The Lost Continent

  14. AGAIN THE GODS MAKE CHANGE

  Now it would be tedious to tell how with a handful of highly trainedfighting men, I charged and recharged, and finally broke up that hordeof rebels which outnumbered us by fifteen times. It must be rememberedthat they grew suddenly panic-stricken in finding that of all thosewho went in under the city walls by the mine on which they had set suchgreat store, none came back, and that the sounds of panic which hadfirst broken out within the city soon gave way to cries of triumph andjoy. And it must be carried in memory also that these wretched rebelswere without training worthy of the name, were for the most partweaponed very vilely, and, seeing that their silly principles made eachthe equal of his neighbour, were practically without heads or leadersalso.

  So when the panic began, it spread like a malignant murrain through alltheir ragged ranks, and there were none to rally the flying, none todirect those of more desperate bravery who stayed and fought.

  My scheme of attack was simple. I hunted them without a halt. I and myfellows never stopped to play the defensive. We turned one flank, andcharged through a centre, and then we were harrying the other flank,and once more hacking our passage through the solid mass. And so byconstantly keeping them on the run, and in ignorance of whence wouldcome the next attack, panic began to grow amongst them and ferment, tillpresently those in the outer lines commenced to scurry away towardsthe forests and the spoiled corn-lands of the country, and those in theinner packs were only wishful of a chance to follow them.

  It was no feat of arms this breaking up of the rebel leaguer, and nopractised soldier would wish to claim it as such. It was simply takingadvantage of the chances of the moment, and as such it was successful.Given an open battle on their own ground, these desperate rebels wouldhave fought till none could stand, and by sheer ferocious numberswould have pulled down any trained troops that the city could have sentagainst them, whether they had advanced in phalanx or what formationyou will. For it must be remembered they were far removed from cowards,being Atlantean all, just as were those within the city, and were,moreover, spurred to extraordinary savageness and desperation by theoppression under which they had groaned, and the wrongs they had beenforced to endure.

  Still, as I say, the poor creatures were scattered, and the siege wasraised from that moment, and it was plain to see that the rebellionmight be made to end, if no unreasonable harshness was used for itsfinal suppression. Too great severity, though perhaps it may be justlytheir portion, only drives such malcontents to further desperations.

  Now, following up these fugitives, to make sure that there was no haltin their retreat, and to send the lesson of panic thoroughly home tothem, had led us a long distance from the city walls; and as we hadfought all through the burning heat of the day and my men were heavilywearied, I decided to halt where we were for the night amongstsome half-ruined houses which would make a temporary fortification.Fortunately, a drove of little cloven-hoofed horses which had beenscared by some of the rebels in their flight happened to blunder intoour lines, and as we killed five before they were clear again, there wasa soldier's supper for us, and quickly the fires were lit and cookingit.

  Sentries paced the outskirts and made their cries to one another, andthe wounded sat by the fires and dressed their hurts, and with theofficers I talked over the engagements of the day, and the methods ofeach charge, and the other details of the fighting. It is the specialperquisite of soldiers to dally over these matters with gusto, thoughthey are entirely without interest for laymen.

  The hour drew on for sleep, and snores went up from every side. It wasclear that all my officers were wearied out, and only continued thetalk through deference to their commander. Yet I had a feverish dreadof being left alone again with my thoughts, and pressed them on withconversation remorselessly. But in the end they were saved the rudenessof dropping off into unconsciousness during my talk. A sentry came upand saluted. "My lord," he reported, "there is a woman come up from thecity whom we have caught trying to come into the bivouac."

  "How is she named?"

  "She will not say."

  "Has she business?'

  "She will say none. She demands only to see my lord."

  "Bring her here to the fire," I ordered, and then on second thoughtsremembering that the woman, whoever she might be, had news likely enoughfor my private ear (or otherwise she would not have come to so uncoutha rendezvous), I said to the sentry: "Stay," and got up from the groundbeside the fire, and went with him to the outer line.

  "Where is she?" I asked.

  "My comrades are holding her. She might be a wench belonging to theserebels, with designs to put a knife into my lord's heart, and then wesentries would suffer. The Empress," he added simply, "seems to setgood store upon my lord at present, and we know the cleverness of hertormentors."

  "Your thoughtfulness is frank," I said, and then he showed me the woman.She was muffled up in hood and cloak, but one who loved Nais as I lovedcould not mistake the form of Ylga, her twin sister, because of mereswathings. So I told the sentries to release her without asking her forspeech, and then led her out from the bivouac beyond earshot of theirlines.

  "It is something of the most pressing that has brought you out here,Ylga?"

  "You know me, then? There must be something warmer than the ordinarybetween us two, Deucalion, if you could guess who walked beneath allthese mufflings."

  I let that pass. "But what's your errand, girl?"

  "Aye," she said bitterly, "there's my reward. All your concern's for themessage, none for the carrier. Well, good my lord, you are husband tothe dainty Phorenice no longer."

  "This is news."

  "And true enough, too. She will have no more of you, divorces you,spurns you, thrusts you from her, and, after the first splutter of wrathis done, then come pains and penalties."

  "The Empress can do no wrong. I will have you speak respectful words ofthe Empress."

  "Oh, be done with that old fable! It sickens me. The woman was mad forlove of you, and now she's mad with jealousy. She knows that you gaveNais some of your priest's magic, and that she sleeps till you choose tocome and claim her, even though the day be a century from this. And ifyou wish to know the method of her enlightenment, it is simple. Thereis another airshaft next to the one down which you did your cooing andbilling, and that leads to another cell in which lay another prisoner.The wretch heard all that passed, and thought to buy enlargement bytelling it.

  "But his news came a trifle stale. It seems that with the pressure ofthe morning's ceremonies, they forgot to bring a ration, and when atlast his gaoler did remember him, it was rather late, seeing that bythen Phorenice had tied herself publicly to a husband, and poor Nais haddoubtless eaten her green drug. However, the fools must needs try andbarter his tale for what it would fetch; and, as was natural, had sucha silly head chopped off for his pains; and after that your Phorenicebehaved as you may guess. And now you may thank me, sir, for coming towarn you not to go back to Atlantis."

  "But I shall go back. And if the Empress chooses to cut my head alsofrom its proper column, that is as the High Gods will."

  "You are more sick of life than I thought. But I think, sir, ourPhorenice judges your case very accurately. It was permitted me to hearthe outbursting of this lady's rage. 'Shall I hew off his head?' saidshe. 'Pah! Shall I give him over to my tormentors, and stand by whilstthey do their worst? He would not wrinkle his brow at their fiercestefforts. No; he must have a heavier punishment than any of these, andone also which will endure. I shall lop off his right hand and his leftfoot, so that he may be a fighting man no longer, and then I shall drivehim forth crippled into the dangerous lands, where he may learn Fear.The beasts shall hunt him, the fires of the ground shall spoil his rest.He shall know hunger, and he shall breathe bad air. And all the while heshall remember that I have Nais near me, living and locked in her coffinof stone, to play with as I choose, and to give over to what insults maycome to my fancy.' That is what she said, Deucalion. Now I ask you againwill you g
o back to meet her vengeance?"

  "No," I said, "it is no part of my plan to be mutilated and left tolive."

  "So, being a woman of some sense, I judged. And, moreover, having somesmall kindness still left for you, I have taken it upon myself to makea plan for your further movement which may fall in with your whim. Doesthe name of Tob come back to your memory?"

  "One who was Captain of Tatho's navy?"

  "That same Tob. A gruff, rude fellow, and smelling vile of tar, butseeming to have a sturdy honesty of his own. Tob sails away this nightfor parts unknown, presumably to found a kingdom with Tob for king. Itseems he can find little enough to earn at his craft in Atlantis theselatter days, and has scruples at seeing his wife and young ones hungry.He told me this at the harbour side when I put my neck under the axe bysaying I wanted carriage for you, sir, and so having me under his thumb,he was perhaps more loose-lipped than usual. You seem to have madea fine impression on Tob, Deucalion. He said--I repeat his heartydisrespect--you were just the recruit he wanted, but whether you joinedhim or not, he would go to the nether Gods to do you service."

  "By the fellow's side, I gained some experience in fighting the greatersea beasts."

  "Well, go and do it again. Believe me, sir, it is your only chance. Itwould grieve me much to hear the searing-iron hiss on your stumps. Ibargained with Tob to get clear of the harbour forts before the chainwas up for the night, and as he is a very daring fellow, with no fear ofnavigating under the darkness, he himself said he would come to a pointof the shore which we agreed upon, and there await you. Come, Deucalion,let me lead you to the place."

  "My girl," I said, "I see I owe you many thanks for what you have doneon my poor behalf."

  "Oh, your thanks!" she said. "You may keep them. I did not come out herein the dark and the dangers for mere thanks, though I knew well enoughthere would be little else offered."--She plucked at my sleeve.--"Nowshow me your walking pace, sir. They will begin to want your countenancein the camp directly, and we need hanker after no too narrow inquiriesfor what's along."

  So thereon we set off, Ylga and I, leaving the lights of the bivouacbehind us, and she showed the way, whilst I carried my weapons ready toward off attacks whether from beasts or from men. Few words were passedbetween us, except those which had concern with the dangers naturalto the way. Once only did we touch one another, and that was wherea tree-trunk bridged a rivulet of scalding water which flowed from aboil-spring towards the sea.

  "Are you sure of footing?" I asked, for the night was dark, and the heatof the water would peel the flesh from the bones if one slipped into it.

  "No," she said, "I am not," and reached out and took my hand. I helpedher over and then loosed my grip, and she sighed, and slowly slipped herhand away. Then on again we went in silence, side by side, hour afterhour, and league after league.

  But at last we topped a rise, and below us through the trees I could seethe gleam of the great estuary on which the city of Atlantis stands. Theground was soggy and wet beneath us, the trees were full of barbs andspines, the way was monstrous hard. Ylga's breath was beginning to comein laboured pants. But when I offered to take her arm, and help her,as some return against what she had done for me, she repulsed me rudelyenough. "I am no poor weakling," said she, "if that is your only reasonfor wanting to touch me."

  Presently, however, we came out through the trees, and the roughest partof our journey was done. We saw the ship riding to her anchors inshore a mile away, and a weird enough object she was under the faintstarlight. We made our way to her along the level beaches.

  Tob was keeping a keen watch. We were challenged the moment we camewithin stone or arrow shot, and bidden to halt and recite our business;but he was civil enough when he heard we were those whom he expected.He called a crew and slacked out his anchor-rope till his ship groundagainst the shingle, and then thrust out his two steering oars to helpus clamber aboard.

  I turned to Ylga with words of thanks and farewell. "I will never forgetwhat you have done for me this night; and should the High Gods see fitto bring me back to Atlantis and power, you shall taste my gratitude."

  "I do not want to return. I am sick of this old life here."

  "But you have your palace in the city, and your servants, and yourwealth, and Phorenice will not disturb you from their possession."

  "Oh, as for that, I could go back and be fan-girl tomorrow. But I do notwant to go back."

  "Let me tell you it is no time for a gently nurtured lady like yourselfto go forward. I have been viceroy of Yucatan, Ylga, and know somewhatof making a foothold in these new countries. And that was nothingcompared with what this will be. I tell you it entails hardships, andprivations, and sufferings which you could not guess at. Few survivewho go to colonise in the beginning, and those only of the hardiest, andthey earn new scars and new batterings every day."

  "I do not care, and, besides, I can share the work. I can cook, I canshoot a good arrow, and I can make garments, yes, though they werecut from the skins of beasts and had to be sewn with backbone sinews.Because you despise fine clothes, and because you have seen me onlydecked out as fan-girl, you think I am useless. Bah, Deucalion! Neverlet people prate to me about your perfection. You know less about awoman than a boy new from school."

  "I have learned all I care to know about one woman, and because of thememory of her, I could not presume to ask her sister to come with menow."

  "Aye," she said bitterly, "kick my pride. I knew well enough it was onlysecond place to Nais I could get all the time I was wanting to come. Yetno one but a boor would have reminded me of it. Gods! and to think thathalf the men in Atlantis have courted me, and now I am arrived at this!"

  "I must go alone. It would have made me happier to take your esteem withme. But as it is, I suppose I shall carry only your hate."

  "That is the most humiliating thing of all; I cannot bring myself tohate you. I ought to, I know, after the brutal way you have scorned me.But I do not, and there is the truth. I seem to grow the fonder of you,and if I thought there was a way of keeping you alive, and unmutilated,here in Atlantis, I do not think I should point out that Tob is tiredof waiting, and will probably be off without you." She flung her armssuddenly about my neck, and kissed me hotly on the mouth. "There, thatis for good-bye, dear. You see I am reckless. I care not what I do now,knowing that you cannot despise me more than you have done all along formy forwardness."

  She ran back from me into the edge of the trees.

  "But this is foolishness," I said. "I must take you through the dangersthat lie between here and some gate of the city, and then come back tothe ship."

  "You need not fear for me. The unhappy are always safe. And, besides, Ihave a way. It is my solace to know that you will remember me now. Youwill never forget that kiss."

  "Fare you well, Ylga," I cried. "May the High Gods keep you entirely intheir holy care."

  But no reply came back. She had gone off into the forest. And so Iturned down to the beach, and splashed into the water, and climbed onboard the ship up the steering oars. Tob gave the word to haul-to theanchor, and get her away from the beach.

  "Greeting, my lord," said he, "but I'd have been pleased to see youearlier. We've small enough force and slow enough heels in this vessel,and it's my idea that the sooner we're away from here and beyond rangeof pursuit, the safer it will be for my woman and brats who are in thathutch of an after-castle. It's long enough since I sailed in such asmall old-fashioned ship as this. She's no machines, and she's not evena steering mannikin. Look at the meanness of her furniture and (in yourear) I've suspicions that there's rottenness in her bottom. But she'sthe best I'd the means to buy, and if she reaches the place at thefarther end I've got my eye on, we shall have to make a home there, orbe content to die, for she'll never have strength to carry us fartheror back. She's been a ship in the Egypt trade, and you know what that isfor getting worm and rot in the wood."

  "You'd enough hands for your scheme before I came?"

  "Oh yes. I've fi
fty stout lads and eight women packed in the shipsomehow, and trouble enough I've had to get them away from the city.That thief of a port-captain wellnigh skinned us clean before he couldsee it lawful that so many useful fighting men might go out of harbour.Times are not what they were, I tell you, and the sea trade's aboutdone. All sailor men of any skill have taken a woman or two and goneout in companies to try their fortunes in other lands. Why, I'd troubleenough to get half a score to help me work this ship. All my balance arejust landsmen raw and simple, and if I land half of them alive at theother end, we shall be doing well."

  "Still with luck and a few good winds it should not take long to getacross to Europe."

  Tob slapped his leg. "No savage Europe for me, my lord. Now, see theadvantage of being a mariner. I found once some islands to the northof Europe, separated from the main by a strait, which I called the TinIslands, seeing that tin ore litters many of the beaches. I was driventhere by storm, and said no word of the find when I got back, and hereyou see it comes in useful. There's no one in all Atlantis but me knowsof those Tin Islands to-day, and we'll go and fight honestly for ourground, and build a town and a kingdom on it."

  "With Tob for king?"

  "Well, I have figured it out as such for many a day, but I know when Imeet my better, and I'm content to serve under Deucalion. My lord wouldhave done wiser to have brought a wife with him, though, and I thoughtit was understood by the good lady that spoke to me down at the harbour,or I'd have mentioned it earlier. The savages in my Tin Islands go nakedand stain themselves blue with woad, and are very filthy and brutish tolook upon. They are sturdy, and should make good slaves, but one wouldhave to get blunted in the taste before one could wish to be father totheir children."

  "I am still husband to Phorenice."

  Tob grinned. "The Gods give you joy of her. But it is part of amariner's creed--and you will grow to be a mariner here--that wedlockdoes not hold across the seas. However, that matter may rest. But,coming to my Tin Islands again: they'll delight you. And I tell you, akingdom will not be so hard to carve out as it was in Egypt, or as youfound in Yucatan. There are beasts there, of course, and no one whocan hunt need ever go hungry. But the greater beasts are few. Thereare cave-bears and cave-tigers in small numbers, to be sure, and someriver-horses and great snakes. But the greater lizards seem to avoid theland; and as for birds, there is rarely seen one that can hurt a grownman. Oh, I tell you, it will be a most desirable kingdom."

  "Tob seems to have imagined himself king of the Tin Islands with muchreality."

  He sighed a little. "In truth I did, and there is no denying it, and Itell you plain, there is not another man living that I would have brokenthis voyage for but Deucalion. But don't think I regret it, and don'tthink I want to push myself above my place. This breeze and the ebb aretaking the old ship finely along her ways. See those fire baskets on theharbour forts? We're abreast of them now. We'll have dropped them andthe city out of sight by daylight, and the flood will not begin to runup till then. But I fear unless the wind hardens down with the dawnwe'll have to bring up to an anchor when the flood makes. Tides run veryhard in these narrow seas. Aye, and there are some shrewdish tide-ripsround my Tin Islands, as you shall see when we reach them."

  There were many fearful glances backwards when day came and showed thewaters, and the burning mountains that hemmed them in beyond the shores.All seemed to expect some navy of Phorenice to come surging up to takethem back to servitude and starvation in the squalid wards of the city;and I confess ingenuously that I was with them in all truth when theyswore they would fight the ship till she sank beneath them, before theywould obey another of the commands of Phorenice. However, their braveheroics were displayed to no small purpose. For the full flow of thetide we hung in our place, barely moving past the land, but yet notseeing either oar or sail; and then, when the tide turned, away we wentonce more with speed, mightily comforted.

  Tob's woman must needs bring drink on deck, and bid all pour libationsto her as a future queen. But Tob cuffed her back into the after-castle,slamming to the hatch behind her heels, and bidding the crew send theliquor down their dusty throats. "We are done with that foolery," saidhe. "My Lord Deucalion will be king of this new kingdom we shallbuild in the Tin Islands, and a right proper king he'll make, as youuntravelled ones would know, if you'd sailed the outer seas with him asI have done." Beneath which I read a regret, but said nothing, havingmade my plans from the moment of stepping on board, as will appear on alater sheet.

  So on down the great estuary we made our way, and though it pleasuredthe others on board when they saw that the seas were desolate of sails,it saddened me when I recalled how once the waters had been whitenedwith the glut of shipping.

  They had started off on their voyage with a bare two days' provisionin their equipment, and so, of necessity even after leaving the greatestuary, we were forced to voyage coastwise, putting into every likelyriver and sheltered beach to slay fish and meat for future victualling."And when the winter comes," said Tob, "as its gales will be heavierthan this old ship can stomach, I had determined to haul up and make apermanent camp ashore, and get a crop of grain grown and threshed beforesetting sail again. It is the usual custom in these voyages. And I shalldo it still, subject to my lord's better opinion."

  So here, having by this time completed a two months' leisurely journeyfrom the city, I saw my opportunity to speak what I had always carriedin my mind. "Tob," I said, "I am a poor, weak, defenceless man, and I amquite at your mercy, but what if I do not voyage all the way to the TinIslands, and oust you of this kingship?"

  He brightened perceptibly. "Aye," he grunted, "you are very weak, mylord, and mighty defenceless. We know all about that. But what'selse? You must tell all your meaning plain. I'm a common mariner, andunderstand little of your fancy talk."

  "Why, this. That it is not my wish to leave the continent of Atlantis.If you will put me down on any part of this side that faces Europe, Iwill commend you strongly to the Gods. I would I could give youmoney, or (better still) articles that would be useful to you in yourcolonising; but as it is, you see me destitute."

  "As to that, you owe me nothing, having done vastly more than your shareeach time we have put in shore for the hunting. But it will not do, thisplan of yours. I will shamedly confess that the sound of that kingshipin my Tin Islands sounds sweet to me. But no, my lord, it will not do.You are no mariner yet, and understand little of geography, but I musttell you that the part of Atlantis there"--he jerked his thumb towardsthe line of trees, and the mountains which lay beyond the fringeof surf--"is called the Dangerous Lands, and a man must needs be asalamander and be learned in magic (so I am told) before he can livethere."

  I laughed. "We of the Priests' Clan have some education, Tob, thoughit may not be on the same lines as your own. In fact, I may say I wastaught in the colleges concerning the boundaries and the contents ofour continent with a nicety that would surprise you. And once ashore, myfate will still be under the control of the most High Gods."

  He muttered something in his profane seaman's way about preferring tokeep his own fate under control of his own most strong right arm, butsaying that he would keep the matter in his thoughts, he excused himselfhurriedly to go and see to somewhat concerning the working of the ship,and there left me.

  But I think the sweets of kingly rule were a strong argument in favourof letting me have my way (which I should have had otherwise if it hadnot been given peacefully), and on the third day after our talk heput the ship inshore again for re-victualling. We lurched into ariver-mouth, half swamped over a roaring bar, and ran up against thebank and made fast there to trees, but booming ourselves a safe distanceoff with oars and poles, so that no beast could leap on board out of thethicket.

  Fish-spearing and meat-hunting were set about with promptitude, andon the second day we were happy enough to slay a yearling river-horse,which gave provisions in all sufficiency. A space was cleared on thebank, fires were lit, and the meat hung over the smoke in strips, a
ndwhen as much was cured as the ship would carry, the shipmen made a finalgorge on what remained, filled up a great stack of hollow reeds withdrinking water, and were ready to continue the voyage.

  With sturdy generosity did Tob again attempt to make me sail on withthem as their future king, and as steadfastly did I make refusal; andat last stood alone on the bank amongst the gnawed bones of their feast,with my weapons to bear me company, and he, and his men, and the womenstood in the little old ship, ready to drop down river with the current.

  "At least," said Tob, "we'll carry your memory with us, and make it bigin the Tin Islands for everlasting."

  "Forget me," I said, "I am nothing. I am merely an incident that hascome in your way. But if you want to carry some memory with you thatshall endure, preserve the cult of the most High Gods as it was taughtto you when you were children here in Atlantis. And afterwards, whenyour colony grows in power, and has come to sufficient magnificence, youmay send to the old country for a priest."

  "We want no priest, except one we shall make ourselves, and that willbe me. And as for the old Gods--well, I have laid my ideas before thefellows here, and they agree to this: We are done with those old Godsfor always. They seem worn out, if one may judge from Their present lackof usefulness in Atlantis, and, anyway, there will be no room for Themon the Tin Islands.--Let go those warps there aft, and shove her headout.--We are under weigh now, my lord, and beyond recall, and so I amfree to tell you what we have decided upon for our religious exercises.We shall set up the memory of a living Hero on earth, and worship that.And when in years to come the picture of his face grows dim, we shalldoubtless make an image of him, as accurate as our art permits, andbuild him a temple for shelter, and bring there our offerings andprayers. And as I say, my lord, I shall be priest, and when I am dead,the sons of my body shall be priests after me, and the eldest a kingalso."

  "Let me plead with you," I said. "This must not be."

  The ship was drifting rapidly away with the current, and they werehoisting sail. Tob had to shout to make himself heard. "Aye, but itshall be. For I, too, am a strong man after my kind, and I have orderedit so. And if you want the name of our Hero that some day shall be God,you wear it on yourself. Deucalion shall be God for our children."

  "This is blasphemy," I cried. "Have a care, fool, or this impiety willsink you."

  "We will risk it," he bawled back, "and consider the odds against us aresmall. Regard! Here is thy last horn of wine in the ship, and my womanhas treasured it against this moment. Regard, all men, togetherwith Those above and Those below! I pour this wine as a libation toDeucalion, great lord that is to-day, Hero that shall be to-morrow, Godthat will be in time to come!" And then all those on the ship joinedin the acclaim till they were beyond the reach of my voice, and werebattling their way out to sea through the roaring breakers of the bar.

  Solitary I stood at the brink of the forest, looking after them andmusing sadly. Tob, despite his lowly station, was a man I cared for morethan many. Like all seamen, I knew that he paid his devotions to oneof the obscurer Gods, but till then I had supposed him devout in hisworship. His new avowal came to me as a desolating shock. If a man likeTob could forsake all the older Gods to set up on high some poor mortalwho had momentarily caught his fancy, what could be expected fromthe mere thoughtless mob, when swayed by such a brilliant tongue asPhorenice's? It seemed I was to begin my exile with a new drearinessadded to all the other adverse prospects of Atlantis.

  But then behind me I heard the rustle of some great beast that hadscented me, and was coming to attack through the thicket, and so I hadother matters to think upon. I had to let Tob and his ship go out overthe rim of the horizon unwatched.