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on the following morning when there arrived upon the shore a great
number of men； quite a hundred indeed； who brought with them two
litters made of light wood jointed like reeds； only harder； in which
Kari said he and I were to be carried。 Among these men he parcelled
out the loads which they were to bear upon their heads； and then said
that it was time for us to start in the litters。
So we started； but first I went down into a cabin and kneeling on my
knees； thanked God for having brought me safe so far； and prayed Him
and St。 Hubert to protect me on my further wanderings； and if I died；
to receive my soul。 This done I left the ship and while the natives
bowed themselves about me； entered my litter； which was comfortable
enough； having grass mats to lie on and other mats for curtains； very
finely woven； so that they would turn even the heaviest rain。
Then away we went； eight men bearing the pole to which each litter was
slung on their shoulders； while others carried the bundles upon their
heads。 Our road ran through forest uphill； and on the crest of the
first hill I descended from the litter and looked back。
There in the creek below lay the wreck of the /Blanche/； now but a
small black blot showing against the water； and beyond it the great
sea over which we had travelled。 Yonder broken hulk was the last link
which bound me to my distant home thousands of miles across the ocean；
that home； which my heart told me I should never see again； for how
could I win back from a land that no white foot had ever trod？
On the deck of this ship Blanche herself had stood and smiled and
talked； for once we visited it together shortly before our marriage；
and I remembered how I had kissed her in its cabin。 Now Blanche was
dead by her own hand and I； the great London merchant； was an outcast
among savages in a country of which I did not even know the name；
where everything was new and different。 And there the ship with her
rich cargo； after bearing us so bravely through weeks of tempest； must
lie until she rotted in the sun and rain and never again would my eyes
behold her。 Oh！ then it was that a sense of all my misery and
loneliness gripped my heart as it had not done before since I rode
away after killing Deleroy with the sword Wave…Flame； and I wondered
why I had been born； and almost hoped that soon I might die and go to
seek the reason。
Back into the litter I crept and there hid my face and wept like a
child。 Truly I； the prosperous merchant of London town who might have
lived to become its mayor and magistrate and win nobility； was now an
outcast adventurer of the humblest。 Well； so God had decreed； and
there was no more to say。
That night we encamped upon a hilltop past which rushed a river in the
vale below and were troubled with heat and insects that hummed and
bit； for to these as yet I was not accustomed； and ate of the food
that we had brought with us； dried flesh and corn。
Next morning with the light we started on again； up and down mountains
and through more forests； following the course of the river and the
shores of a lake。 So it went on until on the third evening from high
land we saw the sea beneath us； a different sea from that which we had
left； for it seemed that we had been crossing an isthmus； not so wide
but that if any had the skill； a canal might be cut across it joining
those two great seas。
Now it was that our real travels began； for here； after staring at the
stars and brooding apart for a long while； Kari turned southwards。
With this I had nothing to do who did not greatly care which way he
turned。 Nor did he speak to me of the matter； except to say that his
god and such memory as remained to him through his time of madness
told him that the land of his people lay towards the south； though
very far away。
So southwards we went； following paths through the forests with the
ocean on our right hand。 After a week of this wearisome marching we
came to another tribe of natives of whose talk those with us could
understand enough to tell them our story。 Indeed the rumour that a
white god had appeared in the land out of the sea had already reached
them； and therefore they were prepared to worship me。 Here our people
left us； saying that they dared not go further from their own country。
The scene of the departure was strange； since every one of them came
and rubbed his forehead in the dust before me and then went away；
walking backwards and bowing。 Still their going did not make a great
difference to us； since the new tribe was much as the old one； though
if anything； rather less clothed and more dirty。 Also it accepted me
as a god without question and gave us all the food we needed。
Moreover； when we left their land men were provided to carry the
litters and the loads。
Thus； then； passing from tribe to tribe； we travelled on southward；
ever southwards； finding always that the rumour of the coming of 〃the
god〃 had gone before us。 So gentle were all these people； that not
once did we meet with any who tried to harm us or to steal our goods；
or who refused us the best of what they had。 Our adventures； it is
true； were many。 Thus； twice we came to tribes that were at war with
other tribes； though on my appearance they laid down their arms； at
any rate； for a time； and bore our litters forward。
Again； sometimes we met tribes who were cannibals and then we suffered
much from want of meat； since we dared not touch their food unless it
were grain。 In the town of the first of these cannibal people； being
moved with fury； I killed a man whom I found about to murder a child
and eat her； sweeping off his head with my sword。 For this deed I
expected that they would murder us； but they did not。 They only
shrugged their shoulders and saying that a god can do as he pleases；
took away the slain man and ate him。
Sometimes our road ran through terrible forests where the great trees
shut out the light of day； and a path must be hacked through the
undergrowth。 Sometimes it was haunted by tigers or tree lions such as
I have spoken of； against which we must watch continuously； especially
at night； keeping the brutes off by means of fires。 Sometimes we were
forced to wade great rivers； or worse still； to walk over them on
swaying bridges made of cables of twisted reeds that until I grew
accustomed to them caused my head to swim； though never did I permit
myself to show fear before the natives。 Again； once we came to swampy
lands that were full of snakes which terrified me much； especially
after I had seen some natives whom they bit； die within a few minutes。
Other snakes there were also； as thick as a man's body； and four or
five paces in length； which lived in trees and killed their food by
coiling round it and pressing it to death。 These snakes； it was said；
would take men in this fashion； though I never saw one of them do so。
At any rate； they were terrible to look on； and reminded me of their
forefather through whose mouth Satan talked with Mother Eve in the
Garden of Eden； and thus brought us all to woe。
Once； too； on the bank of a great river； I saw such a snake that at
the sight of it my knees knocked together。 By St。 Hubert； the beast
was sixty feet or more in length； its head was of the bigness of a
barrel； and its skin was of all the colours of the rainbow。 Moreover；
it seemed to hold me with its eyes； for till it slipped away into the
river I could not move a foot。
Month after month we travelled thus； covering a matter of perhaps five
miles a day； since sometimes the country was open and we crossed it
with speed。 Yet although our dangers were so many； strangely enough；
during all this time； even in that heat neither of us fell sick； as I
think because of the herb which Kari carried in his bag； that I found
was named /Coca/； whereof we obtained more as we went and ate from
time to time。 Nor did we ever really suffer from starvation； since
when we were hungry we took more of this herb which supported us until
we could find food。 These mercies I set down to the good offices of
St。 Hubert watching from Heaven over me； his poor namesake and godson；
though perhaps the skill and courage of Kari which provided against
everything had something to do with them。
At length； in the ninth month of our travelling； as Kari reckoned it
by means of knots which he tied on pieces of native string； for I had
long lost count of time； we came to the borders of a great desert that
the natives said stretched southwards for a hundred leagues and more
and was without water。 Moreover； to the east of this desert rose a
chain of mountains bordered by precipices up which no man could climb。
Here； therefore； it seemed as though our journey must end； since Kari
had no knowledge of how he crossed or went round this desert in his
madness of bygone years； if indeed he ever travelled that road at all；
a matter of which I was not certain。
For a week or more we remained among the tribe that lived in a
beautiful watered valley upon the borders of this desert； wondering
what we should do。 For my part I was by now so tired of travelling
upon an endless quest that I should have been glad to stay among that
tribe； a