"Haggard, H Rider- Elissa" - читать интересную книгу автора (Haggard H. Rider)

more ascertained facts to build upon than are available to-day.





ELISSA



CHAPTER I

THE CARAVAN

The sun, which shone upon a day that was gathered to the past some
three thousand years ago, was setting in full glory over the expanses
of south-eastern Africa--the Libya of the ancients. Its last burning
rays fell upon a cavalcade of weary men, who, together with long
strings of camels, asses and oxen, after much toil had struggled to
the crest of a line of stony hills, where they were halted to recover
breath. Before them lay a plain, clothed with sere yellow grass--for
the season was winter--and bounded by mountains of no great height,
upon whose slopes stood the city which they had travelled far to seek.
It was the ancient city of Zimboe, whereof the lonely ruins are known
to us moderns as Zimbabwe.

At the sight of its flat-roofed houses of sun-dried brick, set upon
the side of the opposing hill, and dominated by a huge circular
building of dark stone, the caravan raised a great shout of joy. It
shouted in several tongues, in the tongues of PhЬnicia, of Egypt, of
the Hebrews, of Arabia, and of the coasts of Africa, for all these
peoples were represented amongst its numbers. Well might the wanderers
cry out in their delight, seeing that at length, after eight months of
perilous travelling from the coast, they beheld the walls of their
city of rest, of the golden Ophir of the Bible. Their company had
started from the eastern port, numbering fifteen hundred men, besides
women and children, and of those not more than half were left alive.
Once a savage tribe had ambushed them, killing many. Once the
pestilential fever of the low lands had taken them so that they died
of it by scores. Twice also had they suffered heavily through hunger
and thirst, to say nothing of their losses by the fangs of lions,
crocodiles, and other wild beasts which with the country swarmed. Now
their toils were over; and for six months, or perhaps a year, they
might rest and trade in the Great City, enjoying its wealth, its
flesh-pots, and the unholy orgies which, among people of the PhЬnician
race, were dignified by the name of the worship of the gods of heaven.

Soon the clamour died away, and although no command was given, the
caravan started on at speed. All weariness faded from the faces of the
wayworn travellers, even the very camels and asses, shrunk, as most of