　to　pasture　
outside；　all　I　know　is　that　those　cattle　must　be　
uncommonly　active　on　their　feet。　Of　course　the　litters　
were　useless　here；　so　we　had　to　walk。

By　midday；　however；　we　reached　the　great　flat　top　of　
that　mighty　wail　of　rock；　and　grand　enough　the　view　
was　from　it；　with　the　plain　of　Ko^r；　in　the　centre　of　
which　we　could　clearly　make　out　the　pillared　ruins　of　
the　Temple　of　Truth　to　the　one　side；　and　the　boundless　
and　melancholy　marsh　on　the　other。　This　wall　of　rock；　
which　had　no　doubt　once　formed　the　lip　of　the　crater；　
was　about　a　mile　and　a　half　thick；　and　still　covered　
with　clinker。　Nothing　grew　there；　and　the　only　thing　
to　relieve　our　eyes　were　occasional　pools　of　rain…
water　（for　rain　had　lately　fallen）　wherever　there　was　
a　little　hollow。　Over　the　flat　crest　of　this　mighty　
rampart　we　went；　and　then　came　the　descent；　which；　if　
not　so　difficult　a　matter　as　the　getting　up；　was　still　
sufficiently　break…neck；　and　took　us　till　sunset。　That　
night；　however；　we　camped　in　safety　upon　the　mighty　
slopes　that　roiled　away　to　the　marsh　beneath。

On　the　following　morning；　about　eleven　o'clock；　began　
our　dreary　journey　across　those　awful　seas　of　swamps　
which　I　have　already　described。

For　three　whole　days；　through　stench　and　mire；　and　the　
all…prevailing　flavor　of　fever；　did　our　bearers　
struggle　along；　till　at　length　we　came　to　open；　
roiling　ground；　quite　uncultivated　and　mostly　
treeless；　but　covered　with　game　of　all　sorts；　which　
lies　beyond　that　most　desolate；　and　without　guides；　
utterly　impracticable；　district。　And　here　on　the　
following　morning　we　bade　farewell；　not　without　some　
regret；　to　old　Billali；　who　stroked　his　white　beard　
and　solemnly　blessed　us。

〃Farewell；　my　son　the　Baboon；〃　he　said；　〃and　farewell　
to　thee　too；　O　Lion。　I　can　do　no　more　to　help　you。　But　
if　ever　ye　come　to　your　country；　be　advised；　and　
venture　no　more　into　lands　that　ye　know　not；　lest　ye　
come　back　no　more；　but　leave　your　white　bones　to　mark　
the　limit　of　your　journeyings。　Farewell　once　more；　
often　shall　I　think　of　you；　nor　wilt　thou　forget　me；　
my　Baboon；　for　though　thy　face　is　ugly　thy　heart　is　
true。〃　And　then　he　turned　and　went；　and　with　him　went　
the　tall　and　sullen…looking　bearers；　and　that　was　the　
last　that　we　saw　of　the　Amahagger。　We　watched　them　
winding　away　with　the　empty　litters　like　a　procession　
bearing　dead　men　from　a　battle；　till　the　mists　from　
the　marsh　gathered　round　them　and　hid　them；　and　then；　
left　utterly　desolate　in　the　vast　wilderness；　we　
turned　and　gazed　around　us　and　at　each　other。

Three　weeks　or　so　before　four　men　had　entered　the　
marshes　of　Ko^r；　and　now　two　of