The adventures of Captain Mago; or, a Phoenician expedition, B.C. 1000
by David-Léon Cahun · English · Gutenberg #47582 · 625,159 chars · public domain (US)
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Title: The adventures of Captain Mago; or, a Phoenician expedition, B.C. 1000
Author: David-Léon Cahun
Illustrator: Paul Philippoteaux
Translator: Ellen E. Frewer
Release date: December 7, 2014 [eBook #47582]
Most recently updated: October 24, 2024
Language: English
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MAGO; OR, A PHOENICIAN EXPEDITION, B.C. 1000 ***
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE
* Obvious printer errors have been silently corrected.
* Original spelling was kept.
* Variant spellings were made consistent when a predominant usage
was found.
* Italics are represented between underscores as in _italics_.
* Small caps are represented in upper case as in SMALL CAPS.
* Illustrations have been slightly moved so that they do not
break up paragraphs while remaining close to the text they
illustrate.
* Illustration captions have been harmonized and made consistent
so that the same expressions appear both in them and in the
List of Full Page Illustrations.
[Illustration: THE QUEEN OF SHEBA.
_Frontispiece & Page 309._]
THE ADVENTURES
OF
CAPTAIN MAGO
OR
_A Phœnician Expedition_
B.C. 1000
BY
LÉON CAHUN
_ILLUSTRATED BY P. PHILIPPOTEAUX, AND TRANSLATED FROM
THE FRENCH BY ELLEN E. FREWER_
NEW YORK
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS
1889
TROW'S
PRINTING AND BOOKBINDING COMPANY,
NEW YORK.
PREFACE.
The following pages pretend to no original or scientific research. It
is their object to present, in a popular form, a picture of the world
as it was a thousand years before the Christian Era, and to exhibit,
mainly for the young, a summary of that varied information which is
contained in books, many of which by their high price and exclusively
technical character are generally unattainable.
* * * * *
It would only have encumbered the fictitious narrative, which is the
vehicle for conveying the instruction that is designed, to crowd
every page with references; but it may be alleged, once for all, that
for every statement which relates to the history of the period, and
especially to the history of the Phœnicians, ample authority might
be quoted from some one or other of the valuable books which have
been consulted.
Of the most important of these a list is here appended:--
1. F. C. MOVERS. Das Phönizische Alterthum.
2. RENAN. Mission en Phénicie.
3. DAUX. Recherches sur les Emporia phéniciens dans le Zeugis
et le Byzacium.
4. NATHAN DAVIS. Carthage and her Remains.
5. WILKINSON. Manners and Customs of Ancient Egyptians.
6. HŒCKH. Kreta.
7. GROTE. History of Greece.
8. MOMMSEN. Geschichte der Römischen Republik (Introduction and
Chap. I.).
9. BOURGUIGNAT. Monuments mégalithiques du nord de l'Afrique.
10. FERGUSSON. Rude Stone Monuments.
11. BROCA and A. BERTRAND. Celtes, Gaulois et Francs.
12. ABBÉ BARGÈS. Interprétation d'une inscription phénicienne
trouvée à Marseille.
13. LAYARD. Nineveh and its Remains.
14. BOTTA. Fouilles de Babylone.
15. REUSS. New translation of the Bible, in course of
publication.
A few foot-notes are subjoined by way of illustration of what might
have been carried on throughout the volume; and an Appendix will be
found at the end, containing some explanation of topics which the
continuity of the fiction necessarily left somewhat obscure.
CONTENTS.
CHAP. PAGE
I.--WHY BODMILCAR, THE TYRIAN SAILOR, HATES HANNO,
THE SIDONIAN SCRIBE 1
II.--THE SACRIFICE TO ASHTORETH 19
III.--CHAMAI RECOGNISED BY THE ATTENDANT OF THE
SLAVE 44
IV.--KING DAVID 61
V.--PHARAOH ARRIVES TOO LATE 76
VI.--CRETE AND THE CRETANS 98
VII.--CHRYSEIS PREFERS HANNO TO A KING 112
VIII.--AN AFFAIR WITH THE PHOCIANS 132
IX.--THE LAND OF OXEN 148
X.--GISGO THE EARLESS RECOVERS HIS EARS 166
XI.--OUR HEADS ARE IN PERIL 175
XII.--I CONSULT THE ORACLE 196
XIII.--THE SILVER MINES OF TARSHISH 207
XIV.--AN AMBUSCADE 219
XV.--JUDGE GEBAL DISTINGUISHES HIMSELF 234
XVI.--PERILS OF THE OCEAN 243
XVII.--JONO, THE GOD OF THE SUOMI 260
XVIII.--JONAH WAXES AMBITIOUS 277
XIX.--BODMILCAR AGAIN 287
XX.--THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN 295
XXI.--THE QUEEN OF SHEBA 307
XXII.--BELESYS FINDS BICHRI SOMEWHAT HEAVY 314
XXIII.--WE SETTLE OUR ACCOUNTS WITH BODMILCAR 327
LIST OF FULL PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
THE QUEEN OF SHEBA Frontispiece & 309
HANNO PROCEEDED TO DRAW UP THE ARTICLES 8
HANNO CAUGHT UP A LARGE PITCHER 11
MY SALUTE 45
THE IONIAN COMMENCED ONE OF THE SONGS OF HER
NATIVE LAND 52
SHORTLY BEFORE SUNSET WE REACHED JERUSALEM 63
WAITING FOR THE KING TO SPEAK 67
"DOWN, YOU PHŒNICIAN THIEVES!" 85
THE SOLDIERS RAPIDLY CROSSED THEIR LANCES 86
PLEASED WITH HIS MORNING'S WORK 99
"THE MELKARTH!" 106
BORNE TO ITS RESTING-PLACE 121
HOMER 129
UNAWARES IN AN AMBUSH 132
HANNO AND CHRYSEIS BESPEAK THEIR ATTENTION 140
"IF YOU ADVANCE ONE STEP BEYOND THIS LANCE" 152
CLOSE TO ETNA 163
UTICA 187
A HUGE ELEPHANT WAS BEING LED PAST 191
I PROSTRATED MYSELF THREE TIMES 202
AN AVALANCHE OF STONES 220
NO QUARTER 222
ON THE VERY POINT OF SLAYING THE CHILD 228
THE DESPICABLE SYRIAN 229
I DID WHAT I COULD TO CONSOLE HASDRUBAL 247
JUDGE GEBAL 248
BICHRI AND DIONYSOS BROUGHT THEM BOTH DOWN 258
HE DASHED IT TO THE GROUND 262
SEVERAL OF THE SAVAGES ENTERED THE HUT 267
THE GOD JONO 275
BLOWING HIS TRUMPET 284
THE CHILD HAD FOUND THE LEAK 293
IT SNAPPED A PIKE-STAFF IN TWO 301
IN HONOUR OF THEIR GENERAL 322
WE WERE COMMANDED TO HALT 324
HIMILCO AND GISGO IN ANIMATED CONVERSATION WITH
THE CHALDEAN SOLDIERS 327
MY ACCOUNT WAS SETTLED WITH BODMILCAR 335
_And Thirty-six smaller Text Illustrations._
THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MAGO
CHAPTER I.
WHY BODMILCAR, THE TYRIAN SAILOR, HATES HANNO, THE SIDONIAN SCRIBE.
I am Captain Mago, and Hiram,[1] King of Tyre, was well aware that
my experience as a sailor was very great. It was in the third year
of his reign that he summoned me to his presence from Sidon,[2] the
city of fishermen, and the metropolis of the Phœnicians. He had
already been told of my long voyages; how I had visited Malta; how I
had traded to Bozrah,[3] the city founded by the Sidonians, but now
called Carthada[4] by the Tyrians; and how I had reached the remote
Gades in the land of Tarshish.[5]
[1] Hiram I. reigned from 980 to 947 B.C.
[2] Sidon, or Zidon, in the Phœnician tongue means "fishery."
[3] Bostra, or Bozrah; hence Byrsa, the citadel.
[4] Carthage, or Kart-Khadecht, the new city.
[5] Tarshish, the Tartessus of the Greeks, Spain.
The star of Sidon was now on the wane. The ships of Tyre were fast
occupying the sea, and her caravans were covering the land. A
monarchy had been established by the Tyrians, and their king, with
the _suffects_[6] as his coadjutors, was holding sway over all the
other cities of Phœnicia. The fortunes of Tyre were thus in the
ascendant: sailors and merchants from Sidon, Gebal, Arvad and Byblos
were continually enlisting themselves in the service of her powerful
corporations.
[6] Suffect, or _choupheth_ (plural _chophettim_), the Hebrew and
Phœnician magistrates preceding the monarchy.
When I had made my obeisance to King Hiram, he informed me that his
friend and ally, David, King of the Jews, was collecting materials
for the erection of a temple to his god Adonai (or _our Lord_) in the
city of Jerusalem, and that he was desirous of making his own royal
contribution to assist him. Accordingly he submitted to me that at
his expense I should fit out a sufficient fleet, and should undertake
a voyage to Tarshish, in order to procure a supply of silver, and
any other rare or valuable commodity which that land could yield, to
provide embellishment for the sumptuous edifice.
Anxious as I was already to revisit Tarshish and the lands of the
West, I entered most eagerly into the proposal of the King, assuring
him that I should require no longer time for preparation than what
was absolutely necessary to equip the ships and collect the crews.
It was still two months before the Feast of Spring, an annual
festival that marked the re-opening of navigation. This was an
interval sufficient for my purpose, for as the King directed me to
call first at Joppa, and to proceed thence to Jerusalem to receive
King David's instructions, I had no need for the present to concern
myself about anything further than my ships and sailors, knowing that
I could safely trust to the fertile and martial land of Judæa to
provide me with provisions and soldiers.
The King was highly gratified at my ready acquiescence in his
proposition. He instructed his treasurer to hand over to me at once
a thousand silver shekels[7] to meet preliminary expenses, and gave
orders to the authorities at the arsenal to allow me to select
whatever wood, hemp, or copper I might require.
[7] The silver shekel was the standard money of the
Phœnicians, and was worth about 2_s._ It was a tenth part of a
shekel of gold.
I took my leave of the King and rejoined Hanno my scribe and Himilco
my pilot, the latter of whom had been my constant associate on my
previous voyages. They were sitting on the side-bench at the great
gate of the palace, and had been impatiently awaiting my return,
mutually speculating upon the reason that had induced the King to
send for us from Sidon, and naturally conjecturing that it must
relate to some future enterprise and adventure. At the first glimpse
of my excited countenance, revealing my delight, Hanno exclaimed:
"Welcome back, master; surely the King has granted you some eager
longing of your heart!"
"True; and what do you suppose it is?" I asked.
"Perhaps a new ship to replace the one you lost in the Great Syrtes;
and perhaps a good freight into the bargain. No son of Sidon could
covet more than this."
"Yes, Hanno; this, and more beside," I answered. "But our good
fortune at once demands our vows; let us hasten to the temple of
Ashtoreth,[8] and there let us render our thanks to the goddess, and
sue for her protection and her favour to guard our vessels as we sail
to Joppa. To Joppa we go; and onwards thence to Tarshish!"
[8] Astarte. The Aphrodite of the Greeks; the goddess of
navigation, and the national deity of the Sidonians.
"Tarshish!" echoed the voice of Himilco, with a cry of ecstasy; and
as he spoke he raised up his sole remaining eye towards the skies;
he had lost the other in a naval fight. "Tarshish," he said again:
"O ye gods, that rule the destinies of ships! ye stars,[9] that so
oft have fixed my gaze in my weary watch on deck! here I offer to
you six shekels on the spot; 'tis all my means allow. But take me
to Tarshish, and vouchsafe that I may come across the villain whose
lance took out my eye, so that I may make him feel the point of my
Chalcidian sword below his ribs, and I vow that I will offer you in
sacrifice an ox, a noble ox, finer than Apis, the god of the idiot
Egyptians."
[9] The stars in the constellation of Ursa Major were also
tutelary deities of navigation; the pole-star by the Greeks being
called "the Phœnician."
Hanno was less demonstrative. "For my part," he said, "I shall be
satisfied if I can barter enough of the vile wine of Judæa, and the
cheap ware of Sidon, to get a good return of pure white silver.
I shall only be too pleased to build myself a mansion upon the
sea-shore where I can enjoy my pleasure-boat as it glides along with
its purple sails, and so to pass my days in ease and luxury."
"Remember, however," I replied, "that before you can get your lordly
mansion, we shall again and again have to sleep under the open sky
of the cheerless West; and before you arrive at all your luxury, you
will have to put up with many a coarse and meagre meal."
"All the more pleasant will be the retrospect," rejoined Hanno; "and
when we come to recline upon our costly couches it will be a double
joy to dwell upon our adventures, and relate them to our listening
guests."
Conversation of this character engaged us till we reached the
cypress-grove, from which the temple of Ashtoreth upreared its
silver-plated roof. The setting sun was all aglow, and cast its
slanting rays upon the fabric, illuminating alike the heavy gilding
and the radiant colours of the supporting pillars. Flocks of
consecrated doves fluttered in the sacred grove, alighting ever and
again upon the gilded rods that connected one pillar with another.
Groups of girls were frequently met, dressed in white, embroidered
with purple and silver, either hastening, pomegranates in their
hands, to make a votive offering at the shrine, or sauntering
leisurely in the sacred gardens. Ever and again, as the temple-doors
were opened, there was caught the distant melody of the sistra,
flutes, and tambourines, upon which the priests and priestesses
were celebrating the honour of their goddess. Such were the sounds,
the modulated measures of the music mingled with the soft cooings
of the doves and the joyous laughter of the heedless maidens, that
combined to make a mysterious murmur that could not fail to impress
the minds of such as us, rough mariners unaccustomed to anything
more harmonious than the groanings of the waves, the creaking of our
ships, and the howling of the wind.
I went with Himilco to consult the tariff of the sacrifices, which
was exhibited, engraven on a tablet and affixed to the feet of a
huge marble dove at the right-hand entrance to the precincts of the
temple. As my own offering, I selected some fruit and cakes, the
value of which did not exceed a shekel, and was just turning back
to call Hanno, when I encountered a man in a dirty and threadbare
sailor's coat, who was hurrying along, muttering bitter curses as he
went.
"Help me, Baal Chamaim, Lord of the heavens!" I involuntarily
exclaimed; "is not this Bodmilcar, the Tyrian?"
The man paused, and recognised me in a moment; and we exchanged the
warmest greetings.
Bodmilcar, whom I had thus unexpectedly met, had been one of my
oldest associates. Many a time, alike in expeditions of war and
commerce, he had commanded a vessel by my side. He was likewise
already acquainted with Himilco, who consequently shared my surprise
and regret at meeting him in so miserable a plight.
"What ill fate has brought you to this?" was my impatient inquiry.
"At Tyre you used to be the owner of a couple of gaouls[10] and four
good galleys; what has happened? What has brought it about that you
should be here in nothing better than a ragged kitonet?"[11]
[10] Gaoul, a round ship, employed in merchant service.
[11] Kitonet, a short tunic, worn by Phœnician sailors.
"Moloch's[12] heaviest curses be upon the Chaldeans!" ejaculated
Bodmilcar. "May their cock-head Nergal[13] torture and burn and roast
them all! My story is soon told. I had a cargo of slaves. A finer
cargo was never under weigh. The hold of my Tyrian gaoul carried
Caucasian men as strong as oxen, and Grecian girls as lissome as
reeds; there were Syrians who could cook, or play, or dress the hair;
there were peasants from Judæa who could train the vine or cultivate
the field. Their value was untold."
[12] Baal Moloch, the sun god.
[13] Nergal, the Chaldean god of fire and war, always represented
with a cock's head.
"And tell me, friend Bodmilcar," I inquired, "where are they now? Did
they not yield you the countless shekels on which you reckoned?"
"Now! where are they now?" shrieked out the excited man; "they are
every one upon their way to some cursed city of the Chaldeans, on the
other side of Rehoboth. Instead of shekels I have got plenty of kicks
and plenty of bruises, of which I shall carry the marks on my body
for a long time to come. The naval suffect gave me a few zeraas,[14]
just to relieve my distress, and had it not been for that, I should
not have had a morsel of bread to keep life in me. It is now three
days since I arrived in Tyre, and to get here I have been continually
walking, till my feet are so swollen I can hardly move."
[14] Zeraas, small copper coin.
"You mean you have walked here?" said Himilco, compassionately. "But
surely you might have found a boat of some sort to bring you?"
"Boat!" growled Bodmilcar, almost angrily; "when did boats begin to
journey overland? Did I not tell you I came from Rehoboth in the land
of those cursed Chaldeans? But hear me out, and you will sympathise
with my misfortune. I started first of all along the coast, buying
slaves from the Philistines, and corn and oil from the Jews. I went
across to Greece, and made some profitable dealings there. I chanced
upon a few wretched little Ionian barques, and secured some plunder
so. Then I conceived the project of going through the straits, and
I succeeded beyond my hopes in getting iron, and, what is more, in
getting slaves from Caucasus. My fortune was made. I was proceeding
home, when just as we neared the Phasis, on the Chalybean coast, some
alien gods--for sure I am that neither Melkarth nor Moloch would
so have dealt with a Tyrian sailor--some alien gods, I say, sent
down a frightful storm. With the utmost peril I contrived to save
my crew and all my human cargo; but the bulk of my goods was gone,
and my poor vessels were shattered hopelessly. There was but one
resource; I had no alternative but to convey my salvage in the best
way I could across Armenia and Chaldea by land, consoling myself with
the expectation of finding a market for the slaves along the road.
But once again the gods were cruelly adverse. We were attacked by a
troop of Chaldeans; fifty armed men could not protect a gang of four
hundred slaves, who, miserable wretches as they were, could not be
induced by blows or prayers to lift up a hand in their own defence.
The result was that we were very soon overpowered, and that, together
with all my party, I was made a prisoner. The Chaldeans proposed to
sell us to the King of Nineveh, and I had the pleasure of finding
myself part and parcel of my own cargo."
"But, anyhow, here you are. How did you contrive to get out of your
dilemma?" I asked my old comrade.
Bodmilcar raised the skirt of his patched and greasy kitonet, and
displayed a long knife with an ivory handle hanging from his belt.
"They forgot to search me," he said, "and omitted to bind me. The
very first night on which there was no moonlight I was entertaining
a couple of rascals who had charge of me, by telling them wonderful
tales about Libyan serpents, and about the men of Tarshish who had
mouths in the middle of their chests, and eyes at the tips of their
fingers; openmouthed, they were lost in amazement at the lies I was
pouring into their ears, and were entirely off their guard. I seized
my opportunity; and having first thrust my knife into the belly of
one of them, I cut the throat of the other and made my escape. I took
to my heels, and, Moloch be praised! the rascals failed to find a
trace of me. But now that I am here, the gods only know what is to
become of me. If I fail to get service as a pilot, I must enter as a
common sailor in some Tyrian ship."
"No need of that, Bodmilcar," I exclaimed; "you have made your
appearance just at a lucky moment. All praise to Ashtoreth! you are
just the man I want. I have a commission from the King to fit out
ships for Tarshish; I am captain of the expedition, and here at once
I can appoint you my second in command. My pilot is Himilco; and here
is Hanno, my scribe; we are on our way to the temple of the goddess,
and are going in her presence to draw up the covenants."
"Joy, joy, dear Mago!" ejaculated Bodmilcar; "may the gods be
gracious to you, and repay your goodness! I shall not regret my
disaster at the hands of the Chaldeans, if it ends in a voyage to
Tarshish with you. Only let Melkarth vouchsafe us a good ship, and
with Himilco to guide our course, we cannot fail to prosper, even
though our voyage be to the remotest confines of the world."
Hanno, who meanwhile had joined us, took out from his girdle some
ink and some reeds, with a little stone to sharpen them, and having
seated himself upon the temple steps, proceeded to draw up the
articles which appointed me admiral of the expedition, Bodmilcar
vice-admiral, and Himilco pilot-in-chief. Himilco and myself both
affixed our seals to the document, and Bodmilcar was proceeding to do
so likewise, feeling mechanically for his seal, which he remembered
afterwards that the Chaldeans had stolen. I gave him twenty shekels
to buy another, and to provide him with a new outfit of clothes.
Then, with Himilco, I proceeded to make my oblation of fruits and
cakes to Ashtoreth; and in the highest spirits we made our way to the
harbour, where our light vessel, the _Gadita_, was awaiting us.
[Illustration: HANNO PROCEEDED TO DRAW UP THE ARTICLES.
_To face page 8._]
Early next morning we set vigorously to work. I drew out the plans of
my vessels upon papyrus sheets. My own _Gadita_ was to be kept as a
light vessel; but I resolved to have a large _gaoul_ constructed as a
transport to carry the merchandise, and two barques to act as tenders
to the gaoul, which would draw too much water to approach very near
the shore. As an escorting convoy I chose two large double-decked
galleys,[15] manned by fifty oarsmen, similar to those recently
invented at Sidon. At this period, the Tyrians had three of these
galleys in port; they were very rapid in their course, and drew very
little water; they were armed with strong beaks at the prow; were
worked both by oars and sails, and were adapted either for war or
commerce.
[15] For details of the construction of these galleys, see notes
at the end of the Volume.
I determined to use cedar for the keel and sides of my vessel, and
oak from Bashan, in Judæa, for the masts and yards. I discarded the
ancient method of making my sails of Galilean reeds or papyrus-fibre,
preferring to have them woven out of our excellent Phœnician hemp,
which the people of Arvad and Tyre are skilful in twisting into a
very substantial texture. It was of the same material that I resolved
to make my ropes.
As I was going through the arsenal, and wondering at the accumulated
mass of copper, I espied a little store of the beautiful white tin
obtained from the Celts in the distant islands of the far north-west.
Previously to my own voyage those islands had been all but unknown,
and I believe that I may say that my own investigation of them has
conferred as great a benefit upon the Phœnicians as they had
reaped two hundred years before by the discovery of the silver mines
of Tarshish.
The sight of the copper determined me upon carrying out a plan which
I had for some time been contemplating. It occurred to me that if
the keel and flanks under water were protected with copper in the
same way as the prows had hitherto been, the solidity of the vessel
would be greatly increased, and the wood would be far less liable to
decay. Accordingly, I made up my mind to protect the prows of the
galleys with a hard alloy of copper and tin, and to sheathe the keels
and flanks of all the four vessels with plates of wrought copper.
The copper of Cyprus I rejected as being too soft and spongy for my
purpose, and that of Libanus as far too brittle; but the firm yet
ductile Cilician metal suited me admirably, and Khelesh-baal, the
renowned Tyrian founder, set to work at once to forge me some large
sheets, three cubits[16] long by two wide.
[16] The common cubit is about 16 inches.
The King had placed 200 workmen at my disposal; and, in order that
I might better superintend their operations, I took a lodging with
my three friends in a house at the corner of the Street of Caulkers,
just opposite the arsenal, and there from my window upon the fourth
floor I could well overlook the men working in the docks below. I
directed Hanno to make out a list of the goods we should require for
barter, and he and Himilco chiefly busied themselves in collecting
the things together; whilst Bodmilcar, with two of my sailors, kept
perambulating the neighbourhood of the harbour, succeeding tolerably
well in securing recruits for my crew from amongst the seamen who
were loitering about the quays, with tilted hats, looking out for
employment.
On the first day of the month Nisan,[17] just four weeks after I had
undertaken my commission, I returned home for my evening meal, and
found my companions in hot dispute.
[17] Nisan; part of March and April.
"How now!" I cried, on entering the room; "what's this? What is the
meaning of this angry contention?"
"I am telling Bodmilcar," said Hanno, "that he has about as much
brains as a bullock, and about as much elegance as a Bactrian camel."
"And am I to endure this insolence from a young stripling?" cried
Bodmilcar, angrily; "am I to put up with it from a fresh-water
lubber, who will cry like a baby at the first gust of wind, and
implore us to put him on shore again? He has lived among women and
scribblers till he has no more pluck in him than a garden-tortoise."
[Illustration: HANNO CAUGHT UP A LARGE PITCHER.
_To face page 11._]
"I confess," rejoined Hanno, sarcastically, "that I have not had
your experience; I have not had the advantage of being pounced upon
by the Chaldeans, or of being thrashed by my own slaves. But let me
say, I am twenty, and that I hope the first time you find me funking
the sea, you will pitch me overboard like an old sandal. Anyhow,
I have had a voyage as far as Chittim;[18] I have been amongst the
Ionians, and can speak their language ten times better than any one
among you."
[18] Chittim, the classical _Citium_, a Phœnician colony in
Cyprus.
"Talk to me about the Ionians," shouted Bodmilcar in a fury, "and I
will break every bone in your precious skin."
And, as he spoke, he laid his hand upon his knife; but Hanno, without
flinching for a moment, caught up a large pitcher that was standing
on the table.
"Steady, steady!" interposed Himilco, "or you will be spilling all
the nectar;"[19] and whilst I laid a firm grasp upon Bodmilcar's arm,
he rescued the pitcher, and deposited it safely in the corner of the
room.
[19] Nectar; the sweet and perfumed wine of the Phœnicians,
said by the Greeks to be the drink of the gods.
Then addressing myself to the two excited combatants, I said: "Now
then, I cannot permit this altercation; you are both under my orders,
and you must both submit; conduct yourselves amicably, or it shall be
the worse for him that disturbs the peace. But what is the meaning of
this chatter about the Ionians?"
Hanno held out his hand to me, in token of submission, expressed his
regret for having given offence to Bodmilcar, and assured me that he
had only spoken in jest.
"You see now," I said to Bodmilcar, "Hanno is not your subordinate,
and you are bound to treat him as your equal. However, what is it
that he has said to offend you so grievously?"
Bodmilcar seemed abashed; he stood twirling his beard, and without
raising his eyes, said:
"Amongst the slaves that the Chaldeans captured, there was one Ionian
girl that I thought to make my wife. I spoke of her to Hanno, but
he only jeered me; he told me that the girl had gone off with the
Chaldeans of her own accord, merely to get out of reach of me; and
his provocation made me angry."
"Nay, nay," said Hanno: "I did not want to make him angry; it was
a thoughtless joke; he was somewhat old, I said, for so young a
bride, and Ionian girls generally like the perfume of flowers and the
fragrance of sweet spices better than the smell of tar."
"It was wrong of you," I said, as sternly as I could, though I really
felt inclined to laugh.
To my suggestion that they should make up their quarrel with mutual
pledges over a cup of wine, Hanno eagerly responded, "With all my
heart, and Ashtoreth give me my deserts if ever wilfully I offend his
grey hairs again;" but Bodmilcar took the proffered hand coldly, and
with evident constraint.
Seeing that all immediate peril of a smash was over, Himilco brought
forward his pitcher again from its place of safety. I heard nothing
more of the disagreement; but I could not help noticing that
Bodmilcar was never again the same in his demeanour towards Hanno,
and that he did not speak to him any more than he could avoid.
About a week later, as I was in the arsenal for the purpose of
selecting the ropes for the rigging, Himilco came running to me to
inform me that one of the King's servants had arrived with a message
that was to be delivered to myself. I went to meet the messenger. He
was a tall Syrian eunuch with frizzled hair and painted face, arrayed
in a long embroidered robe, and wearing large gold earrings after the
fashion of his country. He held a long cane surmounted by a golden
pomegranate, and spoke with a languid lisp.
"Are you Captain Mago, the King's naval officer?" he asked, as he
eyed me from head to foot.
Receiving my reply, he continued: "I am Hazael, of the royal
household; here on my finger you may see the signet which empowers
me to exercise my authority. The purpose of my visit is to inspect
the vessels you are building; but specially my object is to give
instructions that proper accommodation shall be provided for myself,
and for a slave that I have to conduct from my master to Pharaoh,
King of Egypt. Two proper berths must be prepared; and the King's
orders are that you are to remit us to Egypt after you have visited
Jerusalem."
"As to your directions about berths," I replied, utterly astonished
at his cool effrontery, "you must permit me to remind you that on
board ship the captain, with his pilot under him, invariably allots
the place for every passenger."
[Illustration]
"Be it so," rejoined the eunuch; "yet it is imperative that separate
apartments, tapestried and carpeted suitably, should be provided for
myself and for the royal slave. Impossible for us to live in contact
with the rough and tarry seamen."
I felt a strong inclination to let Hazael experience how he relished
lying full length upon a heap of rubbish that was close at hand; but
I controlled my indignation and said:
"I will contrive something. I will either make a partition in a
corner of the hold, or put up a cabin of planks upon the deck; but
whatever is done must not interfere with the working of the ship.
When I have made the provision in space, I leave you to fit and
furnish as you please; but mark you this, your curtains and carpets
will be ruined in the first tempest that we get. However, that is
your concern, not mine."
"Each of the cabins," complacently continued the eunuch, "must be
twelve cubits by six; there must be six benches of sandal-wood and
ivory; the bedsteads must be inlaid; the windows must be framed and
fitted perfectly."
"Fitted!" I rejoined: "have I not told you already that you may
furnish and adorn the cabins as you will: their size, their position
must rest with me: in such matters my authority is supreme. You may
tell your royal master from me that adequate accommodation shall
be provided, but that with my arrangements no one is at liberty to
interfere."
The eunuch looked aghast at my temerity; but he seemed somehow to
comprehend that I was not to be trifled with. He muttered a few words
to the effect that I had better see that everything was duly done,
and without a word or gesture of leave-taking, turned on his heel and
sauntered leisurely away. I watched him for a moment, and turning to
Himilco, who had been near enough to overhear the conversation, I
said:
"Unless I reckon badly, that fellow will give us some trouble before
we have done with him."
"Ah, no; I'll take care of that," said Himilco. "Sooner than the
painted hound should interfere with us too much, I'd have a rope to
his heels, and he should dangle, head in the water, all the way from
Joppa to Tarshish. 'Tis not for us to permit ourselves to be treated
like dogs."
"No," said I; "but maybe, all will go well; Moloch will be our
guardian; and once at sea we shall not fail to secure the protection
of our Ashtoreth. To tell you the truth, I am really far more
apprehensive about Hanno's pranks with Bodmilcar."
"We must hope for the best," replied Himilco. "Bodmilcar will be on
board the gaoul, and we will contrive for Hanno to come with us in
one of the galleys."
"True," I assented; "it is indispensable that they should be
separated. But with regard to this eunuch's requirements; I hardly
see whether it will be better to provide the cabins in the gaoul,
as being the more roomy, or to have them under my own supervision.
Plague upon the slave and eunuch both!"
At that moment Hanno come up, with his roll of papyrus in his hand,
and caught the tenor of our conversation.
"A slave and an eunuch to go!" he exclaimed. "Surely the charge of
them ought to fall to _my_ lot. Such duties ever belong to a scribe.
Besides, I have made some progress in the studies of a magician;
and better even than a magician I could humour their fancies, and
understand their likes and dislikes."
I expressed my opinion that they would have enough of magicians in
Egypt whither they were going, and resolved that I would keep them
under my own eye.
"There's an end then to all my pretty scheme of teaching them
calligraphy, rhetoric, and what not," said Hanno, smiling. "I must
fall back, I see, upon my own accounts."
He unfolded his roll, and submitted to me his reckoning of the amount
that would be requisite to pay our sailors and our oarsmen, at the
same time handing me his statement of the sums that had already been
expended in the purchase of the goods for barter.
The outlay far exceeded the golden talent, the thousand shekels,
which the King had advanced. He had, however, commissioned me to
spare no expense, and had promised to meet all reasonable demands, so
that I felt no uneasiness, but sent Hanno straight to the palace to
exhibit the accounts and to ask for a further grant. The request was
most generously met.
Meanwhile, Himilco and I continued to employ ourselves in having
planks of fir from Senir[20] fitted to the flanks of our vessels, and
in rigging our heavy masts of oak with yard-arms of cedar.
[20] Senir, in Libanus, now Djebel Sannin.
Our work progressed to our entire satisfaction. The _Gadita_ was
repaired and entirely refitted; the figure-head, an immense horse,
was illuminated with dazzling enamel eyes; the sides of the vessel
were painted red upon a black ground; and twelve shields of bronze,
each glowing in the centre with a polished copper boss, were hung
outside.
After everything had been completed, I obtained permission for
the _Gadita_ to be conducted with great ceremony, to the music of
trumpets and cymbals, into the basin of the harbour. For the occasion
the naval suffect lent me a large purple sail, reserved expressly for
state festivities; twelve armed sailors, lance in hand, stood behind
the shields of bronze; and twenty-two oarsmen, plying their oars
in regular cadence, made the ship glide swiftly through the water.
Gisgo, the helmsman, from his station in the stern, deftly wielded
the tiller, according to the directions of Himilco, whose place was
at the prow. Bodmilcar, Hanno, and myself were upon the poop. We were
all of us in state attire, and were conscious of a keen enjoyment of
the admiring gaze of the crowds of sailors who thronged, not only the
adjacent quays, but the terraces of the arsenal and of the admiralty
palace, and watched our manœuvres. The naval suffect was himself
one of the spectators; he was seated at the grand entrance of the
palace, just above the flight of steps that led down to his official
wharf. So pleased he was with the appearance of the _Gadita_, that
he invited all the officers to sup with him in the evening, and sent
a sheep, a large jar of wine, two baskets of bread, a supply of figs
and raisins, and twelve cheeses, for the entertainment of our sailors.
Arrived at the palace, we passed up the narrow staircases and dim
corridors of the eastern tower, and found ourselves in a large
round room with a lofty dome, from the centre of which there hung
a polished copper lamp. The suffect paid us many compliments; and,
on learning that we should be ready for our outfit within ten days,
he gave me permission to go next morning and to choose whatever arms
would be requisite for the expedition.
After our entertainment we embarked from the suffect's private wharf,
intending to return, all of us, to our own quarters on shore; but
all at once Bodmilcar declared himself so enamoured of the _Gadita_,
that he resolved to sleep alone on board. As our boat was silently
threading its way along the canal that intersected the mainland,
cutting off an island by its course, Hanno commenced singing in a
foreign language. My attention was arrested, and I asked him what
language it was. He replied that it was Ionian, and expressed his
surprise that I did not understand it.
"No," I answered; "it is strange to me. I have sailed but rarely
along those coasts. But haven't you done with the Ionians yet?"
"Oh, Bodmilcar is not here to get in a rage, and we have not got the
slave amongst us to be affected by any songs of mine."
"The slave!" I exclaimed with wonder. "I did not imagine that the
slave would care for your songs. Is she an Ionian?"
Hanno laughed, and made me no answer; but after a while he yielded to
my persuasion, and made me acquainted with all he knew.
"Hazael the eunuch," he said, "is a chattering fool. When I went
to the palace I saw him, and wormed out of him that the slave in
question had been brought from some Chaldean merchants, and that she
had been originally carried away from her own country by a Tyrian
pirate, so that the whole truth was not hard to guess."
"Not a word of this," I said; "not a word to Bodmilcar. More than
ever it makes me resolve to have both eunuch and slave on board my
own galley; otherwise I foresee there will be no end of mischief.
Neither you nor Himilco must breathe a syllable until we have seen
our unwelcome passengers securely landed at their destination."
Each promised faithfully to preserve the strictest reticence: Hanno,
for his part, vehemently asseverating that if a word upon the matter
should escape him, he would forthwith cut off his tongue, and devote
himself to Horus, the Egyptian god of silence.
As we now reached our lodging, the conversation dropped, and for the
next few days we were far too much engaged in active duties to think
any further of what had transpired.
I gave my own personal superintendence to the weaving of all the
sails, which were made strictly after the directions prescribed by
the goddess Tannat.[21] I saw that my ropes were well twisted and
thoroughly tarred; and I arranged the benches for my oarsmen with
such compactness that there was only an interval of a hand's breadth
between the seat of the rower on the upper tier and the head of the
man in the tier below.
[21] The Grecian _Tamith_; according to the Phœnician legend,
she was the inventor of sails.
To give extra strength to the masts and yards, I had them bound at
regular distances with bands of ox-hide, and finally I had the entire
hulls plated with sheets of copper, fastened together with bolts of
bronze.
Never had prouder ships been launched upon the Great Sea.[22]
[22] The Mediterranean.
CHAPTER II.
THE SACRIFICE TO ASHTORETH.
Two days before the great spring festival which celebrated the
re-opening of navigation, and which was observed as a national
holiday, our ships were ready in the stocks, and in the course of
three hours were launched without difficulty.
The two galleys were each seventy-two ordinary cubits (or sixty-two
sacred cubits) long by seventeen wide. The gaoul, with its keel
of one solid piece of cedar, was sixty-seven cubits in length by
twenty in width; it had three decks and, as I have said, two tiers
of rowers; the decks were four cubits apart, and were raised fore
and aft, so as to make the elevation sixteen cubits above the water,
whilst in the centre it did not exceed twelve cubits. The galleys,
when carrying their full burden, and the double line of oarsmen,
stood each eight cubits above the water-line. Each contained space
enough to take 150 sailors and 50 rowers; but hitherto I had only
engaged 200 seamen, expecting that I should be able to enlist the
services of 100 soldiers and archers who would be willing to take a
share of the working of the vessel. The number of the crew of the
gaoul was complete; the _Gadita_ had likewise her full complement
of thirty-seven men, and the barques their crews of eight. These
two small craft were to be kept constantly in tow, and would
consequently be in no need of a pilot; but each of the larger vessels
was provided with two pilots, one at the prow, one at the stern,
Himilco being pilot-in-chief. At the top of every mast, there was a
look-out place, constructed of fir-wood from Senir, for the purpose
of sheltering the man on watch. The apertures for the oars were
arranged at equal distances along the sides; and all the vessels,
after they had been caulked and tarred, were made to correspond
with the _Gadita_ by being painted black with red lines. Hanno had
drawn up a document for each of the captains, containing the names
of the respective crews, and a complete list of every piece of spare
rigging on board, with a register of the place where every article
was stored. All the arms, the bedding, the cooking-utensils, the
water-barrels, had their positions carefully recorded, and in the
crew's quarters between decks, each seaman and rower had his berth
distinctly marked with his own name. The cabin under the raised deck
at the stern was reserved for the use of the captain and pilots,
whilst that under the prow was set apart for the officers of the
crew, and the captains of the men-at-arms. On all the vessels the
arrangements were identical, with the exception that at the stern
of the galley which I had chosen for myself I had ordered a boarded
cabin to be erected, divided into two compartments by a partition,
and lighted by two small windows, for the especial use of the eunuch
and the King's slave under his charge.
Hanno was extremely interested in the selection of good and
appropriate names for the ships. At his wish, the gaoul, which was
under the command of Bodmilcar, and numbered a large proportion of
Tyrians amongst its crew, was named after Melkarth, the god of Tyre.
One of the galleys was named the _Dagon_, being placed under the
protection of the Philistine god of fish; whilst the one on which
we ourselves were about to embark was dedicated to the Sidonian
goddess Ashtoreth, to whom we were personally bound by an especial
reverence. Associated with these divinities, of course it was out
of all character that the _Gadita_ should retain her previous name;
accordingly, at Himilco's request, and in consideration that she was
to sail at the head of the squadron, we gave her the designation of
the _Cabiros_. Bodachmon, the high priest of Ashtoreth, undertook to
present us with images of the various deities to be kept on board the
ships which were severally dedicated to them.
Bodmilcar was assigned the command of the _Melkarth_, and her
attendant barques; Hasdrubal, a Sidonian, was appointed to the
charge of the _Dagon_; and the _Cabiros_ was confided to the care of
Hamilcar, another Sidonian, a bold and experienced seaman.
On board the _Ashtoreth_, my flag-ship, I took for my personal staff
Hanno as scribe, Himilco as head pilot, and Hannibal of Arvad (whom I
knew to be a strong, brave man) as commander of my men-at-arms.
Fore and aft of each of the ships Hannibal placed two machines of his
own invention for hurling stones and darts, and called "scorpions;"
thus, with the exception of the _Cabiros_, which being small could
only carry two, every vessel was provided with four of these powerful
engines.
We worked hard throughout the greater part of the night and all
the following morning in packing and stowing the freight of our
little fleet as it lay in the inner basin of the trade harbour, and
the _Cabiros_ joined us to receive her portion of the cargo and
provisions. Towards the middle of the day we found time for rest
and refreshment. Anticipating our departure on the morrow, several
of us met for a frugal meal in a tent that had been erected for our
accommodation on one of the quays. The three captains, the commander
of my men-at-arms, the chief pilot, and myself, had just seated
ourselves at the table, when the curtain that covered the entrance
was drawn aside by one of the sailors, and Hazael the eunuch was
announced.
Hazael entered with his usual lazy saunter; behind him was a train
of six slaves carrying baskets, boxes, and bundles, and accompanied
by a workman with a hammer and a variety of tools. Outside, mounted
on white asses, were two women, one of them closely veiled; the face
of the other was uncovered, and by her red skull-cap with its gold
band and dependent white veil, as well as by her frizzled hair and
prominent features, I recognised her at once as a daughter of Israel.
"We have come," said the eunuch, without pretence of courteous
salutation, "to take possession of our berths, and to stow away our
baggage."
Hanno started to his feet. I laid my hand upon his arm, and asked him
what he was about to do.
"To stow away the baggage for them," he replied; adding, "unless,
captain, you forbid me."
[Illustration]
"Better for you," I continued, "to remain where you are; I have
other business for you to do. This falls best to Himilco's duty. Go,
Himilco," I said, turning to the pilot, "go and assist Hazael to
arrange his property and see to the accommodation of the women."
Himilco emptied his glass, and, not without a longing glance towards
the jar of wine round which we were sitting, left the tent. Hanno,
who had fallen back to his seat with an assumed air of indifference,
now asked:
"And what is the business for which you want me?"
"You must go," I answered, "to the temple of Ashtoreth to prepare
for our sacrifice to-morrow: you must procure us some birds to take
with us on board our ships; in stormy weather they will show us which
way lies the land: you must find the naval suffect, and deliver him
a list of all the crews, and a catalogue of all the cargoes; most of
all, you must wait upon the royal treasurer and furnish him with an
abstract of all accounts. Is not all this enough for you to do?"
"No time, I see, then, for me to lose," said Hanno, with impetuous
eagerness; and snatching up his papyrus roll, he ran hastily away. It
was my impression, as I caught sight of him through the half-opened
curtain of the tent, that he turned, not in the direction of the
temple, but towards the harbour-basin; however, when he came back
in the evening all his commissions had been fully and faithfully
executed, and I thought no more of the matter.
On his return he was accompanied by one of the officials of
the temple, carrying on his head some large bird-cages made of
palm-wicker. Hanno himself held a smaller cage, containing four
pigeons of a rarer sort, a beautiful shot plumage glittering gaily on
their breasts.
"If these birds don't bring us good luck," he said, "I am sure no
others will; they come straight from the temple of Ashtoreth, and
were handed over to me by the priestess herself, who made me promise
that they should be prized according to their worth."
Each of the captains selected his proper share of the birds, with the
exception of Bodmilcar, who contemptuously refused.
"Don't the birds suit you?" said Hanno; "what's the matter with them?"
"I want no pigeons," retorted Bodmilcar; "ravens are the birds for
me, and I have taken enough of them on board already."
Hanno turned his back; but Himilco, who had witnessed what was
passing, remarked:
"Fortunate for the passengers that they will not be on board the
_Melkarth_. Far more congenial, I should think, the cooing of doves
than the croaking of ravens, to the ears of an Ionian!"
"Ionian!" ejaculated Bodmilcar, turning pale, "is the slave an
Ionian?"
In an instant I gave Himilco a sharp dig below the ribs to recall him
to his senses, and as quickly he clapped his finger on his forehead,
pretending to recollect himself: "No, no; not an Ionian; I mean a
Lydian." And turning round to me he asked me whether he was right.
I made a sort of a gesture which I hoped would satisfy Bodmilcar,
but he was manifestly still agitated; he made no further remark,
but shortly afterwards quitted the room, mumbling unintelligibly as
he went. As soon as his back was fairly turned, Hanno, who had been
seated quietly arranging his papyrus leaves, rose from his seat, and
advancing towards the door, made a low and solemn bow, a proceeding
on his part that caused Himilco to burst into a roar of laughter.
"Our friend Bodmilcar," remarked Hannibal, "seems to be rather a
morose sort of gentleman."
"Nothing of the sort, I assure you," said Hanno, satirically; "I
hardly know a man of a brighter and more genial temperament; however,
I confess that we may thank our stars that we have not to sail in the
same ship with him."
Hannibal smiled, in token of assent.
Time to retire for the night had now arrived. We indulged in a
parting glass, in recognition of our mutual hopes for the successful
issue of the enterprise before us, and with no little emotion, parted
to seek the repose which should prepare us for the ceremonial of the
morrow.
Early in the morning I repaired to the arsenal, but not too soon
to find the crews assembled each round its own captain. Hannibal
had been successful in collecting together all the archers and the
men-at-arms. Every captain was attended by his own trumpeter,
in a scarlet tunic, the trumpeter of the military captain being
distinguished by the magnitude of his trumpet, which was double the
size of the others.
With effective precision Hannibal had arranged his soldiers in their
ranks. The first rank was composed of twenty archers in white tunics,
their heads covered with white linen caps, which were encircled by a
band of leather studded with nails, and of which the ends hung down
behind. They all wore scarlet waistbands, in which were inserted
ivory-handled broadswords; their quivers were attached to a belt of
ox-hide, that passed over the shoulder, and was ornamented with a
profusion of copper studs. In his hand every one carried his long
Chaldean bow, the upper extremity of which was carved to represent a
goose's head. Next behind the archers were two ranks of armed men,
twenty in each rank: they wore cuirasses composed of small plates of
polished copper, and had helmets of the same material. Their tunics
were scarlet, and hung below the cuirasses; on the left of their
belts was a strong Chalcidian sword, and on the right an ivory-hilted
dagger; one hand carried a large circular shield, ornamented in the
centre with a deep-red copper figure of the sun; the other hand bore
a lance, furnished with a long sharp point of bronze.
Hannibal stood at the head of his troop. He wore a Lydian helmet,
surmounted with a silver crest, which was further adorned with a
scarlet plume. The image of the sun in the middle of his shield
was likewise silver, and around that was a circle of the eleven
planets. His sword-handle was carved into the figure of a lion, the
lion's head forming the guard. Like all the rest of the company he
commanded, his feet and legs were protected by leather greaves or
gaiters, laced up the front, and turned upwards at the point in the
Jewish fashion. He no sooner saw me approaching than he unsheathed
his sword, and his trumpeter sounded three blasts, an example which
was followed by the other trumpeters, all blowing in unison, after
which the captains and pilots advanced and made me a general salute.
Our seamen were provided with neither belts, shields, nor helmets,
but carried large cutlasses below their kitonets; they wore pointed
caps that covered the nape of the neck, similar to those that are
constantly seen at Sidon. Hannibal proposed that they should be
drawn up and drilled like the soldiers, but I did not acquiesce in
his suggestion; I preferred allowing them to rove about at their
pleasure, knowing that they could be drilled far better on board
ship, after they had been regularly assigned their proper place and
duties.
Hanno and Himilco, who had gone by my directions to see that
everything was in readiness for the sacrificial rites, now joined
us. They were accompanied by two men, each leading a superb bullock
covered with purple housings, and with their horns decorated by
fillets of embroidery, to which were attached little bells, which
tinkled as they moved. Close in their rear followed my slave,
carrying on his head a large basket of pomegranates, covered with a
napkin embroidered with silver.
After he had stationed our four trumpeters in couples behind his
own, Hannibal gave me to understand that he was only waiting for
me to give the signal to march. No sooner had I signified my
permission, than he shouted out the word of command, and the archers
and men-at-arms doubled file and faced about with an alertness that
elicited universal commendation. The trumpeters led the way with a
flourish that was well-nigh deafening; the archers followed two and
two; then came Hannibal at the head of his warriors, all shouldering
their lances. My own place was the next; and I marched on, supported
by Hanno and Himilco, and immediately followed by my slave and the
two men who were in charge of the oxen devoted as victims for the
altar; whilst behind us were the four troops of sailors, not marching
in any special order, but each headed by its own captain and pilots.
This irregular company brought up the rear.
The thoroughfares along which we passed were decorated gaily. In
honour of the great yearly festival of Melkarth, which attracted the
mass of all the surrounding population, they were profusely hung
with coloured canvas of many a hue, and floating streamers of linen,
dyed with the richest shades of purple, orange, green, and vermilion
were interspersed amongst waving branches of palms and massy boughs
of cedar. Each separate window was a separate centre of display. The
people, in holiday attire, were wending their way in crowds in the
direction of the island upon which stands the temple of Melkarth,
but they stood aside in every portico to allow us to proceed; they
were eager in their inquiries as to the meaning and purpose of our
formal progress through the streets; and when they understood that
we were marching to the shrine of the goddess Ashtoreth to make our
sacrifice, and to intreat her favour upon an expedition to Tarshish
which we were about to make, they rent the air with their boisterous
acclamations. Men expressed their wonder at the concourse of our
sailors and the quality of our oxen; women admired our attire and the
carriage of our officers, being especially lavish in their praise
of Hanno; the children ran after the procession, attracted equally
by the glittering crest in Hannibal's helmet, by the glowing red
of the trumpeters' tunics, and the swelling notes of their martial
music. Every one was unanimous in declaring that never before had
so magnificent a retinue left a Phœnician city on a distant
enterprise.
As we passed along beneath the sycamines in front of the King's
palace, the vast concourse that had assembled in readiness for the
royal procession parted asunder to allow us room to pass, and the
King's trumpeter and musicians, who were stationed at the gateway,
broke out into strains of welcome. A messenger was observed hurrying
down from the palace, and it was soon known that he came with orders
for us to halt. Hannibal immediately made his men face about; the
sailors, as it were involuntarily, turned towards the palace, and
I myself, with Hanno and Himilco, advanced in the direction of the
window at which the King is accustomed to show himself to his people,
and which is easily distinguishable from the others by the gilding
and tapestried hangings with which it is decorated. Meanwhile our
trumpeters had taken up the strains of the royal march in concert
with the King's musicians, and the melody was re-echoed by various
bands in other quarters of the palace-yard.
Only a short time elapsed before the King presented himself at the
window. An attendant, gorgeously attired, held over the King's head a
purple canopy embroidered with gold and richly jewelled; behind him
could be seen the glittering helmets and cuirasses of his body-guard.
Without a word of preface, he called me forth by name; and having
prostrated myself to the earth in deep obeisance, in another moment I
was standing with folded arms before him awaiting his commands.
He spoke to this effect:
"Mago! content I am with the preparation you have made. Well pleased
I am with the way in which you have collected your seamen and
equipped your warriors in behalf of my friend, my royal ally, King
David. You quit these realms for the distant shores of Tarshish. May
our guardian gods protect you! Hazael will deliver you the letters
signed by my own hand, which you are to present to the various
sovereigns who are my allies; to him I have further intrusted the
papyrus roll on which my instructions are inscribed. Onwards now,
fulfil your oblations to your goddess Ashtoreth. I go to render my
sacrifice to our great Melkarth; but when I have discharged my vows,
my purpose is to be myself a witness of your departure, and you shall
not fail to have still further tokens of my favour."
Again I prostrated myself before the King, who then retired, leaving
me to proceed upon my way, still heralded by the trumpets and greeted
by the continuous acclamations of the people. We had hardly turned
away, when the great gate of the palace was thrown open, and, headed
by a band composed of trumpets, sistra, tambourines, and flutes,
there issued the grand procession on its way to the island upon which
rose the columns of the temple of Melkarth, the supreme deity of Tyre.
We had hardly reached the limit of the royal court-yard, when
Bodmilcar, who had quickened his pace to overtake me, came to my side
and said mysteriously,
"Melkarth is a great god!"
"Assuredly!" I said, but did not in the least comprehend his meaning.
"A great god is Melkarth of the Tyrians," he repeated. "Melkarth
requires greater sacrifices than Ashtoreth: his sacrifices are large
as Moloch's; and they are going to offer him some children to-day."
I assented, yet still failed to see his purpose; but after a little
hesitation, he said:
"Might it be permitted me to take my Tyrians and to join the worship
of our own Melkarth?"
The discovery of his intention vexed me exceedingly; it was
mortifying to myself to see the number of my own retinue diminished,
or to allow the dignity of our own observances to Ashtoreth
to be curtailed; but I felt that I had no alternative than to
comply with his request to make his sacrifice to the god of his
peculiar veneration. Reluctantly I gave him my assent, and when
we reached the steep street that led up to the elevated groves of
"Baaltis-Ashtoreth,"[23] I saw that, instead of continuing with us,
he dropped out of our line and joined himself with about thirty
of our sailors to a procession that was conducting a chariot,
resplendent with gold, and surmounted by a canopy ornamented with
plumes of ostrich-feathers. This chariot was conveying the children
that were to be offered as the victims of the sacrifice. To welcome
the addition to the throng, the shouts of the populace and the clang
of the cymbals burst forth with redoubled vehemence.
[23] Baaltis, feminine of Baal, lord.
"How I hate that sacrificing of children!" said Hanno to me.
"Yes;" I concurred, "but if Moloch and Melkarth demand it, what can
be said?"
"With all due reverence for Moloch and Melkarth," he continued, "I
cannot but rejoice that Ashtoreth of Sidon makes no such request."
We had now turned into the pathway through the grove that winds
up to the temple of Baaltis. By far the greater proportion of the
temple-officials were absent, having gone to join the general
celebration of the city in honour of Melkarth; only six priests and
four priestesses remained. Seen through the hazy glow of the rising
sun, the grove and temple looked surprisingly lovely, and one could
hardly help being conscious of some feeling of regret at having to
leave such charming scenes. But amidst all the fascination of the
prospect, I realised how a perpetual residence in such an abode would
make a man effeminate, and unfit him for peril and adventure; and
proudly I recalled the recollection that apart from the enterprise of
her sons, Phœnicia could have known no luxury: it was her commerce
that had brought her wealth; and had it not been for their bold and
undaunted navigation, the people might have seen their shores the
prey of invading kings.
Hanno had manifestly been under a like influence, and had been
following a kindred train of thought.
"Yes," he said, as if uttering aloud the conclusion of his own
reflections; "yes, even if Pharaoh, Melek-David,[24] the Chaldeans
and Assyrians all were to concentrate their hosts and fall on us
Phœnicians, we could betake ourselves to our ships and brave
them on the seas. Aye, though they should drive us out from our
own domain, build ships, and encounter us upon the ocean where the
supremacy has hitherto all of late been ours, yet we have Chittim,
Utica, Carthage, Tarshish to fall back upon; the whole world is ours!"
[24] Melek was the title of the Kings of Judah, as Pharaoh was
that of the Kings of Egypt.
"True," I replied; "in a sense, the world is ours: but it is nothing
except our own undaunted perseverance that has made it so. We have
had no kings to lead us on to vanquish neighbouring states; we
have had no generals to gain us victories and acquire us power;
but depending only on our native resources, trusting simply to our
own courage, and relying on the good protection of our gods, we
have traversed regions that were unexplored, and discovered wealth
that was unknown. And now, none dares to assail us; we command the
respect of all. None too proud to ask our aid, none too independent
to own our service. Who procures Melek-David his choicest timber,
his silver and gold? Who provides Pharaoh with balm, his jewels, his
copper and his tin? From whom does the Assyrian seek his purple and
glass, his ivory and embroidery? Who is the great purveyor of every
luxury for every prince and magnate of the world? A Tyrian may well
be proud when he claims all this for the mariners of Sidon and the
merchant-princes of Phœnicia."
Stirred to emotion by my enthusiasm, Himilco took up the strain:
"Yes; great and deservedly great is Tyre's renown. May her spirit of
adventure never flag! For my part, give me but the favour of Cabiros
for my guiding star, and I would not exchange my peaked sea-cap and
ragged kitonet for the tiara sparkling with its fleur-de-lys,[25]
and the mantle gorgeous with embroidered work that grace the King of
Nineveh!"
[25] See note on Chap. II. at end of Volume.
Whilst we were thus indulging the spirit of our national pride, the
priests within had been lighting the altar-fires and preparing the
sacrificial basins, some of which they filled with water, leaving
the rest empty. Hannibal had drawn up his men in order upon the
temple-steps, making an imposing array: he had just put them in the
form of a crescent, of which the archers in double file at the top
were the extremities, the centre being made by the men-at-arms, four
deep, and below, an avenue was left for the progress of myself and my
companions, the oxen being conducted into the temple by an entrance
at the back.
On our approach, our trumpeters gave a loud flourish, which was
answered by the flutes and instruments within. The high priest
advanced towards us and, in sonorous tones, exclaimed:
"Let Mago, the Sidonian, the son of Maherbaal, now draw near.
Commander of the expedition, he comes to present himself before the
goddess. Let him now approach, and all his followers attend him!"
Obedient to the summons, I ascended the steps, followed immediately
by my slaves; Hanno and Hannibal were on my right hand; Hasdrubal,
Hamilcar and Himilco on my left; behind us was the general throng
of sailors and of oarsmen. At a sign from Hannibal, the soldiers
shouldered their bows and lances, and having faced about, entered the
temple by the two side doors, and completely lined the edifice.
An official proclaimed silence. "Order!" he shouted; "Mago, son of
Maherbaal, makes an offering for his people."
It was the work of but a short time to bring in the oxen, and have
them slain and quartered, and while this was being done my slave
distributed amongst us the pomegranates he had brought. The high
priest with much formality presented me with the shoulder of one of
the victims, upon which, according to rule, I laid a purse containing
six shekels of coined money. The officiating priest accepted the
offering, and while he was proclaiming my liberality aloud, the
sacerdotal scribe was inscribing the names of myself and my captains,
together with the amount of my donation, in the temple register. The
chief priest then took the breasts of the victims and placed them
upon the altar, whence the smoke ascended high towards the round
window in the dome. The black stone at Sidon is the true goddess, but
here at Tyre, Ashtoreth is merely represented by a statue. Standing
with his face towards this, the priest made his invocation and
chanted some prayers to music, which gradually died away into perfect
silence.
During the time that these ceremonies were proceeding, the remaining
portions of the oxen were being steeped in the lavers, after which
they were thrown into great caldrons, part to be boiled over the
chafing-dishes in the temple-kitchen, and part to be cooked in
the open air of the sacred groves. The sailors lent their ready
assistance in kindling the fires and superintending the boilers.
The chief priest next handed me one of the bullock's breasts. I
raised it on high with both hands before the goddess, and delivered
it back to the priest, who turned it round three times, as if
solemnly dedicating it to the deity on my behalf. Hanno went through
a corresponding ceremony with the other breast, which was turned
round seven times in behalf of us all.
I had given the scribe five shekels to provide us with bread for the
entertainment, and in the name of the captains, pilots, and sailors,
Hamilcar gave him eight shekels, a part to provide us with wine, a
part as a free tribute to the goddess. He entered the several sums
upon the registers, and the officiating priest again made a public
announcement of our liberality. One after another we prostrated
ourselves before the image of the goddess, the high priest made a
short final invocation, and full of joy we withdrew from the temple
to the adjacent grove. At a sign from Hannibal, the soldiers, who had
stood mute and motionless throughout the ceremony, fell out of their
ranks, and rushing in wild confusion, mingled with the sailors to
assist them in preparing the banquet.
I took my seat at the foot of a noble cypress, and Hanno, Hannibal,
and Gisgo, placed themselves as my supporters on either hand, Himilco
charging himself with the duty of superintending the filling of a
large earthenware vase with wine. My slave arranged the drinking-cups
by placing mine (which had a lion's head at its mouth) in the centre,
and disposing those of the captains in order round it. Hannibal's
cup was of plated copper, with a stem and two handles, and embossed
with flowers and bunches of grapes. Having done this, the slave went
away, and returned ushering in two soldiers, who carried a huge
caldron; they let the caldron down heavily on the ground, their
cuirasses rattling again with their exertion. The lid of the caldron
was at once removed; a large basket of bread had been handed round
preparatory to the repast, and each man having brought out the wooden
knife and spoon that he carried at his waist, the whole of us set
ourselves to enjoy an abundant meal.
When the wine-cups had been distributed and charged, I rose from my
seat, and raising my cup on high, drank to the health and welfare of
the whole assembly.
"A goodly draught is this!" said Hannibal, when he had drained his
cup to the very dregs; "it is the wine of my own city Arvad; it gives
life and strength to those that drink it; hence Arvad's wide renown
for wits and warriors."
"And Arvad's warriors," I said, turning to the captain, "deserve
their fame. By-the-by, have your wide wanderings by sea and land ever
taken you into Judæa before? Thither it is, you know, that we first
direct our course."
"Truly, yes;" replied Hannibal, with his mouth full; "this very sword
that I am wearing, and this purple shoulder-belt, were presents from
Joab, the general and cousin of the King. I commanded twenty archers
under him at the battle of Gebah, when the Philistines were defeated
at the mulberry groves. Nor was that the only time. I was garrisoned
for a year or more at Hamath, with the troops of Nahari, Joab's
armour-bearer, one of David's thirty-seven mighty men. It was on
returning thence that I had the command of the soldiers on board the
ship of our friend Hasdrubal here, at the time when the galleys of
Sidon were sent to engage the Cilician fleet."
"Aye, I have heard of that expedition," said Himilco; "at that time
we were far away at Gades."
"And we," broke in Hamilcar, "were in the service of Pharaoh, sailing
along the coast of Ethiopia, beyond the Sea of Reeds.[26] What
splendid shells were there, containing precious pearls! and one great
fish there was that could swallow a man entire!"
[26] Jam Souph, the Red Sea.
At this moment one of the young priestesses approached our party, and
handed Hanno a small packet, carefully wrapped in linen.
"This," she said to him, "is the image of Baaltis. Over it I have
burnt the costliest perfumes; I have anointed it with the rarest
ointments; I have laid it before the goddess, who has graciously
accepted it. To you, Sidonian, I now entrust it, and may it bring
good fortune to yourself and all who share your enterprise."
The high priest came in person to deliver us the other images of the
gods, that of Melkarth alone excepted, which Bodmilcar himself was to
convey from the temple to which he had separately gone.
The priestess offered to accompany us to our ships, that she might
sprinkle the images on board before we took our departure.
Himilco craved permission to carry the image of the Cabiros down to
the quay before resigning it to the keeping of the captain.
"How about your vow of twenty shekels and a bullock that you made to
the Cabiri?" I asked him, as we rose to go.
"That will have to wait," he answered, "till I have come across that
Tarshish rascal who deprived me of my eye. The patient gods, I have
no doubt, will give me credit, and not require me to pay at once, or
in advance."
Meantime Hanno had been uncovering his image of Ashtoreth, and
was standing holding it in both hands and gazing at it with the
profoundest admiration. It was an alabaster figure, with a necklace
of three rows of gold beads and a pointed cap, beneath which flowed
ample masses of wavy hair.
"I, too," said Hanno, "have made a vow to my goddess, but she has
promised to abide my time, and to tarry till my expectations and
my longings are fulfilled;" and as he spoke, he stooped and kissed
the face of the image. I know not whether it was imagination on my
part, but I certainly thought the cypresses around gave a soft yet
perceptible rustle in response to his words. Perhaps the priestess
observed it also, for she smiled on me, and laid her hand on Hanno's
shoulder.
"But now, Captain Mago," she cried, "let us start. The time for
embarkation is at hand, and the goddess pronounces that it is a
favourable hour. Come, let us proceed!"
"To your ships, men; to your ships!" I shouted; and turning for a
moment towards the temple, said, "Farewell, Baaltis, Queen of Heaven:
to-night thou shalt behold us on the waters of the Great Sea!"
Hannibal, who had resumed his helmet, made a signal to the trumpeters
to summon the soldiers and sailors. Hanno and the priestess came on
one side of me; Himilco, carrying the image of his god, took his
place on the other, and in the same order in which it had come, our
_cortége_ wended its way along the decorated streets down towards
the port. The roads adjacent to the harbour and all the quays were
so densely thronged, that it was only with considerable difficulty
that we could force our way along. Every nation seemed to make its
contribution to the crowd: besides the native Phœnicians, there
were Syrians in their fringed and bordered robes; Chaldeans with
their frizzled beards; and Jews in their short tunics and long
gaiters, with panther-skins thrown across their shoulders. Again,
there were Lydians with bands around their foreheads; Egyptians,
some with shorn heads, and some with enormous wigs; Chalybeans,
wild in aspect, and half naked; and men of Caucasus, gigantic in
size and strength. Many a far distant land had sent its sons to our
Phœnician cities as the headquarters and the home of industry and
commerce; Arabs and Midianites were here looking with astonishment
at the height of the houses, and bewildered at the multitude of the
population; whilst the Scythians of Thogarma, their legs strap-bound,
moved with heavy strides, and looked around amazed, perplexed at the
absence alike of horses and of chariots from the narrow streets.
The air was filled with songs and shouts of many a different tongue;
the people jostled one another in their eagerness to catch a sight of
whatever company came last in view. Every band of musicians enlisted
its own admirers; every troop of priests attracted the closest
scrutiny. Every regiment with its painted shield excited a perpetual
interest; and as our own procession, with its trumpeters and soldiers
and promiscuous groups of sailors, could not fail to draw a large and
curious concourse, it was in the midst of a veritable whirl that we
passed the arsenal and made our way to the reserved quay, where our
ships, poops inward to the shore, had been left under the care of a
few sailors.
Bodmilcar and the eunuch had arrived before us, and were standing
in eager conversation on the gangway that led to the poop of the
_Melkarth_. As soon as they observed us, they stopped abruptly, and
Bodmilcar whistled for his sailors, whilst the eunuch advanced to
meet me.
"Is all your baggage duly stowed on board?" I asked Hazael.
"It is," he answered; "but it disappoints me much that our berths
have not been made upon this larger ship; here we might have far more
space and comfort: however, it matters little; at the first point
we touch we can make a change. Bodmilcar thinks it will be best we
should."
"It cannot be," I said; "the King's slave has been entrusted to
myself, and under my supervision she must be. The _Melkarth_ is
a transport, and the captain of a transport has no concern with
passengers. I must hear no more of this. Do I understand aright that
you have letters for me from the King?"
Without one word in reply, the eunuch handed me a box of sandal-wood,
which I opened, and found it to contain several sheets of papyrus, on
which were written various instructions to myself.
I was about to give orders to my trumpeter to proclaim silence, but
before the words were out of my mouth, Bodmilcar rushed forward and
threw himself into my arms.
"I have been sacrificing to Melkarth," he exclaimed; "I have paid
my vows to my god, and I must unburden my conscience. I wish to
ask pardon of any and of all to whom I have shown insolence or
ill-temper."
Without hesitation, Hanno offered him his hand, assuring him that he
fully forgave everything that had happened in the past, and that,
forgetting all previous quarrels, for the future he would show him
all proper deference, and yield to his authority. Pleased with this
open reconciliation, I expressed my satisfaction that we were able
thus to set out with so universal a spirit of harmony and of concord.
In the meanwhile the captains had severally collected their crews,
and Hannibal had told off his men-at-arms, reserving ten archers
and ten soldiers for our own ship. The priestess then, with the
accustomed solemnities, presented each vessel with the image of its
own peculiar divinity.
Before we started, our host, with whom we had been sojourning,
accompanied by his wife and son, forced his way through the guards
that had been keeping the inclosure, and came in haste to me.
"Mago, dear friend," he said, "I could not suffer you to go without
seeing you once more. Here are cakes, and here is a basket of dried
grapes; but, most of all, here are two goat-skins of genuine nectar.
Accept them from me in token of my good-will. Farewell, and the gods
grant you a prosperous voyage!"
"Farewell, honest pilot," said my host's wife to Himilco; "for you
I have brought this goat-skin of Byblos, because I know there is no
wine you like so well."
"Thanks, good hostess, many thanks," replied Himilco; "to me there
is no wine that can compare with the rich and luxurious produce of
Phœnicia. I shall not forget your bounty, and if only our star
shall favour us, and the _Cabiros_ shall safely bring us home again,
I promise to bring you such a gift as shall make the Tyrian women die
with envy."
The son, a youth of about sixteen, was devotedly attached to Hanno,
and only with the greatest difficulty could be dissuaded from
accompanying him upon his voyage. As a farewell gift, he had brought
his friend a large packet of the choicest reeds for writing; and the
two parted with mutual expressions of affection.
Amongst those present there was yet another whom I regarded with the
profoundest reverence, and whose knowledge was accounted as little
short of divine. This was an aged priest, named Sanchoniathon,[27]
the historian and chronicler of past events; although no traveller
himself, he had acquired the fullest information concerning well-nigh
every country of the world.
[27] I am guilty of an anachronism here for the mere satisfaction
of introducing the name of the great historian.
Addressing himself to me, he said: "Mago, my son, Hanno your scribe
has undertaken to transmit to me, in writing, an account of whatever
he may see rare or wonderful in the far-off lands to which you go;
his genius seems bright and quick, but his youth renders him wild and
unstable as a kid. Is it too much to ask of you that you will urge
him on to keep his word?"
"To gratify you, my father," said Hanno, "I will do all I can
to control the caprices and irregularities of my youth. My own
indebtedness to you is great. I trust that I may not forget the
lessons you have taught me; and if I can render any aid in enabling
you to keep the Phœnicians informed of the wonders of the world, I
shall be ready to show myself a pupil worthy of my master."
The aged Sanchoniathon then gave us his blessing. He had scarcely
concluded his benediction when the priestess of Ashtoreth came by,
returning from the ships. As she passed Hanno I distinctly heard her
say in an undertone:
"She is as good as she is beautiful!"
"Hush!" he murmured; "I must forget her! Happy Pharaoh!"
Everything being reported ready, I ordered the trumpeters to sound
the signal for departure, and we proceeded to embark. The first man
to step on board was old Gisgo, the pilot of the _Cabiros_, commonly
known as Gisgo the Celt, and perhaps still more frequently spoken
of as Gisgo the Earless. He had been eight times on a voyage to the
Rhone, and the story went that on one of his visits there he had
married a Celtic wife, with yellow hair, who was still awaiting him
in her native forests; on another occasion he had been taken prisoner
by the Siculians, who had cut off both his ears. Having mounted the
poop, the old man waved his cap and shouted cheerily:
"Mariners, mariners all! quick and ready! quick on board! rulers of
the ocean! sons of Ashtoreth! listen to your captain's call. Tyrians
and Sidonians! To sea! to sea! and long live Captain Mago!"
The men all hastened to their several ships, and as soon as I had
taken my station on the raised bench of the poop of the _Ashtoreth_,
my standard was hoisted as the signal of departure, the gangways were
removed, the boathooks were driven vigorously towards the facing of
the quay, and we were on our way.
The _Cabiros_, with its twenty-two oarsmen, took the lead; next came
the _Ashtoreth_; the _Dagon_ towed the _Melkarth_, which was too
large to hoist a sail in port. Our little squadron floated on past
the numerous ships that lined the quays, making its way through
crowds of boats that darted to and fro, conveying the countless
visitors to the island where the feast of Melkarth was still in
course of celebration. Our trumpeters continued to blow, our oars
rose and fell in regular cadence, and the voices of thousands of
spectators kept up a perpetual acclamation.
From my own position I could overlook the decks of all the other
vessels. Hanno was at my side, and Himilco stood at the bow giving
his orders to the helmsman. Hannibal had made his warriors hang their
shields over the ship's sides; every one had betaken himself to his
proper post, Hazael the eunuch being no exception, as he had retired
to the privacy of his own cabin.
[Illustration]
Passing the mouth of the trade-harbour, with its two watch-towers,
we entered the canal that led to the island; it was covered with
boats decorated with holiday-trappings; above it rose the palace of
the naval suffect, its terraces all decked with coloured hangings,
and thronged with a motley crowd. Beyond again, in the centre of
the island, I could see the dome of the temple of Melkarth, the
blue smoke of the sacrifices rising high above its ochred roof. I
could even hear the uproarious clanging of the cymbals and the other
instruments within.
The royal galley, escorted by the galley of the naval suffect, came
forth to meet us. On the poop of the royal vessel was a raised
platform, which shone as if it were a mass of solid metal, being
covered entirely with cloth of gold and silver. The oars were
faced with ivory; the sails were embroidered with silver thread,
with representations of Melkarth, Moloch, and Ashtoreth, the large
hyacinth-coloured sail in the middle being worked with green to
imitate waves, from which rose the figure of Ashtoreth protecting
the fish from the fury of Dagon. A full band of musicians was
playing at the bows, and, on deck, a number of graceful women,
wearing state tiaras and triple necklaces, performed upon gaily
painted tambourines, and waved light rods adorned with little bells
and tassels of pale green and purple. At the stern sat King Hiram.
He wore a Phœnician cap, his beard was frizzled in the Syrian
fashion, and he had two gold bracelets on each arm. His throne was
of gold and enamel; the back of it was carved into the image of a
ship, and the arms were representations of dolphins. In attendance,
standing with folded arms, were his scribe and the keeper of the
seals; behind him stood two officers, one of them holding the purple
canopy of state, fringed with gold, the other carrying the royal
standard, which bore, worked in silver on a hyacinth-coloured ground,
representations of the sun and the planets, with the crescent moon
above. The suffects were on board the Admiralty galley, surrounded
by guards in Lydian helmets, whose silver shields and cuirasses
glittered brightly in the sun.
At sight of the royal _cortége_ I ordered my men to ship their oars
and to bring our vessels to a standstill. A corresponding order was
given to the royal ships, and it was but the work of a few minutes
for the slaves to throw the ebony gangway across, and to cover it
with a brilliant carpet. King Hiram rose from his seat and stepped
on board, and I had the honour of conducting him all over my vessel,
and of showing him the double deck, the stowage of the cargo, and the
great earthen reservoirs of water. He went, unaccompanied, to visit
the berth that had been provided for the slave, and before leaving,
presented me, through his treasurer, with two talents of silver. When
he had returned to his throne, the temporary passage was withdrawn,
and at a signal from me, our hundred and twenty-two oars cleft the
water without a splash. The trumpets sounded; soldiers, sailors,
rowers, raised a tremendous cheer, and from my place I shouted aloud:
"Farewell, my King! Tyre and Phœnicia, farewell! And now, children
of Ashtoreth, my crew, forwards, forwards!"
Quickly the squadron made its way past the two towers that guarded
the military harbour, and on which perpetual watch was kept. I cast
one look back at the canal with its swarm of gala-boats; at the quays
still thronged with the motley crowd; at the city, rising like a
vast white amphitheatre intersected by the threading of its narrow,
crooked streets; at the mass of the yellow temple of Melkarth; at
the great Admiralty Palace, above which were the glittering walls of
the temple of Baaltis; and, last of all, at the heights of Libanus
beyond, standing out green and black against the background of the
sky. I turned away to give my attention to the ships that were
dashing the snowy foam from their prows. The _Cabiros_ was riding the
waves like a dolphin; the _Melkarth_, now no longer in tow, and the
_Dagon_ were crowded with sail.
A favourable wind bore us onwards to the south-west, so that I gave
orders that the galleys should hoist their sails, and that half the
rowers should ship their oars and take an interval of rest. I sat
down and gazed upon the broad and glittering ocean.
We were now fairly on our way to Tarshish.
CHAPTER III.
CHAMAI RECOGNISED BY THE ATTENDANT OF THE SLAVE.
In order to clear the White Cape in the south-west, I took an oblique
course across the bay, on the north of which stands the city of Tyre.
From White Cape[28] I should sight the distant promontory of Mount
Carmel, and avoiding the deep waters of the bay to the north of this
point, I should double it and coast along direct to Joppa.
[28] Now Ras-el-Abiad.
The _Cabiros_ was quite capable of making 1300 stadia[29] in
twenty-four hours; but the gaoul, which was always in ordinary
weather worked by sails and was now heavily laden, could not attain
that speed; neither could the galleys. I succeeded in accomplishing a
rate of 1000 stadia in the twenty-four hours, so that in about three
hours after our departure we had rounded White Cape, and holding on
by a south-west course, by nightfall had lost sight of land. Towards
midnight Himilco roused me with the announcement that we were off
Mount Carmel. I could just discern its bluff peak standing out in the
moonlight, and gave instructions that our course should be changed
to the south; at the same time I took the precaution to signal to
the _Melkarth_ to clew up her sail and use her oars, because we were
again approaching the shore. A brisk breeze in the morning brought
us in sight of the low, level coast of Palestine, and before noon we
recognised Joppa by its elevated towers and surrounding groves of
palms and wild fig-trees.
[29] That is, 32½ geographical miles, the rate given by
Herodotus.
After passing the mouth of a river which empties itself about forty
stadia north of the port, the _Cabiros_ neared the shore, while the
_Melkarth_ and the two galleys, owing to the shallowness of the
water, were brought to anchor at about a stadium and a half away.
The harbour of Joppa is insignificant, and has neither basins nor
piers; scattered about the beach are a few cabins and dilapidated
hovels, in the midst of which rises the small fortress of rubble
built by King David when he opened traffic with the Phœnicians,
and made Joppa the port whither the firs and cedars hewn down in
Lebanon were brought on floats. A large Phœnician barque, and
a miserable Egyptian craft, with a goose as its figure-head, were
stranded in the mud below the beach, and on the beach itself were a
few wretched boats belonging to the Jewish fishermen.
Taking Hanno and Hannibal with me, I went on shore in one of my
small boats, for the purpose of paying a visit to the governor in
command of the little garrison that occupied the fortress. Before,
however, we had gone far, we saw the governor himself coming to meet
us, followed by about fifteen men armed with swords, lances, and
square shields. They wore linen girdles, fastened at the side by a
strap, which was finished off at the end with a cut and polished
flint. Their heads were bare, but their hair was arranged in a lot
of little tresses; upon their feet and legs were long laced gaiters,
and a panther's skin, according to Jewish habit, was thrown across
their shoulders. The captain alone was distinguished by a cuirass,
which was of copper, and badly made. As soon as I was within a few
paces of him I stopped and made him my salute, a courtesy which he
acknowledged, giving me to understand that he was already aware I
came as an envoy from King Hiram.
[Illustration: MY SALUTE.
_To face page 45._]
"Peace be with you!" he said. "Having been informed of your arrival,
I have come to offer you the escort to Jerusalem which you require.
But now, I beg you, come to the fortress and partake of what
hospitality we have it in our power to give."
We were pleased at our reception, and followed our host to the
vaulted gate of the tower that overhung the fortress. He conducted us
to a lofty chamber overlooking the sea, and made his servants spread
a carpet over the floor, that was but roughly paved. The walls of
the room were of the coarsest rubble and perfectly bare, the entire
building being of the most meagre construction. Water, bread, dried
figs, and cheese was the simple fare that was set before us, to
which, however, there was added some very palatable wine, which the
Jews, since their conquest of Syria, had been able to procure from
Helbon.
While the repast was being prepared we interchanged mutual inquiries
about ourselves and our respective kings, but the meal was no sooner
ready than the Jewish commandant set us the example of eating by
cramming his mouth chockfull of cheese.
Presently, as he observed me throwing glances round the room, he said:
"Ah, yes, you are thinking that we have not your Phœnician skill
in building! We lack your taste and finish. But, remember, we have
not your wealth nor your materials. However, you must recollect that
this is only a poor straggling village; patience! and you shall see
our populous cities, as well as our fertile country, before you reach
Jerusalem."
"The land of Judah," said Hannibal, "is not unknown to me. I have
traversed it already, and can bear witness to its richness and
fertility; truly it is a land of olives, dates, and corn and wine.
And not only are you husbandmen, you are proud of being warriors.
Every nation has its own pursuit. We men of Tyre and Sidon for
the most part are sailors full of ardour, and merchants full of
enterprise: but yet I think we may boast of our warriors, too: Arvad,
for instance, need not be ashamed of the generals she can show."
"True enough," rejoined the other, as his eye rested with involuntary
admiration on Hannibal's arms and cuirass, "and no doubt Phœnician
soldiers are well equipped."
"I can tell you," said Hannibal, "something that may perhaps surprise
you. In spite of your keeping no standing army, and of your never
admitting strangers into your service, I have myself served under
your king. It happened in this way: when I was very young I was taken
to the town of Cana, in the heritage of the sons of Asher; I grew up
as a child of the tribe, and eventually, at the regular age, I was
enlisted into your army."
The Jewish captain was delighted; he rose and embraced Hannibal, and
in token of their friendship they partook of a cup of wine, which was
afterwards passed on to Hanno and myself. "I belong," he said, "to
the tribe of Judah, through whose inheritance we shall have to pass
as we go to Jerusalem. The King is maintaining some troops at his own
expense, and I am one of the captains of twenty. My mission here is
to await your arrival; the requisite horses and asses are provided
for your journey, and you may start whenever it suits your wishes;
this very evening, if you choose."
"Impossible to-night," I answered; "I cannot be absent from the ships
until I have returned and made all things ready. To-morrow, however,
I shall be prepared."
As there seemed time at our disposal, he inquired whether he might
not be permitted to visit our ships, suggesting that as we were
Phœnicians, we might probably have commodities to offer that they
might be glad to purchase.
I explained that being in the royal service we were not carrying any
goods for commercial transactions, but had only such articles on
board as we hoped to barter for the provisions that we might require
on our way.
"In that case," he said, "I may perchance further your designs; we
have flocks of goats, and we have balm and olives in abundance. I
will serve you in any way I can. I am Chamai, the son of Rehaiah; my
father is well known throughout the country."
I acquiesced in his wish of visiting our ships, and he followed me
down after a very short interval.
During my absence the sailors had been displaying on the beach the
few articles that they had brought for their own private benefit,
and were driving a briskish trade with the fishermen and shepherds
that had gathered round them. On board the _Melkarth_ some of the
barter-goods were already unpacked, and Hanno was not long in drawing
up a list of such things as I was ready to part with, and such as
I was anxious to procure in exchange. The additions to my store of
which I was in especial need were ten measures of grain, two measures
of oil, a barrel of olives, half a measure of balm, six baskets of
dried figs, six baskets of dates, and fifty cheeses; and I further
instructed Bodmilcar, who superintended the exchanges, to purchase
some sheep and kids, in order that our men should be adequately
supplied with fresh meat until our arrival in Egypt. Other supplies
would be requisite; but for these I reckoned upon the generosity of
King David, and upon what I should be able to buy at Jerusalem.
Chamai expressed his great delight at the order and arrangement of
our ships; and as almost everything presented some feature of novelty
to him, he could hardly find words to describe his admiration. The
discipline of the crews and the completeness of the rigging seemed
equally to fill him with surprise. He accepted my invitation to
remain to supper; and as we were all seated on the poop of the
_Ashtoreth_, he gave a deep sigh, and exclaimed:
"How glorious your long voyages are! How glorious to be able
to obtain the wealth that the Great Sea can give! Here, in our
mountains, we are as ignorant as goats. From time to time we may
plunder a few villages, but our chiefs always get the lion's share of
the prey, which, after all, is meagre enough compared with what you
gain by commerce."
I reminded him how that there was something more to charm an
adventurer on the seas than merely getting wealth; there was the
advantage of seeing the wonders of the world.
"Ah, yes," he assented. "I have heard your Phœnician merchants
tell of enormous serpents, and of fishes fifty cubits long. I have
listened to their tales of valleys full of precious stones, and mines
with inexhaustible stores of silver and of gold. I know, too, that
they relate wonderful stories about giants, and about mountains that
belch forth fire and smoke."
"No doubt," I said, "you must allow a little for exaggeration in
travellers' tales; but beyond a question there are strange sights for
travellers to see."
"And do you not," he asked, "occasionally have to fight? I have had
some experience in fighting; I have slain Moabites and Philistines
with my own hand. I could fight again; and if you are likely to have
any more fighting I should like to go with you. Could you not take
me?"
Hannibal laid his hand upon Chamai's shoulder, and said: "Look here,
captain. If you are in earnest, perhaps that might be done. I want
forty recruits as archers. Would it be in your power to get them for
us?"
"Yes, yes!" he cried eagerly, adding his accustomed oath, "in the
name of El, the Lord of hosts."
"Get them then," I said; "and if they are forty sturdy fellows, fit
for soldiers, you shall have the command of them, under Hannibal." I
further delighted him by promising him a new cuirass, and a Chalybean
dagger with an ivory handle.
"Long live the King!" he cried, in an ecstasy of joy; and Hannibal
rubbed his hands with glee at the prospect of so successfully
recruiting the number of his troops, saying that now they might face
the world and conquer kingdoms.
"Whatever kingdoms I conquer," broke in Hanno, "I shall sell
forthwith, subjects and all; I shall put them up to auction to the
highest bidder, and shall purchase my palace with the proceeds. You,
Himilco, shall be appointed cup-bearer. 'When the goat is gardener,
the goat-skins are taken care of;' you know the proverb."
"But instead of talking about _your_ feast," said Himilco, drily, "we
may as well proceed to enjoy our own;" and he moved towards the table
on which the supper had now been laid.
We had hardly commenced our repast, when a sailor came from Bodmilcar
to announce that he had completed all his purchases. I inquired why
the captain himself did not come to join our party. The man said that
he could give no other reason than that he believed Bodmilcar had
invited the eunuch to supper with him on board the _Melkarth_.
Hanno turned pale.
"That rascally eunuch, I fear, is manœuvring some mischief," I
said, when the sailor had left us; "however, let us hope that the
women are not in the plot."
Hanno was on the point of hurrying off immediately to the cabin, when
the door opened, and the waiting-maid made her appearance, followed
by her mistress, closely veiled.
"Never fear, captain," said the maid, smiling; "the hawk may fly, but
the doves do not follow."
"Did he tell you to follow him?" I asked angrily.
"He did not insist upon it," replied the girl; "and we preferred
remaining here; we had no taste for taking up our quarters on that
big black ship."
I told her that she had only done right, and that I should reprimand
Hazael most severely if he made the slightest attempt at removing
them from my immediate supervision. She then made a request, to which
I willingly acceded, that they might enjoy a stroll in the fresh air
upon the deck; but before she turned away, Chamai, who had hitherto
been engrossed in some military discussion with Hannibal, caught
sight of her face, and suddenly starting to his feet, exclaimed:
"Abigail, you here!"
"Chamai, is it you?" she answered; and in an instant they were
grasping each other's hands; and gazing in each other's eyes, they
wept aloud.
As soon as Chamai had recovered his composure, he asked her by what
strange chance it happened that she was on board a Phœnician
vessel.
"Did you not know," she asked in return, "that the Philistines came
down on Guedor, our native village, and carried me off to Askelon,
and afterwards sold me to the Tyrians?"
"No," he said; "all this is new to me. I was away in the north,
fighting against the King of Zobah, and since that time, have not
been home."
It did not take Abigail long to regain all her wonted cheerfulness
and vivacity; and she went on to tell how she had been purchased
by the King of Tyre, and was now on her way to Egypt in attendance
upon the Ionian lady, whom King Hiram had bought at the same time as
herself, and whom he was now sending as a present to Pharaoh.
Chamai, in his turn, informed her that he was to be allowed to
accompany us in our expedition, but was loud in expressing his
regret that the voyage to Egypt would be so quickly over; he could
have wished, he said, that it would take as long as his forefathers'
wandering in the wilderness.
Touched by the incident of this mutual recognition, I invited the
girl to sit down for a little while amongst us; and requested Hanno,
who was acquainted with the Ionian dialect, to ask the lady to do the
same. With a graceful obeisance, she took her seat on a cushion that
was placed for her.
The evening meal proceeded pleasantly enough. Abigail and Chamai
entertained us with the story of their attachment, relating how in
the days of their early childhood they had tended goats together in
their native pastures. I could not refrain from expressing my sorrow
that they had met to be parted again so soon.
"But perhaps," said Abigail, "Pharaoh will not want to keep me; of
such as I am, King Pharaoh must have thousands. My mistress here is
sent for him; but me, surely, he will send back again."
Chamai clenched his strong fists, and gave an appealing look at me;
but I could give him no further consolation than by remarking that it
was very probable the company of the waiting-woman was only required
for the lady during the voyage.
"Apart from that," said Hannibal, "she would be lonely and desolate
enough. Little is the trouble that the eunuch Hazael puts himself to
for the sake of entertaining her."
Meanwhile, Hanno and the Ionian lady had entered into a conversation
so close, and apparently so confidential, that it gave me a feeling
of uneasiness; and in order to interrupt it, I took the opportunity,
while the wine-cups were being replenished, of asking Hanno whether,
as he had a reputation for playing the psaltery, he could not
persuade the lady to allow him to accompany her while she sung one
of the songs of her country. She had some slight acquaintance with
Phœnician, and answered for herself that she should have much
pleasure in singing as I wished.
Hanno fetched his psaltery, and as soon as it was tuned, the
captive damsel turned back her veil and revealed a countenance of
peculiar beauty. She was dressed as a Phœnician, in a purple robe
embroidered with silver, and wore a necklace composed of three rows
of gold beads and gold ornaments of elaborate design. Her head was
bare, and her hair was arranged in the fashion of her own country,
turned back from the forehead and secured in the middle. We sat in
silence, as though riveted by a spectacle of surpassing beauty.
[Illustration: THE IONIAN COMMENCED ONE OF THE SONGS OF HER
NATIVE LAND.
_To face page 52._]
As soon as my slave had attached the earthenware lamps to the
supports that were ready for them in the ship's side, the Ionian,
in a rich harmonious voice, commenced one of the songs of her
native land. I cannot profess to be familiar with the Ionic tongue,
but in the course of my wanderings I had gained sufficient
acquaintance with it to be aware that the verses which she sung were
in celebration of the wars made long, long ago by her countrymen, the
Achæans, against Priam and the city of Troy. Ever and again, as her
voice rose in thrilling sweetness, Chamai's eyes could be noticed
flashing with emotion, and Hannibal's fingers seemed to be feeling
for the hilt of his sword; and even those who could not comprehend
the meaning of the words were all enraptured by the melody of the
song and the bewitching loveliness of the singer. When she had
finished, she rose and retired with a step stately as that with which
Ashtoreth might move along the floods.
Immediately after she had gone, Hanno moved to the ship's side, where
he stood for a considerable time gazing moodily into the water. I
missed his merry voice from our party, and going up to him asked him
what was the matter.
"Nothing but what will soon pass away," he replied.
"Take my advice," I said, "and let nothing be told Bodmilcar about
what has transpired this evening. I neither trust him nor the eunuch."
"Let Bodmilcar do as he pleases," replied Hanno, quickly. "For my
part, I shall abide by the promise I have made. What I want now is to
get to Tarshish, and to find adventures to divert me. I think I shall
be a good sailor yet, captain;" and his tone brightened as he spoke.
I shook him heartily by the hand. Somehow or other I felt myself
every day to be drawn closer to the youth.
When I rejoined the others I found Chamai on the point of returning
to shore.
"Good-night, Chamai," said I; "we meet again in the morning."
"Good-night, captain; good-night all;" and as soon as he was in the
boat he shouted, "Good-night, Abigail, my charming dove!"
"Good-night, my pretty lamb!" responded Abigail, saucily, as she
looked forth from the interior of her cabin.
At this very moment the eunuch arrived. "The fellow has good lungs,"
he sneered, as he passed; "but I question whether King Pharaoh would
be best pleased to know that his slaves had been displayed to all the
world."
"No, nor if he should learn that they have been entertained by a
ship's captain and his scribe," put in Bodmilcar, contemptuously
kicking aside Hanno's psaltery, which had been accidentally left upon
the cushion that had been occupied by the Ionian.
[Illustration]
"Your proceedings displease _me_;" I began, in a tone of reproof; but
Bodmilcar interrupted me by saying sharply: "Hazael has the King's
authority for placing the slaves wherever he thinks best."
This was too exasperating. It was intolerable that a Syrian eunuch,
himself a mere slave, should presume to set up his authority over me,
a free man and a captain of a Sidonian fleet, and I stared steadily
at Bodmilcar, as if he could hardly be aware of what he said; but he
only returned my gaze with a look of defiance.
He proceeded in a haughty tone: "This Ionian damsel was once mine,
but she was stolen from me by men who sold her to the King. The King
sends her to King Pharaoh as a present, and I shall do my duty to the
King by preventing his present from falling into the hands of your
scribe."
I answered firmly: "In all these matters I alone am judge. On these
vessels my authority in all things is supreme, and woe to any one who
questions it."
"Well spoken!" cried Hannibal. "Discipline and obedience for ever!"
[Illustration]
"I shall do _this_, then," he began, with a voice half-choked with
rage; but I took him up coolly and decisively: "You will do what I
order; you will go back to your ship and look after your sailors. I
shall be away five days."
He retreated slowly towards the boat, muttering threats and oaths as
he went, but to these I did not pay the slightest heed.
When he was gone, Hazael said: "And now I shall go and chastise that
girl."
I laid my hand upon his shoulder to deter him; but he shook himself
free, and was about to open the cabin-door, when the powerful grasp
of Hannibal was upon him, so that he was twisted completely round.
"How?--how now?" he stammered out, looking first at me and then at
Hannibal, who still retained a firm hold upon him. I folded my arms
and looked steadily at him.
"Listen!" I said; "listen to me. The rule of a Phœnician ship is
this: whoever defies the captain's orders is tied to a rope from the
yard-arm and dipped three times in the water. Do you understand me?"
Quivering with fear, the eunuch only bowed his head in assent.
"Remember it then," I added; "and remember, too, another rule: when
any one curses another he is fastened tight to that mast and flogged;
five-and-twenty lashes. Do you understand?"
He bent his head again.
"And don't forget," I said, "that Abigail has a busy tongue, and that
I have sharp ears. Now, Hannibal, let him go."
Hazael made his way to his cabin without a word. Hannibal could not
suppress his glee. He exclaimed: "Bravo! captain! all right! no good
doing things by halves; mutiny in a ship is as bad as rebellion in a
camp."
Early next morning I sent for Bodmilcar.
"Bodmilcar," said I, "you are an old Phœnician mariner and ought
to be trusted, but I am afraid the influence of that eunuch has
turned your head. He will not be long with us; and when he takes
his women ashore, I hope you will be yourself again: but meanwhile
you must give me your word that you will not be promoting further
discord."
He attempted to deny that he had in any way fostered discord, but I
was not to be put off; I insisted upon the promise being distinctly
given, and when he had yielded and made me the promise I required, I
said to him:
"Now, attend to my instructions. You will remain here in command
of the vessels, while I am gone to Jerusalem. Hanno and Hannibal
will accompany me, but Hasdrubal, Hamilcar and Himilco will remain
with you, and you will be under the protection of the soldiers. We
will make it our business to get provisions in the interior of the
country, so that you will have nothing to concern yourself about in
the way of purchases."
"And what becomes of the two women?" he inquired.
"That is my affair," I answered; "I shall see that they are provided
for on shore. But we are off at once; so look to your duty. Farewell!"
I directed Hanno and Hannibal to get into the boat, and ordered my
slave, with two sailors carrying the baggage, to accompany them. As
Hanno passed Bodmilcar, I noticed that the latter scowled and spat
upon the ground. Hanno merely shrugged his shoulders.
Before I took my own place in the boat, I saw the women and the
eunuch safely on board the other boat, and told two sailors to go
with them, and take on shore all that they might require. Hazael
tried to invent some pretext for remaining behind; he would look
after the baggage, he said, but on hearing me cry out, "No, no," he
embarked without further remonstrance.
Everything being ready, I gave the word for starting, and the two
boats moved off. Bodmilcar stood upon the poop watching us gloomily,
whilst Himilco, who was by his side, bade us good-bye with a friendly
cheer.
A very few strokes of the oar brought us to land; Chamai had been
impatiently awaiting our arrival, and hastened to assist Abigail
from the boat. We made our way straight to the village, which lies
in a grove of wild fig-trees, about two bowshots from the fortress,
and is provided with a good cistern. In front of the house that
seemed by far the most important in the place, there were tied two
horses and about a dozen asses. The horses were well caparisoned with
embroidered bridles, and had their heads decked out with scarlet
network, trimmed with little bells and parti-coloured rosettes,
their tails being tied up with scarlet bands. The asses' manes and
tails, according to a general custom, were dyed with henna, and these
animals, like the horses, were all well harnessed.
"This," said Chamai, "is the house of Bichri; he is one of the men
that I propose getting to join you on your voyage. He is young and
strong, and skilful in the use alike of his bow, his sword, and his
shield. He has been a vine-dresser on the mountains, and has learnt
the art of making wine."
Bichri himself at this moment came forward to give us his greeting;
he was accompanied by another man with a young woman.
"This is Barzillai, one of my captains of ten," said Chamai,
introducing him to me; "and this is his wife, Milcah; she is the
sister of our friend Bichri here, and is famous for the honey-cakes
she makes."
Hannibal suggested that Barzillai and his wife should join us on our
expedition, but Chamai explained that nothing would induce them to go
to sea.
I next proceeded to make arrangements for lodging the two women
during my absence. I found that they could either be accommodated in
the tower, or that they could be received into Bichri's house, where
they would be near enough to Barzillai to have the companionship of
his wife, and the protection of his men-at-arms. At first Chamai was
disposed to murmur when he learnt that Abigail was not to accompany
us to Jerusalem; but when he understood that it was my wish that
she and her mistress should remain together where they were, he
acquiesced without another word of disapprobation. To Barzillai I
give the strictest injunctions to allow no one, except the eunuch, to
see the Ionian lady on any pretence whatever, and he struck his hand
upon the hilt of his sword as a guarantee that he would be faithful
to his trust.
"And where am I to lodge?" asked the eunuch.
"Wherever you may choose," I answered; "in Bichri's house, if you
like."
"In my house!" cried Bichri; "a Syrian of Zobah in my house! No, no,
captain, by your leave, I'd rather not. It cannot be."
"Why not?" yelped out the eunuch; "are we Syrians not as good as you?"
"No; Syrians are slaves: our King conquered you at Zobah and Damascus
both; you are fleas, dead dogs!"
"True," chimed in Chamai; "the Philistines of Gaza and Askelon are
foes worth conquering, but as to Syrians, I could spit a dozen of
them on my lance and carry them across my shoulder."
"Ha, ha!" laughed Hannibal; "Chamai dearly loves a joke; he will make
good sport for us along our way."
To Barzillai's inquiries whether the women were ever to be allowed to
go out, I replied that Abigail, since she belonged to the country,
might occasionally take a walk in company with Milcah, but that the
Ionian must not be allowed to leave the house until my return. They
engaged to make the lady's time pass agreeably, and Milcah undertook
to initiate her into the art of making cakes and other delicacies.
Having thus satisfactorily made our preliminary arrangements, we
entered the house to partake of some refreshment before our departure.
In order to ensure that the guard should be sufficiently strong,
Barzillai had offered to find quarters in the village for fifteen
of our men in addition to his own. Hannibal accordingly sent to
the ships for fifteen archers to come on shore, and I took the
opportunity of sending by the same messenger to Hamilcar and those
who were with him, to inform them what I had done by way of putting
an effectual check upon any scheme that Bodmilcar and the eunuch
might concert between them.
The eunuch had declined joining our meal, and had returned sulkily to
the ships. Milcah conducted the Ionian to her apartment, but soon
reappeared, bringing a supply of her renowned honey-cakes, three for
every guest. So engrossed, however, were Abigail and Chamai with each
other's society, that they forgot all about taking their own shares,
which Hannibal was nothing loath to eat for them.
Bichri went out first to see that the horses and asses were in
readiness, and we followed him as soon as we had taken our leave of
Barzillai and Milcah. The parting between the young lovers, it need
scarcely be said, was somewhat protracted. Thoroughbred Sidonian as
I was, more accustomed to the rolling of a ship than the curvetings
of a steed, I declined mounting the high-spirited horse which the Jew
offered me, feeling that I should be more at my ease upon a pacific
steady-going ass. By my directions Hanno had made a present to our
host of a piece of scarlet cloth; to his wife I had given a pair of
silver earrings, with which she was extremely delighted; and we had
distributed a number of earthenware dolls and toys to the children
who crawled about or clambered on our knees. Chamai (who had donned
his new cuirass and bestowed his old one upon Barzillai), detained
us by running back a dozen times upon some frivolous pretext,
which ill disguised his real design of saying good-bye once more
to his sweetheart, but at last made up his mind to mount the horse
which Hanno, as well as myself, had refused to ride. Hannibal had
already mounted the other horse, and was exhibiting his skill as an
equestrian, by cantering about us. Of the asses, four were laden with
our baggage; Hanno, the two sailors, and my own slave, got upon the
others; and Bichri, with his strong mountaineer's stride, marched on
ahead of the caravan to pioneer the way.
CHAPTER IV.
KING DAVID.
After crossing the fertile corn-fields of the low-lying plains,
thickly studded with groves of figs and dates, and with clumps of the
stunted trees which abound in Judæa, expanding their parasol-like
foliage, we began to ascend the mountain by narrow pathways, bordered
by forests of terebinths, alternating with vineyards and plantations
of olives. This route, delightful in its shade, brought us to the
little town of Timnah, on the ridge of the hill, where Chamai
introduced us to a man who found us lodging, and provided shelter
for our beasts. Timnah is not only small, but it is most irregularly
built; it is encircled by an embattled wall, with two gateways and
twelve circular towers; the houses are only of one storey, being
detached, and generally surrounded by gardens.
We were tormented by myriads of fleas, which appeared to be
especially remarkable for avidity. There were also countless swarms
of flies; and Hannibal, who had taken off his cuirass in order that
he might more effectually scratch himself, remarked, with some show
of reason, that he thought the inhabitants of Judæa ought to implore
Beelzebub, as the god of flies, to relieve them of this plague of
vermin.
On the following morning, after traversing several ravines, and
crossing several ridges of the hilly but well-cultivated country,
we came in sight of a deep valley, sterile and deserted. The rocks
that formed alike its bottom and its sides were scattered over with
human bones, that were bleaching in the air. Towards the east some
eminences could be discerned, surmounted by a fort, whilst the
valley again sloped upwards towards the ridges that bounded it on the
south.
"This is the Valley of Giants," said Bichri, as he turned over a
skull with the end of a staff he carried.
"Well enough I know it," broke in Chamai. "When I was young I was
Benaiah's armour-bearer. Benaiah was one of King David's mighty men,
a captain of a hundred; one snowy day he killed a lion in a pit; and
once in single fight he slew an Egyptian giant; and here in this
very vale of Rephaim, when I was serving under him, we routed the
Philistines so utterly, that the men of Ashdod have been tributary to
us ever since."
"And I, too, can recall it well," said Hannibal. "The Philistines
were up there to the right, designing to storm the fortress in our
front; half-way down the valley the King encountered them and drove
them to their heights again. The heat of the battle was in the
valley, but the greatest carnage was on the flight up yonder ridge."
As we proceeded, Hannibal pointed out to us on the further side of
the valley the thirty stakes to which the King had had the chiefs of
the Philistines bound after the battle; fragments of the skeletons
were still attached to them.
"Ours is a good King," exclaimed Chamai; "Absalom, his son, rebelled
against him, but I stood fast by David."
"And I, too," said Bichri; "and a battle followed in which I killed
Othniel, the son of Ziba: I sent a javelin clean through his temples;
this girdle of purple linen, which I am wearing now, was his."
All along, as we proceeded, Chamai, Hannibal and Bichri continued
in this way to point out the sites, and to recall the history of
places and events to which any interest attached. Whenever we
passed a village or a town, the inhabitants, recognising us as
Phœnicians, came flocking towards us with offerings of milk,
dried grapes, figs, wine, or other refreshment, but were always
eager in their inquiries whether we had any commodities of our
own to sell. Bichri invariably told them that if they wished to
inspect our merchandise, they must either come to Jerusalem, whither
we were going, or go down to Joppa, where we had left our ships.
Occasionally the goat-herds, who were in charge of fine flocks upon
the hill-sides, accosted us, but we bought nothing of them except a
couple of the excellent cheeses of the country, for which we paid
only a few zeraas. As we were eating the cheeses under the shade of
a terebinth, some girls brought us cool water from a neighbouring
spring, and in acknowledgment of their attention, Hanno gave them a
number of glass beads, with which they seemed highly delighted.
[Illustration: SHORTLY BEFORE SUNSET WE REACHED JERUSALEM.
_To face page 63._]
Shortly before sunset, on the evening of the second day we reached
Jerusalem, a city very strongly built upon a steep and elevated
plateau. The distant view of the city is extremely striking; the soil
on which it is built is undulating and irregular, so as to produce
an effect of the whole place being literally studded with domes and
terraces; the whiteness of the walls, and the numerous roofs that
are imbedded in the foliage of the olive-yards that skirt the walls,
all combine to make up a picture that cannot fail most favourably to
impress the traveller with its beauty.
After crossing a road that was bounded on one side by the torrent
of Kedron, and which was lost to view as it deflected towards the
deserts, we had surmounted the last of the olive-covered hills, and
passed the last of the ravines, and soon began ascending a paved
street, wide enough to admit three horsemen abreast, of which the
houses were of brick, their gardens being enclosed by low clay walls.
Night was coming on, and Chamai, who had galloped on ahead (leaving
us to the guidance of Bichri), was now awaiting us at the gate of a
large garden attached to a handsome brick house of two storeys. This
house was the residence of Ira, one of the King's officers, to whom
the duty was specially entrusted of providing for the entertainments
of foreign ambassadors. Immediately on our arrival, some slaves
came to take charge of our beasts, and to carry our baggage into the
dwelling, where we were first conducted into a long low room, and
water was brought us for our feet. It was not long before Ira himself
appeared to bid us welcome, and to offer us refreshment. I informed
him of my name and errand, and showed him the letter I bore from
King Hiram to King David. He raised it to his head in token of his
respect, and promised to give his sovereign an immediate notice of my
arrival.
When we had completed our repast, I began to prepare my presents
for King David. First of all I chose a hyacinth-coloured under
tunic, made of the finest Egyptian linen, and a purple upper tunic
embroidered round the neck and sleeves with flowers, and bordered
with silver fringe; to these I added a girdle wrought in gold and
silver, with a lion's head in gold for a clasp, the eyes being of
bright enamel. This girdle was a most elaborate specimen of Egyptian
workmanship, being one of four that I had purchased of a native
artist, intending them for presents to any monarchs to whose presence
I might be admitted in the course of my progress. Another gift that
I selected was a drinking-cup of silver with two handles; it was
raised upon a stem, and embossed with ornaments, worked in gold,
representing fruit and flowers. The whole of these I deposited in
a box of the sandal-wood of Ophir, curiously inlaid with gold and
mother-of-pearl. Remembering that the King was not only fond of
music, but was himself a skilful performer, I further looked out for
him a three-stringed harp of sandal-wood, ornamented with coloured
tufts, and surmounted by the figure in solid gold of a bird with open
beak and outstretched wings. This instrument could not be matched
out of Phœnicia, and the wood of which it was made, like that of
the box, had been brought from Ophir. I had procured the harp from
Khelesh-baal, a Sidonian, to whom it had been given by the Queen of
Ophir as an acknowledgment of his having designed some ships for her
which could brave the open sea.
Early next morning when Ira came to inform me that he had announced
my arrival to the King, he expressed his astonishment at the presents
which I showed him I was about to make; he told me that they would be
most acceptable to the King, who was very desirous of seeing me.
About two hours afterwards some of the royal slaves arrived, bringing
a calf, some bread, several cheeses, a basket of cakes and figs,
a large jar of olives, and a still larger jar of the good wine of
Helbon; one of them, saluting me as an ambassador from King Hiram,
said:
"I am instructed by King David to conduct you and your companions to
the palace: come at once."
I gave the box containing the presents to my two sailors to carry,
and collected my people together. Hannibal donned his helmet and
cuirass, Hanno put his official inkhorn in his girdle, and we lost
no time in setting off. Chamai and Bichri both accompanied us: they
were in high glee, the latter especially, as, although he was one of
David's subjects, he had never hitherto seen his King. On our way he
remarked:
"David wronged our tribe of Benjamin; but he made amends by his
kindness to Saul's kindred. He is truly the glory of the tribes: I
shall be rejoiced to see him; I have never seen him yet."
"And after all," said Chamai, "he did not want to be hard upon the
tribe of Benjamin; it went against his heart. Think, too, of his love
for Jonathan, and of his marrying Michal; and Jonathan and Michal
were both Saul's children. And how he avenged the death of Saul
himself! He has no ill-will against you children of Benjamin."
"He is a valiant King," said Hannibal; "and valiant, too, is his
general, his sister Zeruiah's son. He and Joab, both are warriors
worthy of their renown."
While this conversation had been going on, we had been making our
way through a succession of steep, narrow streets, with houses, one
or two storeys high, and gardens on either hand. Seeing that we were
ushered along by the royal servants, easily recognised as these were
by the purple borders of their white garments, all the people saluted
us respectfully as we passed, an evidence of the high esteem in which
the King is held by his subjects.
We crossed a quarter of the city known by the name of Millo, and
came to a canal which runs out in the direction of the open country,
and which is overhung by an eminence called Sion, the entire space
between Sion and Millo being occupied by houses recently erected at
the King's own cost. In the surrounding wall there still remained the
breach which had been opened by David, when he took the city from the
Jebusites. On the summit of Sion stands a fortress, in the interior
court of which the royal palace has been built. Designed by Tyrian
architects, this is three storeys high, with a central dome, and is
surrounded by magnificent gardens, the edifice for the most part
being constructed of hewn stone and sandal-wood. On either side of
the gateway are two stately pillars of bronze, and against the wall,
to the right of one of these pillars, is placed the seat where the
King sits to administer justice; the gallows for the execution of
capital sentences being close at hand. In the rear are other gardens,
and the buildings set apart for the women of the household.
Ira was at the palace-gate to meet us, and conducted us by a winding
staircase into a square apartment, well lighted, and hung with
tapestries figured with birds and flowers. At one end was a raised
sandal-wood dais, three steps above the level of the floor; upon this
stood the throne, which was likewise of sandal-wood, but perfectly
plain and unadorned either with carving or gilding, a lion's skin
stretched out at its foot. On the right hand stood Joab, the King's
general, in helmet and cuirass; at a little distance behind was the
royal armour-bearer holding the King's sword, while his lance rested
against the wall; several officers were stationed upon the steps;
and in front four of the King's body-guard of mighty men, with their
swords drawn.
Seated upon the throne was the monarch himself, a man of moderate
stature and slight build, advanced in years, but nevertheless
retaining unimpaired every symptom of agility and vigour. His
straight, uncurled beard was perfectly white, but his hair was
dressed in the ordinary fashion of his countrymen. His costume was
very simple; neither frontlet nor coronet adorned his brow; no
bracelets encircled his wrists; no rings were upon his toes; he
wore a plain white tunic with a purple border, and instead of the
high-heeled shoes usually worn by kings, he had on his feet a pair of
mountaineer's sandals. There was nothing in his attire to distinguish
him from ordinary men; only by the penetrating glance of his clear
blue eye could he be marked out as one that was born to reign.
[Illustration: WAITING FOR THE KING TO SPEAK.
_To face page 67._]
My people having ranged themselves in a line behind me, I stepped
forward and prostrated myself at the foot of the dais; then rising, I
stood with folded hands, waiting for the King to speak. He began by
bidding me welcome, and proceeded to ask whether our voyage hither
had been prosperous, and made numerous inquiries after the welfare
of the kings of Tyre and Sidon and their subjects. Expressing his
satisfaction at the tenor of my answers, he called for King Hiram's
letters to himself. I handed the sealed papyrus to one of the
officers, who presented it open to the King. The King perused it
deliberately, and turning to me with a kindly smile, said:
"Mago, son of Maherbaal, I rejoice to see you. Who are these that you
bring with you?"
One by one, I introduced my companions.
The King expressed his approval at seeing Chamai and Bichri amongst
my followers, and said:
"I like my younger people to travel; it gives them courage, as well
as wisdom and experience. I am glad, too, that your soldiers are
under the command of Hannibal; he is an able leader; I remember him
well. And now," he continued, "Jehoshaphat the recorder shall prepare
you a catalogue of the materials which I require you to procure and I
leave it to your own discretion to purchase, in addition, whatever
else you may meet with that is curious or rare. It remains for me to
inquire what are the supplies you need before you start."
I explained that I was anxious that forty experienced men should be
added as recruits to Chamai's force, and that a sufficient store of
corn and wine and oil, and other things that would not be the worse
for keeping, might be provided to maintain us on our voyage.
"Just and fair are your demands," replied the King. "Joab shall
choose you out forty men, whom Chamai and Hannibal may command, and
my treasurer shall hand you over the money needed for their pay. Ira
shall take you to the storehouses, and you shall be at liberty to
select what stores you please; he will provide you also with asses to
convey them to the ships. You have only to say what you require, and
it is yours."
Again I prostrated myself before the King in token of my gratitude,
and requested him graciously to accept the presents that I had been
commissioned to deliver. He seemed highly gratified, and inquired
with the liveliest interest about the history of each gift, as it was
shown him; he then rose, and bade us follow him into an adjoining
room, where wine was prepared for us. He insisted upon drinking
from the cup which I had just given him, and when he had taken his
seat again upon his throne, which had been brought in after him, he
honoured me still further by asking me about the various countries I
had visited. His curiosity seemed wakened by my replies, and amongst
other things, he asked me whether peacocks and asses were not found
in the West. I informed him that they came from Ophir, whither,
subject to his permission, I contemplated making a voyage upon my
return.
"You are a dauntless man," he said, "to talk about a second voyage
before you have accomplished a first. I admire your courage,
and confess that Hiram has done well in choosing you for this
undertaking. I want now to show you the site of the temple that it is
in my heart to rear."
With a tread elastic as a young man's, the King conducted us from the
palace to an adjacent hill upon which was a threshing-floor. The name
of the hill was Moriah.
"I have just bought this threshing-floor and some oxen, for fifty
shekels of silver, of Araunah the Jebusite," he said; adding, "to my
mind, the spot is adapted equally for a temple or for a fortress."
Hanno remarked, "I have heard it said that the King has taken
more fortresses than he has built, and that his sword is the best
stronghold of his people."
"You are a flatterer, scribe," said the King, smiling; "nevertheless,
I believe that bold hearts do more to defend their country than any
masses of piled-up stone."
"Then I am no flatterer," rejoined the scribe; "I do but echo the
King's own sentiments. Happy the people whose pride and confidence
are in their King!"
"If you use such silvery speech to women," replied the King, "you
must ultimately marry a princess."
Hanno coloured: the King laughed, and turning to me said that I had
an excellent scribe.
"Ah, my lord and King," said Hanno, "we are going where eloquence
can avail us nothing. The winds and waves of the Great Sea will not
listen to the smooth speech of Canaan. The barbarians of the West
will demand a language of a rougher, sterner sort. Compliments will
not move the men of Tarshish."
The King was evidently much pleased with Hanno, and told him that he
should be gratified if he would bring him back a written description
of whatever he might see in the course of his voyage; he further
inquired whether he had any of his own compositions with him. Upon
this, Hanno handed him a little scroll inscribed with some verses he
had written in praise of a lady. After the King, himself a poet of
the highest order, had admired the flow of the lines, and commended
the beauty of the handwriting, he presented Hanno with a copy of some
of his own poetry.
"There is another poetry," said Hanno, "of a severer style, which
the King has written in the valley of Rephaim, and on many another
battle-field: I fear he cannot give us that."
In an instant David took the sword from his armour-bearer's hand.
"Here," he said, "is the pen that wrote it. Take it; it may give you
the power to write verses of the character that, in the valley of the
giants, I have made to the honour of my God."
"The King's word is a prophecy," said Hanno, kissing the blade; "be
it my care that it comes to pass!"
We had now to take our leave of the kind and courteous King, and I
went with Ira direct to the storehouses, whilst Hannibal, Chamai, and
Bichri followed Joab.
The chief storehouse is a long brick building approached by a paved
pathway lined with sycamines; it is built in the Phœnician style
over a water-tank, and is flanked by the stables for the royal
chariots and the meadows for the horses and other cattle. Hanno had
prepared a list, of which a duplicate copy was written for the King:
the items were a hundred measures of grain, fifty measures of oil,
fifty measures of wine, equal quantities of cheese, figs, and dried
grapes, and two thousand shekels of dry salt meat: to these were
added salt, beans, lentils, and dates, Ira undertaking that asses,
with drivers, should be ready to convey them all to the ships on the
following morning.
King David is renowned for generosity; and on our return to Ira's
house we found that several of the royal servants had arrived before
us, bringing various presents for us all. For myself there was a
shield, a lance, a dagger, and an Egyptian battle-axe; for Hannibal,
a sword and a mace of Chaldean manufacture; for Bichri, a bow and
quiver and an archer's belt; while for Hanno there was another sword,
in addition to the one he had already received.
Towards evening Hannibal returned, bringing word that he had
completed his number of men; Jehoshaphat also came to bring me the
King's final letters of instruction.
On rising the next morning I found the street outside the house
crowded with asses and their drivers, the beasts being laden with
the heavy packs containing our supplies; we had therefore nothing
further to do than to take leave of our host. I gave him two phials
of royal perfume for his wives, and without further delay we took our
departure for Joppa.
Our return journey was unmarked by any special incident. From time
to time Bichri gave us proof of his dexterity by using his new bow
to shoot partridges and other birds while they were on the wing, and
Hanno (with his sword passed through his girdle in Jewish fashion)
was as gay as ever, beguiling the time with cheerful songs.
"Every one owns King David as a prophet," he repeated more than once;
"and as I have David's sword, I should think I might conquer the
world."
"I hope you do not intend to kill King Pharaoh," said I, rather
startled at his martial enthusiasm.
"Pshaw!" he replied; "my mistress is Ashtoreth, queen of sea and sky!
She can laugh to scorn Pharaoh and Bodmilcar, both alike!"
Bichri interrupted us by bringing a partridge he had just brought
down. "Can you tell me, captain," he asked, "whether there are any
vines in Tarshish?"
"To the great regret of our Phœnician colonists," I answered,
"there are no vines at all."
"It may be a good thing then," he rejoined, "that I have brought some
cuttings with me. The climate is warm, even as our own, and who can
tell whether ere long they shall not be producing wine as good as
ours?"
"An excellent venture of yours, archer," I replied; "I wish your
foresight all success."
The tower of Joppa and the masts of our vessels were hardly visible
in the distance before we espied Abigail advancing towards us. Chamai
alighted from his horse, and received her with a warm embrace.
"What news?" said I, hurrying forward.
Learning that all was well, I left the young people together, and
made my own way down immediately to the beach. The first person that
I saw was Barzillai, who informed me that the eunuch had not been
into the village since my departure, and that no one had attempted to
hold any communication with the Ionian lady. Very shortly afterwards,
Hamilcar and all the rest, including Bodmilcar, came to greet me on
my return, and we proceeded at once to embark the supplies that we
had brought. I put all the fresh recruits on board my own galley,
thus making up my full complement of 210 men; namely, 50 rowers, 70
sailors, 80 soldiers, and 10 officers.
While the drivers were assisting my own people to unlade the asses,
one of them, a man of gigantic size and stature, stalked up to
me, swinging his arms, and stood looking at me with a fixed and
steady gaze. His appearance was remarkable; his short bull-neck was
imbedded, as it were, between his immense broad shoulders, and he had
long shaggy hair that hung close over his brow and was met by a thick
beard that grew almost up to his eyes.
"Do you want me?" I asked.
In a stentorian voice he answered, "I am Jonah, of the village of
Eltekeh, in the tribe of Dan."
"Well, what of that?" I said.
"I want to go with you: I want to go where the wild beasts are."
"But what for; what can you do if you get there?"
"I want to go," again he growled.
"But you can do nothing; what is the use of taking you?"
"I want to go," he still persisted.
Puzzled in my mind, I asked him whether he could in any way make
himself of use on board a ship.
"I am strong," he said; "I am a descendant of Samson; I can carry an
ox upon my shoulders, and I can blow a trumpet;" and as he spoke he
struck himself heavily in the chest.
Hannibal, who all this while had been scanning the man with the eye
of a connoisseur, observed: "I don't think we shall find a cuirass
big enough to fit the fellow; but he looks as if he mightn't be a bad
trumpeter;" and turning towards him, he said: "Now look here, man; I
have a good trumpeter already; but if Captain Mago will allow it, I
should like to have a trumpet-match, and see which of you can blow
the best."
[Illustration]
Of course I had no objection to allege, and Hannibal's trumpeter was
summoned to the spot. A huge clarion was fetched from the stores and
handed to Jonah, and thus the rivals were brought face to face in the
middle of a circle of curious listeners.
"Blow away, my men," said Hannibal, "as hard as you like!"
Both raised their instruments to their lips, and simultaneously gave
forth a series of strong, clear notes, which waxed louder and louder,
as the performers, with necks outstretched and inflated cheeks,
seemed to grow warm to the work. After a considerable time, during
which neither appeared to have much superior power, the eyes of
Hannibal's trumpeter began to start painfully from their sockets, and
he showed symptoms of evident fatigue; whilst Jonah, although the
veins of his neck were swollen as large as one's finger, continued
to give forth notes that almost split our ears, and which seemed
still louder in contrast to the enfeebled strain of his competitor.
At last, when full fifteen minutes had elapsed, Hannibal's herald
gave one prolonged and plaintive note, and sunk down upon a stone,
breathless and exhausted. Jonah, without exhibiting any sign of
distress, stood with his hand upon his hip, and raising his trumpet
high into the air, gave vent to a loud triumphal flourish.
"Enough, enough!" we shouted one and all.
"Bring out the very largest scarlet tunic that we have on board,"
said Hannibal; "the fellow has gained his day."
"Then may I go?" asked Jonah.
Hannibal made him understand that I had given my consent, and told
him to put on the tunic. While he was endeavouring to fasten the
garment, which seemed ready to burst out at every seam, Himilco
walked round him, and surveyed him with a puzzled air.
"I should like to see inside the rascal," he said; "I have never
heard such lungs."
"I am thirsty," roared the giant.
A great cup of wine was handed to him; he drained it at a gulp.
"Do you call that a draught?" he asked. "I should give as much to my
little children; can't you let me drink from a pitcher or a cask?"
Himilco refilled the cup, and handed it back to Jonah. With an air of
wonder, that almost amounted to terror, he muttered to himself, "An
extraordinary fellow, but it will cost us something to keep him!"
When we had embarked all our goods, we took leave of Barzillai and
his wife. The Ionian bade a most affectionate farewell to Milcah,
who had treated her with the greatest kindness and hospitality.
Abigail was the last to leave the shore, and when she did so, it was
with a look, long and lingering, towards her native mountains.
By the following evening we had rounded the point of Pelusium, easily
distinguished from the surrounding lowland by its rising grove
of palms. The sea was rough, and to many on board the consequent
sickness was very trying. Towards noon next day we came in sight of
the troubled waters caused by the outflow of the Nile.
CHAPTER V.
PHARAOH ARRIVES TOO LATE.
We shortly hove in sight of what is known as the Tanitic mouth of
the Nile, beyond which, in the distance, could be discerned the
tall obelisks of the City of Tanis. The deposit brought down by the
river itself, combined with the action of the wind and surf upon the
two headlands of the bay, has a perpetual tendency to block up this
outlet of the Nile; and when the _Cabiros_, which had been sent on
ahead to explore the bar, returned with the intelligence that the
water was too shallow to permit a safe passage to the _Melkarth_, I
determined to push on a little further to the Mendezian mouth, which
is considerably wider, and which leads, moreover, direct to Memphis.
Night was coming on, so that I would not venture to stem the somewhat
rapid current of the river in the dark, but brought my ships to
anchor within a bowshot of the shore.
Hazael came to me and asked permission to pass the night with his
friend Bodmilcar. I was equally surprised at his request, and at the
submissive manner in which he made it; but after ascertaining that
the Ionian was in her cabin, and that Abigail was with Chamai on
deck, I allowed him to go.
Remembering that we had arrived at a land of strangers, with whom
hitherto we had held no communication, I doubled the watch, and gave
Hannibal special directions to keep a sharp look-out. The order in
which our ships were arranged was this: on the right, furthest to the
south, was the _Cabiros_; the _Ashtoreth_ was moored to some piles
about half a bowshot behind; the _Melkarth_ and the _Dagon_ were
stationed on the opposite bank, where the water was deeper. One of
the small barques was with me, the other with the _Melkarth_.
Anchored higher up the river were several Egyptian vessels, and a
considerable number was drawn up upon the shore. I wondered why there
should be so many at a spot where there was no regular anchorage,
but I subsequently learnt that Pharaoh was about to send forth a
squadron for the purpose of putting down a revolt that had broken
out at Pelusium. Two officers, accompanied by a troop of soldiers,
some armed with battle-axes, and some with bows, had already boarded
my ship to inquire who we were and what we wanted, and had retired
satisfied with my explanation. As the shades of night deepened, we
could observe the lights of two galleys cruising about in the open
channel, and shortly afterwards another Egyptian came on board and
ordered my own lights to be extinguished, a direction which was
instantly obeyed.
The night was intensely warm, and the scorching east wind, laden
with the sand of the desert, blew from time to time in dry and
unrefreshing gusts. The sky was overcast, and although the night
was not black it was so dark that little could be distinguished
except the gleam from the fires of a large camp pitched on the right
bank, and the inconstant lights of the distant villages on either
shore. Close in front of us were still burning the torches of the
two galleys I have mentioned; but besides these, there was only the
occasional flicker from some little boat that moved upon the stream.
Towards midnight, five or six hours after our anchoring, I resigned
my watch to Himilco, intending to take some rest. On my way to my
berth I cast my eye towards the right bank, and through the gloom I
could see indistinctly that there was a crowd of vessels there; but
everything was silent, and I went below.
I had not been asleep for more than a half-an-hour when I was roughly
aroused by Himilco.
"We are adrift!" he exclaimed.
In an instant I was upon my feet, and rushed to examine our moorings.
They were cut asunder.
"All hands on deck! lights! light the lamps!" I cried with all my
might; and at the same time I noticed lights appearing on the left,
and heard a distant voice hailing the _Ashtoreth_ with the cry,
"Our moorings have been cut, and we are all adrift." I shouted in
reply that they should come over to us; it was only too evident that
another of our ships was in the same dilemma as ourselves.
Meantime my crew had come on deck, and had lighted several signals. I
ordered the rowers to their benches, and made them backwater gently
so as to keep us steady until the other ship should join us. At the
distance of about four bowshots behind, I made out the _Cabiros_
hoisting her lights, and could hear the voices of the crew in great
excitement. Almost immediately there was a splash of oars, and
the _Dagon_ came alongside of us. I shouted to Hasdrubal, who was
standing on board:
"Where's the _Melkarth_?"
Getting no satisfactory reply, I immediately ordered the three ships
on to the left bank. The _Dagon_ went straight across the river; I
followed, taking an oblique course, and the _Cabiros_, hastening
ahead, went a little way south, and then turned back due north,
keeping as close as possible to the shore.
During the time we were getting across, Hannibal had just put all his
men under arms, as it occasioned us much surprise that while there
was this commotion amongst ourselves the Egyptians had made no sign
nor sound; their lights were out, and their cruisers no longer to
be seen. The _Cabiros_ rejoined us, and reported that she had seen
nothing; nor even after we had descended the river a couple of stadia
was a single Egyptian vessel visible, and it was not until we were
within hearing of the roar of the waves at the river's mouth that we
almost ran against some black mass that loomed through the darkness.
"Back to your moorings, Phœnicians! no leaving the river at
night!" shouted a voice, in Egyptian.
"We don't want, I can tell you," I replied, "to be running away like
a set of thieves. We have been cut adrift, and one of our ships has
disappeared."
"Then get fresh moorings," was the answer: "you must wait till
morning. By Pharaoh's orders, you cannot leave to-night."
There was no help for it but to obey; and sending some men on shore
in the small boat with torches, we succeeded in finding an anchorage.
But scarcely had we settled in our places, when our attention was
arrested by a voice from the middle of the river gasping out in
Phœnician, "Help! help!"
We put off a boat in the direction of the sound; the cry was repeated
still closer to us, and in a few minutes the boat returned alongside,
and one of my sailors, dripping with water, was hoisted on to the
deck of the _Ashtoreth_. He was in a pitiable condition, his face all
bleeding, and his head gashed open in several places.
"Treason, treason! we are betrayed by Bodmilcar!" was all he could
utter, as he staggered and fell senseless on the deck. I ordered
him to be laid upon a piece of carpet, whilst Abigail chafed his
face with ointment, and Himilco put some wine to his lips. I had
ascertained quite enough to put me on my guard, and consequently had
our lights extinguished, permitting only one lamp and one torch to
each ship: and I gave directions to the watch to keep a keen look-out.
Meanwhile the poor fellow had recovered his consciousness, and
Hanno, Hannibal, Himilco, Chamai, and myself, pressed round him to
gather what he had to say. One of our sailors supported his head to
facilitate his power of speech, and Abigail and the Ionian knelt
beside him, with the wine and ointment.
"I went this evening," began the man, "to visit a friend of mine
on board the _Melkarth_. You know the crew are nearly all Tyrians.
Bodmilcar has tampered with them all. He has had an interview with
Pharaoh's general, and told him that you are spies in league with the
insurgents at Pelusium; he said, too, that you had a slave on board
your ship, whom he was bringing to Pharaoh, but who had escaped.
His people urged me to join the conspiracy, and when I refused they
all threatened to kill me. I jumped overboard. An Egyptian boat
pursued me. I was twice struck on the head by an oar. I dived beneath
the water. I suppose they thought I had sunk; as they gave up the
pursuit. Orders have been given to seize us all to-morrow. We are to
be attacked in the morning, and carried off to Pharaoh. I can tell no
more."
[Illustration]
The exertion of telling all this had been too much for the brave
fellow, and he fainted away again. My first impulse was to rush to
my cabin for the King's letters, but to my amazement they had all
disappeared; they had evidently been stolen during my absence at
Jerusalem We were overwhelmed with consternation. Hanno was the
first to speak:
"All is plain enough," he said; "Bodmilcar is the thief. Hazael, you
know, has the King's signet ring; and the rascals have opened the
papers, altered their purport, and closed them again with the royal
seal. Bodmilcar has carried them and presented them; he represents
himself as leader of the expedition, and denounces you as a traitor.
He gets believed: and what is the result? why, sure as fate, we shall
be made prisoners, and only too likely we shall be put to death.
Abigail, of course, will be sent to Pharaoh."
"Not while I have a sword to defend her," said Chamai, stamping with
rage.
"Yes," continued Hanno, coolly; "no doubt Abigail will be handed over
to Pharaoh, and the fair Chryseis will be awarded to Bodmilcar as a
recompense for his service."
Hanno groaned aloud, and Hannibal furiously twirled his moustache.
"I have no doubt, Hanno," I said, "that all your conjectures are
right. But it's rather soon to despair. Perhaps you haven't been with
us old mariners long enough to learn our seamen's song about the
Egyptians?"
I began to whistle an air, and Himilco, with a merry laugh, broke out
with the gay refrain:
"The bull-head tribe, with all their skill,
Must catch the man they fain would kill."
The effect was instantaneous. My whole party almost smothered me
in their delight. Hanno threw himself at my knees and grasped one
of my hands; Abigail seized the other, and covered it with kisses;
Hannibal caught hold of my cuirass on one side; Chamai lugged at me
on the other. Altogether, I was in a fair way of being strangled. The
Ionian, who partially comprehended my meaning, could only express
her gratitude by the bright glance of her soft eyes.
As soon as I had extricated myself from the embraces of the
enthusiastic group, I pointed out to them a confused mass of Egyptian
boats, now just visible in the dawn.
"If there were only half-a-dozen of those fresh-water
tortoise-shells," said I, "our three ships could soon show them the
way to the bottom of the Nile; but there is such a lot of them!
Besides, they have forces on land, and the river isn't wide enough
for us to get out of their reach. Bodmilcar, too, will lend them a
helping hand, and he is an old stager; his ship, it is true, is not
much in fighting trim, but it is manned with Tyrians. However, we
mustn't give up! Patience! Trust yourselves to me!"
"Yours we are to the death!" cried Hanno; while Hannibal, with his
teeth set, growled out, that if any one disobeyed my orders it should
be the worse for him. Chamai, almost beside himself with excitement,
clasped Abigail in his arms, and vowed he would bring her the head
and spoils of the first foe he should meet, even if it were Pharaoh
himself.
Hamilcar and Hasdrubal, with his pilot Gisgo, now came on board for
my orders.
"I never trusted that Tyrian," said Hamilcar; "and I am glad to have
the chance of fighting it out with him; and my men are as delighted
as myself."
"Ha, ha! Himilco," laughed Gisgo the earless, "we shall have some
sport now."
"Yes, old Celt," replied Himilco, "we will teach the rascals to swim."
I shook hands heartily with all three men, and they returned to
their ships. It was now broad daylight, and casting my eye towards
the river, I reconnoitred the enemy's position. Below-stream the
Egyptian galleys were under way; opposite to us, on the left bank,
were about forty small boats, each manned with four rowers and five
soldiers, and a troop of nearly a hundred bowmen were assembling
hastily on the right-hand shore. Looking up-stream, I could count as
many as six galleys about two stadia away; two large heavy ships,
with hanging decks, were sailing down the left bank; and mid-channel
I recognised the towering sides and rounded prow of the _Melkarth_,
her oars shipped, and her sails furled, being towed by a low,
open rowing-boat. The camp, of which we had noticed the fires in
the darkness, was much too far off to be visible by daylight. The
shore on either side was perfectly flat and treeless, but covered
with fields of clover and of corn that was nearly ripe, as the
harvest-time was drawing nigh. On the left bank, about two bowshots
from the water, a steep dyke, surmounted by a causeway, had been
thrown up as a protection during the annual inundation. Far away to
the south, the white buildings of a city could be distinguished; and
in the north could be seen the yellowish-whitey waters of the river
bar, with the broad green surface of the sea beyond.
We were hardly six stadia from the mouth of the river; the strong
east wind and the current were both in our favour, and once out at
sea we should have little to fear. I determined, therefore, to make
an attack upon the Egyptians before the _Melkarth_ could get ahead
of us, for I knew that once in front of us, her very bulk would be a
formidable obstacle to our retreat, and that she could overwhelm us
with a storm of missiles; while the superior height of her deck would
not only prevent our men from boarding her, but, on the contrary,
would give her men every facility for boarding us.
My first manœuvre was to slip my moorings, and to take up my
position in the middle of the channel, so as to be out of reach
of the archers on the shore. The _Dagon_ had shifted her prow to
the north, and lay half a bowshot below me; the _Cabiros_ was to
my left, her prow southward. The sails were all furled, the rowers
were ordered to backwater very gently so as to just keep the vessels
in their places, and each pilot took his stand by the side of the
helmsman. Hannibal posted his archers fore and aft, and grouped
his soldiers round the mast. Hanno and I mounted the prow, and my
trumpeter followed. The gigantic Jonah remained with Hannibal; he
could not be persuaded either to put on a cuirass or to take a lance,
but stood, clarion in hand, watching all our preparations with a
curious eye.
The scorpions had already been supplied with missiles, and each
vessel was provided with a number of earthenware pots filled with
sulphur and pitch. We improvised, also, a quantity of fire-ships,
formed of small planks, into which spikes were driven, to which were
fastened well-greased goat-skins charged with combustibles.
We had not long to wait. Very soon were heard the shrill notes of the
small Egyptian trumpets, and the decks of the ships were seen manned
with troops. I could discern the smooth brown faces of the soldiers,
and make out that they were armed with battle-axes and large
triangular shields; and I could see that the archers, with their legs
bare, and poignards in their girdles, were ranged along the sides
of the ships. The rowers, more than half-naked (clothed merely by a
strip around their loins), plied their paddles, according to their
custom, standing. On board the _Melkarth_, Bodmilcar was easily
distinguished; he was in a state of great excitement and activity,
and apparently giving some explanation to an Egyptian officer, a man
dressed in green and wearing a large wig, with his face and arms
painted with cinnabar, in accordance with the common fashion of their
men of rank.
The soldiers that manned the small boats were nearly as slightly
clad as the rowers; they carried poignards in their girdles, and
were armed with axes and staves pointed at both ends, in the use of
which the Egyptians are notoriously skilful. Although all appeared in
considerable commotion, not one of the vessels made any attempt to
advance, and there seemed a general state of expectation.
The solution of all this was soon apparent. A large boat was seen to
detach itself from the general mass, and make its way down-stream
towards us. Eight rowers stood paddling on the raised bow and stern;
twelve soldiers, with square plates of bronze strapped on their
breasts, and armed with lances, daggers, and short scimitars, were
in the middle; and amongst them was an Egyptian officer of high
rank. He was arrayed in two tunics of striped gauze, crossed one
over the other upon his breast; a girdle ornamented with enamel
plates was round his waist, and a large gold and enamelled bird with
outstretched wings was suspended by a gold chain from his neck. His
head was covered with a tall cap, bearing an enamel plate inscribed
with the name of Pharaoh in hieroglyphics; his beard was enclosed
in a casing of red cloth; and in his hand was a gilt battle-axe,
elaborately inlaid with figures of animals and other symbols. On
one side of this sumptuous personage was a closely-shorn priest or
scribe, habited entirely in white, and holding an inkhorn and some
papyrus in his hand; on the other, in full Syrian armour, was our old
friend Hazael. I could not resist a smile as I caught sight of a pile
of chains and manacles lying in the boat.
On the Egyptian officer shouting that he wanted to come on board and
speak to me, I gave permission for his boat to come alongside the
_Ashtoreth_, and, followed by his scribe and five of the soldiers,
with the greatest arrogance he stepped on deck. Hazael had the
discretion to remain behind, where he was. I received the magnate
with all courtesy, and saluted him after the fashion of his own
country, but instead of acknowledging it in any way, he began with
the most overbearing insolence to exclaim:
[Illustration: "DOWN, YOU PHŒNICIAN THIEVES!"
_To face page 85._]
"Down, down, you Phœnician thieves, and sue for Pharaoh's mercy!"
Finding that such was the tone he took, I answered sternly:
"No thieves are we, nor have we injured Pharaoh; so far from
imploring Pharaoh's mercy, we have a right to demand Pharaoh's
protection."
"Out upon your falsehoods!" retorted the enraged Egyptian; "have you
not this very night been attempting your escape?"
"No," I said emphatically; "we were cut adrift. The real thieves are
amongst you. That rascal Bodmilcar and that vile eunuch stole the
royal letters that they brought to you."
"Silence!" shouted the Egyptian in impetuous fury; "too well we
understand your frauds. Out with your hands! the handcuffs are ready
here, and you and the slave that you have stolen must come along to
Pharaoh. Never fear but ample justice shall be done!"
The scribe was opening his inkhorn for the purpose of taking down our
names, when I burst out into a roar of laughter.
"Do you take us for fools?" I said; "why on earth should we leave our
ships to go and hear a slanderous catalogue of lies alleged against
us? No, no, sire, we remain where we are."
The Egyptian literally stamped with rage. "Villains! pirates!
thieves!" he cried; "every one of you shall die a death of torment."
[Illustration: THE SOLDIERS RAPIDLY CROSSED THEIR LANCES.
_To face page 86._]
Throughout this interview I had taken care never for a moment to lose
sight of the fleet above-stream; and seeing that the ships were now
in motion, without paying the least regard to the continued ravings
of the grand official, I ordered my trumpeter to sound an alarm. The
Egyptian, followed closely by his scribe, hurried towards his boat;
his soldiers, to cover his retreat, rapidly crossed their lances.
Chamai, Hannibal, and Hanno, mistaking the movement, and supposing
they were making an attack on me, fell upon them with drawn swords;
and the huge Jonah, throwing down his trumpet, rushed into the fray,
and wresting a lance from one of the soldiers' hands, took him by
the shoulders and dashed his head twice or thrice against the
side of the ship. It is a popular belief that the Egyptians are a
hard-headed race, but I avow that this fellow's skull cracked like a
ripe water-melon.
Meanwhile, Hannibal had cut the throat of another of the soldiers,
and Chamai had plunged his sword into the body of a third. I was
struggling to wrench the lance from the grasp of a fourth, when
taking alarm at the number of my men, he turned about, and following
the example of his sole remaining comrade, sprang overboard and swam
like a frog. But they were not to escape so easily; Bichri, who was
standing near the wale of the vessel, hit one of them with an arrow,
and the rowers stunned the other by blows with their oars. Thus the
whole five were entirely disposed of; but the real conflict was yet
to come.
As soon as the Egyptians were aware of the fray, one of their galleys
from the right bank drew rapidly towards us, and the whole bevy of
small boats that had gathered round kept up a continuous flight of
arrows, every one of which, however, either stuck in the ship's side
or went whistling over our heads.
A single glance was sufficient to reveal to me the enemy's tactics.
Just as I had anticipated, the _Melkarth_ was being towed down the
stream towards the right, obviously with the design to pass us and
get below, so as to cut off our retreat. Their immediate design was
to divert our attention from this manœuvre, and for this purpose
two large ships were ordered to bear down upon us, and a flotilla
of small boats was sent to keep up a storm of arrows. Hannibal
immediately, by my directions, set his catapults to work, and a
volley of stones and pots full of pitch and sulphur was discharged,
right over the _Cabiros_, on to the approaching vessels. I then
ordered the _Cabiros_ and the _Dagon_ to move simultaneously, right
and left of me, but in opposite directions: the _Cabiros_ northwards
towards the galleys that were obstructing our way, the _Dagon_
straight down upon the boat that was towing the _Melkarth_. I could
see Bodmilcar upon the prow of the great gaoul, wildly endeavouring
to make the Egyptians understand their danger, and urging the rowers
to get their oars into the water; but he was too late. Our movements
had taken them completely by surprise. The _Dagon_, cutting her way
full speed through the crowd of small boats, crushed or capsized all
that came in her course; the _Ashtoreth_, liberated by the departure
of the _Cabiros_, effectually kept in check the ships that were
trying to pass down the stream; and the _Cabiros_, that had gone
northward, by sending out a number of fire-floats that drifted on in
advance, completely discomfited the two galleys that were guarding
the mouth of the river.
Our tactics were a perfect success. One of the Egyptian ships was
run into by the _Ashtoreth_ with such violence that it was cut
asunder, and sank immediately; and the other, harassed by the pots
of combustibles, and alarmed at the eddy caused by the foundering
of its consort, purposely ran aground. The _Dagon_, after staving
in the towing-boat like a piece of rotten wood, had returned to
me; and as we had the satisfaction of seeing Bodmilcar's crew cut
their tow-rope, we both turned our attention to the galley which
was retiring from the attack and falling back upon the _Melkarth_.
Simultaneously passing it quite close, one on each side, we swept off
both its tiers of oars, and hurling down upon it a final shower of
arrows, we filed off to join the _Cabiros_, which was still engaged
in discharging its missiles and fire-floats at the other two galleys.
The contest had been sharp but short. In less than an hour we had
rendered the _Melkarth_ incapable of action; had sunk two Egyptian
vessels; had sent a third aground; and had crushed or capsized at
least fifteen small boats.
The surface of the water was covered with the _débris_, and not a
few men could be seen drifting along in the current. Thrown into
utter confusion by our unlooked-for attack, the rest of the Egyptian
vessels floundered about in each others' way, and totally prevented
the _Melkarth_ from obtaining another tug-boat. Finding, therefore,
that those need give me no concern, I gave my attention to the
galleys in front, and sent adrift a dozen or more fire-floats, which
the crew of the _Cabiros_ sent down-stream with their boathooks.
The galleys gave way; and, feeling that there was no immediate
impediment, I proceeded towards them calmly to the north, leaving
our assailants confounded by their disaster, and Bodmilcar raving
furiously on the poop of his helpless ship. Bichri lamented that he
could not let fly an arrow at him, but it was utterly useless, as we
were already too far away.
[Illustration]
"A drawn battle!" said the brave archer, coming forward from the
stern.
"Yes," said I; "the rascal has had bad luck this morning; but he will
watch his opportunity. We haven't done with each other yet."
"I hope not," said Hanno, vindictively.
Presently there was a movement among the Egyptian ships, and three of
them, having extricated themselves from the maze of confusion, had
commenced a pursuit of us, accompanied by a number of little boats.
At the same moment I espied a troop of horsemen galloping along the
shore; and raising my eyes to the causeway on the top of the dyke,
I observed a cloud of dust, from the midst of which broke ever and
again the gleam of a row of bronze and gilded chariots. There was no
room for doubt; evidently the King himself was approaching with the
intention of being a witness of our capture.
But the mighty Pharaoh had come too late!
Out of forty or fifty fire-ships which we had set afloat, two at last
had run foul of one of the galleys, which was now in flames, and the
terrified crew were fain to resort to the usual naval manœuvre
of the Egyptians, and run their ship aground. The vessels that had
started in pursuit of us were still at least two stadia in our rear,
so that we had ample time to tackle with the single galley that
remained ahead to bar our progress.
"Board her! board her! Let us board her!" shouted Hannibal, Hanno,
and Chamai, with unanimous accord.
"We have no time, and she's not worth the trouble," I replied; "we
will sink her."
"Down she goes, then, like a stone," cried Himilco.
The _Cabiros_, without meeting with any resistance beyond a few
chance stones and straggling arrows, now slipped quietly under the
very prow of the galley, and with unfurled sail was making off to
sea. The _Dagon_ was about to follow her, but at a signal from me,
Hasdrubal bore down upon the galley's stern, whilst I simultaneously
drove straight against her flank, and between us we literally cut her
in two. Down sank the galley in a whirlpool of foam; and our last
obstacle being thus removed, we hoisted our sails and rode out to
sea, our trumpets sounding out a flourish of victory.
Behind us rose a discordant howl of maledictions. We were out of
reach. It was utterly impossible for our enemies in their little
nut-shells of vessels to follow where our victorious prows were now
cleaving the foamy billows; and when we were fairly out at sea,
steering due west, I could see, as I looked along the low flat
coast, that the Egyptian masts were quite motionless. It was evident,
therefore, that Bodmilcar had advised them to abandon their pursuit.
Fifteen of our men were wounded, nearly all of them slightly, and two
had been killed; whilst the loss of the enemy, including those slain
by the archers, burnt by the fire-ships, or drowned by the waters of
their own sacred Nile, must have been nearly three hundred.
It did not take long to repair whatever damage we had sustained.
Some broken oars on board the _Ashtoreth_, and a few more on board
the _Dagon_, were replaced from the reserves; the decks were washed
down, the stays strengthened, some broken ropes spliced, and the
arrows that had lodged in the rigging and ship's sides removed. All
our wounded had been carried below; and the bodies of the three
Egyptians, having been stripped of any spoil of value, were thrown
overboard. The bodies of our own two men were also committed to
the waves with an invocation on their behalf to Menath, Hokk, and
Rhadamath, the judges of the infernal regions[30]. In less than three
hours everything was as much in order as though nothing had happened.
Chryseis and Abigail, who had all along rendered what assistance they
could, were rejoicing in their freedom; Hanno, whose nerve had never
failed him, and Chamai fully sharing in their delight.
[30] The Minos, Eacus, and Rhadamanthus of the Greeks.
I sent for Hasdrubal to come on board, that he might join Himilco and
myself in a council of war. When we were alone together, I said:
"Listen to me. There is no shadow of doubt that we shall be pursued.
Ascending the eastern outlet of the river, the Egyptians will come
down by the western; they may come either by the Canopic or Phanitic
branch; and at both Pharos and Canope there is no question but that
the King has ships in readiness. They can anticipate us there;
couriers by land can arrive by early morning; we, with our utmost
speed, could not arrive till long beyond midday. Somewhere or other
we must of necessity put in to shore again; our supply of water is
all but gone."
To Himilco's suggestion that we had wine enough to meet our need,
I vouchsafed no other reply than a shrug of the shoulders, and
continued:
"My intention was to take in a fresh supply this very evening, but
this skirmish has frustrated everything. Go ashore we must; and this
is the scheme that I propose; we will re-enter the river by the
Sebennitic mouth, which is nearest to us now; they will never suspect
us of venturing on land so soon; probably they will not be there at
all; if they are, we must use main force; but water we must have."
[Illustration]
My companions approved my plan, but expressed their anxiety as to
what was to happen afterwards.
"I do not think," I said, "that because we have lost the gaoul that
we need at all contemplate abandoning our expedition. Failing to find
us at either Canope or Pharos, the Egyptians will watch for us all
along the coast; and at last Bodmilcar, who knows our destination,
will get reinforcements from Pharaoh and will chase us right on to
Tarshish. Sooner or later we shall be pretty sure of falling in with
him; but for the present, at least, we can elude him thoroughly. Here
is my project. The wind is north-east and favourable; by steering by
the sun in the daytime, and by keeping the Cabiros a little to our
left at night, I do not fear but that in five days at most we might
reach the shores of the great island, Crete."
Himilco and Hasdrubal stared at me in mingled admiration and surprise.
"From Egypt to Crete! Across the open sea! An unheard-of thing! Can
it be possible?"
Such were the exclamations with which they heard my proposition.
"Aye, harder things than that may be done," I continued; "the wind
isn't likely to change till next new moon; but even should it change
and we happen to miss Crete, we shall only run upon the mainland, or
on one of the islands of the Archipelago. Thence we can get round
Cape Malea to Sicily, from Sicily to Carthage, from Carthage direct
to Tarshish. That's our course, now."
"By our goddess Ashtoreth, your scheme is beautiful!" cried Hannibal;
"and meanwhile the Egyptian rascals will be floundering about the
Syrtes."
"And rough enough they'll find them," said Himilco. "I was well-nigh
drowned there two years back; and let us hope that Bodmilcar and his
Tyrian sneaks, bad luck to them! may come to grief. How I should like
to hang them all like a string of fishes, fastened by their gills!"
We were not long in reaching the little town of Sebennys. The
_Cabiros_ was first sent ashore, and returned with the tidings that
all was quiet. I paid the customary dues to the Egyptian governor
of the place, and despatched a number of our sailors to procure the
requisite supply of water; they took the opportunity of purchasing
several baskets of onions and some good fresh meat. Before the end
of the day we had turned our backs upon the land, and were making our
venturous way north-west.
"And now, for our dishes and platters," I cried; "I am frightfully
hungry."
We seated ourselves in the stern, and joined by Chryseis and Abigail,
we formed a large and merry group. The sailors and soldiers all were
served with a ration of wine in honour of the morning's victory.
"I see we have changed our course," said Hanno; "are we making for
Crete?"
"Yes," I replied; and added that I supposed it was a place already
known to the fair Chryseis.
Chamai inquired whether it was not the same as Chittim.
"No, not the same," I answered; "_this_ island is full of mountains,
upon which are goats with spreading horns like those of Arabia; the
people are famous for their skill as archers."
"Bichri, then, may find his match," said Chamai. "But to what nation
do they belong?"
"They are Phrygians and Dorians," I told him; "fair, tall men, with
handsome faces and well-formed limbs; they have built towns in which
some of our Sidonian merchants have recently settled, getting there
by way of Chittim and Rhodes. Chryseis speaks the same language as
the Dorians."
Chamai, ever full of interest in Chryseis, expressed his pleasure at
hearing that she was about to go amongst a people kindred to herself,
and was inquiring whether they were a martial race, when Chryseis
interposed, and with Hanno's assistance explained that the Dorians,
like the Ionians of the Isles, and the Achaians on the mainland, were
renowned warriors, and that the fame of their conquests had spread
far and wide.
"How large, how vast the world must be!" exclaimed Hannibal; "here is
a people, famed in war, whose very name I scarcely know. But is it
not from Crete that we get our Chalcidian swords?"
Smiling at his mistake, I made him understand that Chalcidian
swords were made of copper from the island of Chalcis, and that the
Phœnicians could not elsewhere procure copper that would take so
fine a temper.
Hannibal went on to ask Hanno to inquire of Chryseis what were the
military tactics of the Ionians, and how they paid their soldiers.
"Do you expect us women to know such things as these?" asked Abigail,
with a merry laugh; "a woman knows well enough that her countrymen
can fight, and she knows how to prize the spoils they bring her from
the battle-field; but what can she know of the art of war?"
Chryseis seemed amused at her maid's vivacity, and proceeded to
enumerate the most illustrious military leaders of her land. I heard
her name Achilles, and Ajax, and a certain king called Agamemnon; and
I understood her to relate that two kings in her country, named Jason
and Ulysses, were renowned for the voyages they had made.
"Voyages!" cried Himilco, scornfully; "I can guess what their voyages
were: creeping along and hugging the shore; making perhaps a stadium
a day; never looking at a star. And then, what ships they had! I am
glad I haven't to trust myself in one of them from Sidon to Chittim."
Chryseis owned that, as to ships, she had never seen anything in her
own country that could be compared to the ships of the Phœnicians,
adding that she thought that the mariners of Phœnicia must be true
sea-gods.
"And you must be their goddess," said Hanno, with enthusiasm.
"Ah, young man," yawned out Hannibal, "you should put your fine
speeches in Ionian; the lady does not understand you."
The lady, however, bent her head gracefully, and raised a laugh by
saying in good Phœnician that she perfectly understood what had
passed.
"Trust a woman for understanding a compliment," was Hannibal's remark.
"I should like to see the effect," said Himilco, "of one of Hanno's
pretty speeches upon Gisgo's wife; her Celtic dialect is something
like the croaking of Bodmilcar's ravens."
It was now getting dark, and as he spoke, Himilco moved off to his
post upon the prow, and I took up my watch upon the stern. All
that night, and all the following day, the wind freshened till it
blew a gale; being all in our favour, its violence caused me no
alarm, but well-nigh all on board, conscious of being far away
from land, and beholding nothing but sea and sky, were filled with
terror; and as the ship at one moment was carried high upon the
crests of the enormous waves, and at another was sunk low in what
seemed an unfathomable abyss, they became almost paralysed with
alarm; they lost their appetites entirely, and were incessant in
their invocations to their gods. The gale next night increased to a
hurricane, and on the morning shifted to the south, driving us to the
north at the rate of 1800 stadia in a day.
Happily, although our ships were thus flying over the sea, they kept
well together. Towards evening the wind dropped a little, and on the
morning of the fourth day it was comparatively calm; the sky was very
clear, and, to our vast delight, the man on watch at the top of the
mast announced that land was in sight. I joined Himilco on the prow,
and both of us could plainly distinguish in the sunlight the peaks
of some snow-capped mountains. By the afternoon the view of land was
plain to every one on board, and before the stars had risen, we were
skirting a coast that seemed so rocky as to be inaccessible.
It was long past midnight before we could discover any anchorage at
all; at last we found a small exposed bay where a river coursing
along a bottom of white sand entered the sea. Towards the east,
masses of thick woods could be made out, with snowy peaks of higher
ridges rising up behind them. The _Cabiros_ was hauled up on shore
close to the river's mouth, and, the water in the bay being found
sufficiently deep, the two galleys were moored to some of the great
boulder-stones upon the beach. The coast was quite desolate, and
there was no sign of human habitation.
CHAPTER VI.
CRETE AND THE CRETANS.
No sooner were the ships safely settled in their moorings, than
Himilco and I, who had both been up on watch throughout the last
four nights, retired to take the rest that we so much needed, and,
worn out by fatigue, I did not wake until the sun was high above the
horizon.
The shore was still quite deserted; the steep rocky mountains
appeared for the most part to rise perpendicularly from the sea; and
the little valley of the river soon lost itself in a deep gorge,
densely wooded with myrtles and holm-oaks.
My first care was to send a squad of sailors on shore to fill our
barrels and goat-skins with a supply of fresh water; I next ordered a
guard of soldiers and archers to be landed ready for any emergency;
and then despatched Bichri, accompanied by half a score of bowmen,
up the gorge to explore the mountains. There was abundance of wood
about, and I determined to light some fires and cook our morning
meal upon the strand. I likewise pitched a couple of tents, in which
I laid out some of our merchandise, in case Bichri should fall in
with any of the natives of the island. Jonah made himself especially
prominent by his services on the occasion; he carried wood enough on
his back to load three ordinary men, and lifted a barrel of water
without any assistance, remarking that, if any one would give him
wine in it to drink, he would lift a barrel twice the size.
About midday Bichri returned, tired with his wanderings, but well
pleased with his morning's work. He had come across several of the
natives on the mountains; they fled at his approach, but being an
experienced mountaineer he had followed them from rock to rock, and
had at length succeeded in capturing one of them. The others had
pelted him with stones from a distance, but he had sustained no
injury, and, in accordance with the orders I had given him, he had
acted strictly on the defensive, and had not in any way returned
their violence. The prisoner that he brought with him was a great
strapping fellow, with a quantity of glossy black hair and a skin as
brown as a Midianite's; his eyes were black and obliquely set; his
face wide, with projecting cheek-bones, and a pointed chin. He had
no other covering except the skin of a wild goat, which was thrown
over his shoulders and fastened round his waist by a cord, and on his
bare neck and arms were a necklace and bracelets made of shells. A
hatchet with which he had defended himself had been wrested from him
by Bichri; it was made of a highly polished stone of a greenish hue,
and had a strong wooden handle.
[Illustration: PLEASED WITH HIS MORNING'S WORK.
_To face page 99._]
As soon as the barbarian was brought to me he began with many
gesticulations to speak in a language of which I did not understand
a word. I restored him his hatchet, made him a present of a piece of
red cloth, and after showing him the goods in the tent, gave him his
liberty. He bounded off towards the mountains and disappeared among
the trees.
Two hours afterwards he came back with several other men, half-naked
as himself, and armed with lances and rudely-made bows. When within
about a hundred paces of us, they stopped and waved some boughs of
myrtle. I ordered my men to do the same, and then I advanced to
meet them, making Hanno accompany me, and display some pieces of
red cloth and strings of glass beads. Gradually the savages gained
courage and were induced to approach, and at last to enter our tent.
There was one of them who seemed to be a sort of chief, and acted as
spokesman; he first pointed to the sky and ejaculated, "Britomartis;"
and then to the mountains, saying "Phalasarna, Phalasarna." It
was evidently not the first time he had come in contact with
Phœnicians, for as soon as he caught sight of our ships he cried
"Sidon! Sidon!" and touching our tunics, he called them "kitons."
We gave him an old kitonet, and distributed a quantity of glass beads
amongst his followers, who brought us in return a couple of wild
goats, and some partridges, which they called "hamalla."
Towards evening another of their number, an old man, came to us;
he wore a kitonet under his goat's skin and had on an old pair of
sandals. He could speak a little Phœnician, and succeeded in
making us understand that he was of the race of the Cydonians, who
had been the original possessors of the island, until the Phrygians
and the Leleges had made war upon them and forced them to take
refuge, east and west, where the mountains were most inaccessible.
The whole of the coast, and the central highland, as well as the
fertile valleys of the north and south, were now occupied by the
conquerors, who had subsequently been joined by a colony of Dorians,
so that, altogether, the Cydonians were being gradually exterminated.
I now comprehended how it was that I, who had always approached
Crete from the north by way of Caria and Rhodes, had never seen any
inhabitants except Dorians; whilst other Phœnician captains who
had landed on the eastern extremity of the island--where they had
discovered some insignificant mines, and opened a small traffic in
the ore--had always transacted business with the Cydonians.
The old man likewise informed us that his people had a town, up
in the mountains, called Phalasarna; also that their goddess was
Britomartis, which in their language signifies "the gentle virgin."
He was delighted with the wine which I gave him; and on receiving,
as a present, a couple of lance-heads and a necklace of enamelled
earthen beads, he promised to get us next day as much fresh meat as
we wanted.
Upon its growing dark, the barbarians retired to their mountains.
Hannibal took the precaution of doubling the number of his sentinels,
but we were quite undisturbed throughout the night.
In the morning the Cydonians returned and brought some goats. They
are not in any way an agricultural people, and consequently could
not provide us with either corn or vegetables, but they brought us a
quantity both of wild fruit and wild honey. I showed them a picture
of an ox, and tried to make them know that that was the animal I
wanted them to get me, but they explained that they had none of
their own upon the mountains, and that such an animal had been quite
unknown upon the island until it was introduced by the Phrygians.
Pointing in the evening to the crescent moon, the barbarians told me
that it was Britomartis, their goddess of the chase. Chryseis said
she knew this goddess by the name of Artemis, from which I drew the
inference that the Cydonians might have taught her worship to the
Dorians, who would have made her known to the Ionians. The offerings
that are accustomed to be made in her honour are hinds and deer; and
I have heard it said that young men have been sacrificed as victims
on her altar; but this is mere tradition, and I do not pretend to
state it as a fact. I feel quite certain, for my own part, that
although this goddess is the moon, she is not identical with our
goddess Ashtoreth, otherwise she would not have been content only to
encourage them to hunt, but would have taught them the science of
navigation.
The Cydonians are also acquainted with the god of the Phrygian tribes
of the Curetes and the Corybantes, who have a city called Cnossus
in the island, where they have built a temple. This god is a white
bull, although sometimes he is known to take the form of a man. The
Dorians affirm of him that he is the primitive god of the country,
but the Cydonians protest against this statement, and maintain that
he was imported hither by the Curetes. I myself had never heard of
the god. I cannot believe that he is either the Apis of the Egyptians
or our own great Moloch. Chryseis asserts that she knows him by the
name of Zeus, and believes that once upon a time he crossed the
strait between the Black Sea and the Sea of Ionia, carrying a fair
maiden on his back. He is said to be a fine and majestic creature,
and the Phrygians of Crete honour him with dances, howlings, and the
music of tambourines: his priests are of the tribe of the Corybantes,
the progeny of Corybis. It was mentioned by Chryseis that a bull
had once married a queen of the island, named Pasiphae, by whom he
had a strange offspring, half-man, half-bull; but the monster was
destroyed, she thought, by some Dorian or Ionian King. I can hardly
persuade myself that this bull was Zeus; and I am rather inclined
to suspect that the whole story is a fable, depicting some victory
gained by the Ionians over the mixed Phrygian tribes that had made
good their settlement upon the island.
I openly avowed my own conviction that this god was not our own god
Moloch. Moloch was far more powerful than any god of the Ionians;
he was much too mighty to permit foreigners to triumph over his own
people. It was quite possible that the Phrygians had not honoured
their bull-god Zeus as they were bound, and he, in anger, had
abandoned them to their conquerors; but this was not like Moloch; no,
he was not Moloch.
"Gods! gods!" cried Chamai, who had overheard the tenor of our
talk; "who are all these gods? There is one only God; and El is His
thrice-holy name. Another name He has, but _that_ we are forbidden
to pronounce. In His sight Moloch, Zeus, Artemis, Melkarth, all
are nothing. Chemosh could not defend the Moabites against our
hosts; Dagon could not protect the Philistines of Gaza and of
Askelon; Nisroch could not lead the Syrians at Zobah on to victory;
Adrammelech was impotent to gain a triumph at Damascus; and Baalim
could not prevail in behalf of the Amalekites. They all are nothing.
It is the Almighty El, the Lord of hosts, the Maker of the heaven and
the earth, that is the only God. He has brought us out of Egypt; He
has established us in our goodly lands. He is the God invisible and
true, the God of vengeance and of power."
"However much I may confess," said Hannibal, interrupting Chamai's
earnest protest, "that your mighty El may be the god of the mountains
and the plains, it cannot be denied that our Ashtoreth is the
goddess of the ocean. See what glorious victories she has gained for
us Sidonians; she has made us monarchs of the sea! For Moloch and
Melkarth I have no reverence whatever; but still I think that Baal
and the gods of Arvad should be honoured in the countries they have
favoured with their care."
"And don't forget our great Cabiri," put in Himilco; "what would all
our Tyrian pilots do without their guidance and protection?"
"I know nothing about pilots," Chamai said; adding, "for my part I
shall be content to worship El, our Lord Almighty, by land, by sea,
and everywhere."
So ended the discussion; and every one having made his invocation to
his own special divinity, all retired to rest.
There was little more to be gained from the Cydonians; accordingly,
on the following morning, having made a few trifling purchases, I
prepared to start. My own intention was first to round the western
limit of the island and to steer full north; next, having sighted the
two Cytheras, to coast along the mainland till we reached the mouth
of the Achelous, where I hoped to replenish our supply of water,
and to transact some profitable business with the natives; thence,
passing between Zacynthus and Cephallenia, I reckoned I could take
our course between the mainland and the island of the Siculi; once
there, I would coast along the north of it to Lilybœum, from
which headland the distance was only 380 stadia across to Carthage.
Such was my project; but whether any of the gods had been incensed at
our discussion the preceding night, or whether they were disposed to
put the capabilities of our vessels to the test, certain it is that
they had decreed that our course should be very different.
The sky was dull and lowering, and Himilco drew my attention to some
lurid clouds that were gathering in the south-west.
"No time to lose," I said; "unless we can get ahead of the hurricane
that is brewing down there, we shall run the risk of being dashed on
this rugged and unsheltered coast. There is safe anchorage on the
northern shore, and thither with all speed we must betake ourselves
before the storm shall break."
The weather was unnaturally calm; but I knew the necessity of urging
the rowers to full speed, and the ships made rapid progress to the
west. In the course of twelve hours I calculated we had made about
450 stadia, and had got quite clear of the island; but by this time
the sky had become obscured with low heavy clouds, and there was no
room to doubt that the tempest was approaching. I continued to keep
well out to sea, and fortunate for us I did so; for at nightfall,
when we were, as I conjectured, about 150 stadia from the land, the
storm overtook us in its fullest fury. The hurricane blew from the
south-west and feeling satisfied that by abandoning ourselves to its
violence we should be carried nearly north between Crete and the
lesser Cythera, I ordered a sail to be hoisted, and permitted the
wind to drive us on before it.
Throughout that night we knew not where we were. The rain poured down
in torrents; wave followed wave in quick succession, dashing masses
of water on to our decks, and our helmsmen had the utmost difficulty
in controlling the vessels so that they should not present their
broadsides to the squalls. The crash of the thunder was incessant,
and by the vivid glare of the lightning we could see where the
seething foam was rent asunder into black and yawning chasms.
In spite of the heavy seas that they continually shipped, our
vessels, all three, bore up admirably. I made the rowers and the
soldiers set to work with scoops to bale out the water, and under
the supervision of Hannibal and the oarsman in command, who spared
neither fair words nor hard blows to keep them to their task, they
worked away with a will.
In a voice loud enough to be heard above the roar of the tempest,
I shouted to Chamai that now was the time to invoke his God. To
Bichri's inquiries whether the danger was really great, I answered
that I had experienced worse weather in the Syrtes, and had known
worse peril on the sea beyond the Straits of Gades, the swell out
there being very long; but here, though rough and strong, the sea was
short, and the ships seemed as though they might hold their own.
Chryseis and Abigail were in their cabin locked in each other's
arms. Chamai and Bichri, although quite unaccustomed to the sea,
and scarcely able to maintain their footing, kept up their spirits
bravely, and to their very utmost assisted the sailors in securing
the rigging and making fast the stowage; but nothing could exceed the
terror of the great hulking Jonah, who, in the most abject state of
alarm, threw himself down upon the floor of the hold, where, like a
big bundle, he was rolled about at every pitch and lurching of the
vessel.
"Oh, oh! why did I come?" he groaned, in the agonies of despair; "why
did I come? why did I leave the village where I had plenty, and more
than plenty? I shall be drowned, drowned in the sea, and the fishes
will eat me! Oh, oh!"
"Out of the way, you great camel!" said Hannibal, giving the poor
wretch a tremendous kick in the ribs; "you will be smashing something
if you keep floundering about in this way; you all but threw me down
just now. Here, some of you," he called to the sailors, "come and
lash this fool to the foot of the mast."
The unwieldy giant was rolled helplessly along, and bound securely as
Hannibal directed.
Going to the stern, I found Himilco doing his best to instruct the
helmsman. He informed me that he had quite lost sight of the _Dagon_.
Just as he spoke, an enormous wave almost dashed the _Cabiros_
against our side, and a vivid flash of lightning revealed Hamilcar
and Gisgo gesticulating vehemently to their men.
"A fine beginning to our voyage!" shouted Gisgo, as he passed us.
"Hold on, man; face it out! and we shall conquer in the end," I
screamed in reply.
To Hanno, who stood clinging to a rope, gazing out upon the sea, I
said:
"Keep up your courage, Hanno."
"I have courage enough for Chryseis and for myself as well," he
answered, cheerily; "but I confess," he added, "I have never seen
weather so bad as this."
At this moment we were startled by the voice of Himilco, shouting
vehemently:
"The sail! the sail! look to the sail!"
The sailors flew to the yard. We were all but capsized; an immense
wave had turned the ship's side to the wind, and the
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