she-第23部分

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along　the　bed　of　the　ancient　watercourse　towards　the　
spot　where　the　rich　brown　clad　cliff　shot　up　from　
precipice　to　precipice　till　its　crown　lost　itself　in　
cloud。　All　I　can　say　is　that　it　almost　awed　me　by　the　
intensity　of　its　lonesome　and　most　solemn　greatness。　
On　we　went　up　the　bright　and　sunny　slope；　till　at　last　
the　creeping　shadows　from　above　swallowed　up　its　
brightness；　and　presently　we　began　to　pass　through　a　
cutting　hewn　in　the　living　rock。　Deeper　and　deeper　
grew　this　marvellous　work；　which　must；　I　should　say；　
have　employed　thousands　of　men　for　many　years。　Indeed；　
how　it　was　ever　executed　at　all　without　the　aid　of　
blasting　powder　or　dynamite　I　cannot　to　this　day　
imagine。　It　is　and　must　remain　one　of　the　mysteries　of　
that　wild　land。　I　can　only　suppose　that　these　cuttings　
and　the　vast　caves　that　had　been　hollowed　out　of　the　
rocks　they　pierced　were　the　State　undertakings　of　the　
people　of　Ko^r；　who　lived　here　in　the　dim　lost　ages　of　
the　world；　and；　as　in　the　case　of　the　Egyptian　
monuments；　were　executed　by　the　forced　labor　of　tens　
of　thousands　of　captives；　carried　on　through　an　
indefinite　number　of　centuries。　But　who　were　the　
people？

At　last　we　reached　the　face　of　the　precipice　itself；　
and　found　ourselves　looking　into　the　mouth　of　a　dark　
tunnel　that　forcibly　reminded　me　of　those　undertaken　
by　our　nineteenth…century　engineers　in　the　
construction　of　railway　lines。　Out　of　this　tunnel　
flowed　a　considerable　stream　of　water。　Indeed；　though　
I　do　not　think　that　I　have　mentioned　it；　we　had　
followed　this　stream；　which　ultimately　developed　into　
the　river　I　have　already　described　as　winding　away　to　
the　right；　from　the　spot　where　the　cutting　in　the　
solid　rock　commenced。　Half　of　this　cutting　formed　a　
channel　for　the　stream；　and　half；　which　was　placed　on　
a　slightly　higher　leveleight　feet　perhapswas　
devoted　to　the　purposes　of　a　roadway。　At　the　
termination　of　the　cutting；　however；　the　stream　turned　
off　across　the　plain　and　followed　a　channel　of　its　
own。　At　the　mouth　of　the　cave　the　cavalcade　was　
halted；　and；　while　the　men　employed　themselves　in　
lighting　some　earthenware　lamps　they　had　brought　with　
them；　Billali；　descending　from　his　litter；　informed　me　
politely　but　firmly　that　the　orders　of　_i_　She　_i_　
were　that　we　were　now　to　be　blindfolded；　so　that　we　
should　not　learn　the　secret　of　the　paths　through　the　
bowels　of　the　mountains。　To　this　I；　of　course；　
assented　cheerfully　enough；　but　Job；　who　was　now　very　
much　better；　notwithstanding　the　journey；　did　not　like　
it　at　all；　fancying；　I　believe；　that　it　was　but　a　
preliminary　step　to　being　hot…potted。　He　was；　however；　
a　little　consoled　when　I　pointed　out　to　him　that　there　
were　no　hot　pots　at　hand；　and；　so　far　as　I。　knew；　no　
fire　to　heat　them　in。　As　for　poor　Leo；　after　turning　
restlessly　for　hours；　he　had；　to　my　deep　thankfulness；　
at　last　dropped　off　into　a　sleep　or　stupor；　I　do　not　
know　which；　so　there　was　no　need　to　blindfold　him。　The　
blindfolding　was　performed　by　binding　a　piece　of　the　
yellowish　linen　whereof　those　of　the　Amahagger　who　
condescended　to　wear　anything　in　particular　made　their　
dresses　tightly　round　the　eyes。　This　linen；　I　
afterwards　discovered；　was　taken　from　the　tombs；　and　
was　not；　as　I　had　at　first　supposed；　of　native　
manufacture。　The　bandage　was　then　knotted　at　the　back　
of　the　head；　and　finally　brought　down　again　and　the　
ends　bound　under　the　chin　to　prevent　its　slipping。　
Ustane　was；　by　the　way；　also　blindfolded；　I　do　not　
know　why；　unless　it　was　from　fear　that　she　should　
impart　the　secrets　of　the　route　to　us。

This　operation　performed　we　started　on　once　more；　and　
soon；　by　the　echoing　sound　of　the　footsteps　of　the　
bearers　and　the　increased　noise　of　the　water　caused　by　
reverberation　in　a　confined　space；　I　knew　that　we　were　
entering　into　the　bowels　of　the　great　mountain。　It　was　
an　eerie　sensation；　being　borne　along　into　the　dead　
heart　of　the　rock　we　knew　not　whither；　but　I　was　
getting　used　to　eerie　sensations　by　this　time；　and　by　
now　was　pretty　well　prepared　for　anything。　So　I　lay　
still；　and　listened　to　the　tramp；　tramp　of　the　bearers　
and　the　rushing　of　the　water；　and　tried　to　believe　
that　I　was　enjoying　myself。　Presently　the　men　set　up　
the　melancholy　little　chant　that　I　had　heard　on　the　
first　night　when　we　were　captured　in　the　whale…boat；　
and　the　effect　produced　by　their　voices　was　very　
curious；　and　quite　indescribable　on　paper。　After　a　
while　the　air　began　to　get　exceedingly　thick　and　
heavy；　so　much　so；　indeed；　that　I　felt　as　though　I　
were　going　to　choke；　till　at　length　the　litter　took　a　
sharp　turn；　then　another　and　another；　and　the　sound　of　
the　running　water　ceased。　After　this　the　air　got　
fresher　again；　but　the　turns　were　continuous；　and　to　
me；　blindfolded　as　I　was；　most　bewildering。　I　tried　to　
keep　a　map　of　them　in　my　mind　in　case　it　might　ever　be　
necessary　for　us　to　try　and　escape　by　this　route；　but；　
needless　to　say；　failed　utterly。　Another　half…hour　or　
so　passed；　and　then　suddenly　I　became　aware　that　we　
were　once　more　in　the　open　air。　I　could　see　the　light　
through　my　bandage　and　feel　freshness　on　my　face。　A　
few　more　and　the　caravan　halted；　and　I　heard　Billali　
order　Ustane　to　remove　her　bandage　and　undo　ours。　
Without　waiting　for　her　attentions　I　got　the　knot　of　
mine　loose；　and　looked　out。

As　I　anticipated；　we　had　passed　right　through　the　
precipice；　and　were　now　on　the　farther　side；　and　
immediately　beneath　its　beetling　face。　The　first　thing　
I　noticed　was　that　the　cliff　was　not　nearly　so　high　
here；　not　so　high　I　should　say　by　five　hundred　feet；　
which　proved　that　the　bed　of　the　lake；　or　rather　of　
the　vast　ancient　crater　in　which　we　stood；　was　much　
above　the　level　of　the　surrounding　plain。　For　the　
rest；　we　found　ourselves　in　a　huge　rock…surrounded　
cup；　not　unlike　that　of　the　first　place　where　we　had　
sojourned；　only　ten　times　the　size。　Indeed；　I　could　
only　just　make　out　the　frowning　line　of　the　opposite　
cliffs。　A　great　portion　of　the　plain　thus　enclosed　by　
nature　was　cultivated；　and　fenced　in　with　walls　of　
stone　placed　there　to　keep　the　cattle　and　goats；　of　
which　there　were　large　herds　about；　from　breaking　into　
the　gardens。　Here　and　there　rose　great　grass　mounds；　
and　some　miles　away　towards　the　centre　I　thought　that　
I　could　see　the　outline　of　colossal　ruins。　I　had　no　
time　to　observe　anything　more　at　the　moment；　for　we　
were　instantly　surrounded　by　crowds　of　Amahagger；　
similar　in　every　particular　to　those　with　whom　we　were　
already　familiar；　who；　though　they　spoke　little；　
pressed　round　us　so　closely　as　to　obscure　the　view　to　
a　person　lying　in　a　hammock。　Then　all　of　a　sudden　a　
number　of　armed　men　arranged　in　companies；　and　
marshalled　by　officers　who　held　ivory　wands　in　their　
hands；　came　running　swiftly　towards　us；　having；　so　far　
as　I　could　make　out；　emerged　from　the　face　of　the　
precipice　like　ants　from　their　burrows。　These　men；　as　
well　as　their　officers；　were　all　robed　in　addition　to　
the　usual　leopard　skin；　and；　as　I　gathered；　formed　the　
bodyguard　of　_i_　She　_i_　herself。

Their　leader　advanced　to　Billali；　saluted　him　by　
placing　his　ivory　wand　transversely　across　his　
forehead；　and　then　asked　some　question　which　I　could　
not　catch；　and　Billali　having　answered　him；　the　whole　
regiment　turned　and　marched　along　the　side　of　the　
cliff；　our　cavalcade　of　litters　following　in　their　
track。　After　going　thus　for　about　half　a　mile　we　
halted　once　more　in　front　of　the　mouth　of　a　tremendous　
cave；　measuring　about　sixty　feet　in　height　by　eighty　
wide；　and　here　Billali　descended　finally；　and　
requested　Job　and　myself　to　do　the　same。　Leo；　of　
course；　was　far　too　ill　to　do　anything　of　the　sort。　I　
did　so；　and　we　entered　the　great　cave；　into　which　the　
light　of　the　setting　sun　penetrated　for　some　distance；　
while　beyond　the　reach　of　the　light　it　was　faintly　
illuminated　with　lamps　which　seemed　to　me　to　stretch　
away　for　an　almost　immeasurable　distance；　like　the　
gaslights　of　an　empty　London　street。　The　first　thing　
that　I　noticed　was　that　the　walls　were　covered　with　
sculptures　in　bas…relief；　of　a　sort；　pictorially　
speaking；　similar　to　those　that　I　have　described　upon　
the　vaseslove…scenes　principally；　then　hunting…
pictures；　pictures　of　executions；　and　the　torture　of　
criminals　by　the　placing　of　a　presumably　red…hot　pot　
upon　the　head；　showing　whence　our　hosts　had　derived　
this　pleasant　practice。　There　were　very　few　battle…
pieces；　though　many　of　duels；　and　men　running　and　
wrestling；　and　from　this　fact　I　am　led　to　believe　that　
this　people　was　not　much　subject　to　attack　by　exterior　
foes；　either　on　account　of　the　isolation　of　their　
position　or　because　of　their　great　strength。　Between　
the　pictures　were　columns　of　stone　characters　of　a　
formation　absolutely　new　to　me：　at　any　rate；　they　were　
neither　Greek；　nor　Egyptian；　nor　Hebrew；　nor　Assyrian…
…that　I　am　sure　of。　They　looked　more　like　Chinese　
writings　than　any　other　that　I　am　acquainted　with。　
Near　to　the　entrance　of　the　cave　both　pictures　and　
writings　were　worn　away；　but　farther　in　they　were　in　
many　cases　absolutely　fresh　and　perfect　as　the　day　on　
which　the　sculptor　had　ceased　work　upon　them。

The　regiment　of　guards　did　not　come　farther　than　the　
entrance　to　the　cave；　where　they　formed　up　to　let　us　
pass　through。　On　entering　the　place　itself　we　were；　
however；　met　by　a　man　robed　in　white；　who　bowed　
humbly；　but　said　nothing；　which；　as　it　afterwards　
appeared　that　he　was　a　deaf　mute；　was　not　very　
wonderful。

Running　at　right　angles　to　the　great　cave；　at　a　
distance　of　some　twenty　feet　from　the　entrance；　was　a　
smaller　cave　or　wide　gallery；　that　was　pierced　into　
the　rock　both　to　the　right　and　to　the　left　of　the　main　
cavern。　In　front　of　the　gallery　to　our　left　stood　two　
guards；　from　which　circumstance　I　argued　that　it　was　
the　entrance　to　the　apartments　of　_i_　She　_i_　herself。　
The　mouth　of　the　right…hand　gallery　was　unguarded；　and　
along　it　the　mute　indicated　that　we　were　to　proceed。　
Walking　a　few　yards　down　this　passage；　which　was　
lighted　with　lamps；　we　came　to　the　entrance　to　a　
chamber　having　a　curtain　made　of　some　grass　materia