The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-28

Copyright, 1898, Icy II. Rider Haggard)
CHAPTER IV.-Continued.
The sun was already high in the
heavens when Azial awoke from the
deep and dreamless sleep which fol-
lowed on the excitements and exhaus-
ton OF the previous day. After his
servants had waited upon him and
robed him, bringing him milk and fruit
to eat, he dismissed them and sat him
self down by the easement Of his
chamber to think awhile Below him
lay the city of flat-roofed houses in
closed within a double wall without
the ring of which there were thousands
OF straw huts, shaped like beehives,
wherein dwelt natives of the country,
slaves or servants of the cnnquering
Phoenician race. To his right. and not
more than a hundred PAGES from the
governors house in which he was, rose
the round and mighty battlements of
the temple, where the followers of Ell
and Baaltis Worshipped and the gold
refners carried on their business. At
intervals on its fiat-topped walls stood
towers Of observation, alterna ting with
pointed monoiths of granite and soap
stone columns supporting Vultures,
rudely carved, emblems of Raaitis.
Between these towers armed soldiers
walked continually watching the city
below and the plain beyond, for though
the mission of the Pnoenicians here
was one Of peaceful gain, it was evil
dent that they considered it necessary
TO be always prepared for war. On the
hillside above the great temple lowered
another fortress of stone, citadel
deemed to be impregnable even should
the temple fall into the hands of an
while ~ IF
cipitous slope, stretching as far TO the
right and left as the eye could reach,
were many smaller detached fortresseS.
The scene beneath him was Il busy
one. for market was being held on
an open square in the city. Here, shell
tered from the sun by raSs-thatchcd
booths, the Phoenician merchants who
had been his companions in his long
ana perllouS journey from the coast
were already in treaty with numerous
customers, hoping, not in vain to re-
coup themselves amply for the tolls
and dangers which they HAD survived
Beneath the booths were spread their
goods: silks from Cos, bronze weapons
from Cyprus, linens and muslins from
Egypt beads, idols, carven bowls
knives. glassware, copper rods, pottery
in all shapes. and charms made of
glazed faience or Egyptian stone. bales
or the famous purple cloth of Tyre,
surgical instruments, jewelry and OBJ
1ectS of toilet. scents, pots of rouge,
and other unguents for the use of Ia
dies, in little aiabaster and earthen-
ware vases; bags of refined salt. and a
thousand other articles Of commerce
produced or stored in the workshops
o. Phoenicia. These they bartered for
raw gold by weight, tusks of ivory,
ostrich feathers, ard girls OF approved
beauty. slaves taken in war, or in some
instances nlaidenS whom their unnat-
ulF-i parents or relatives cid not scru-
pie to sell into bondage.
In anothe- pOrtien OF the old square
provisions ana stock. alive and dead. ]
were being offered for sale, for the most
part b.. natives of the country. Here
were piles OF -Vegets bles and fruits
grown il the gardens. sacks of various
sorts of grain. bundles of green forage
from the irrigated lands without the
walls, calabaSheS full Of curdled milk
and thick native beer and trusses of
reeds for thatchirg. Here. again. were
oxen, mules and asses. or great bucks
such IS we now know as Gland or ku-
dCo. carried in on rough filters Of
boughs, 10 be DISPOSED of by parties of
savage huntsmeH. who had shot them
with 3Trows. or trapped them in pit
falls. Every eastern tribe and nation
seemed 20 b. represented ir the motley
crowd. There stalked saVages naked I
except fcT their girdles. and armed with
huge spears, who gaZeG with bewilder- /
ne nj OF the wonders of the mart of the
White man. There movec grave. long
bearded Arab merchants or Phoenic- I
ians in theic pointed cans. or bare
headed. White-robed Egyptians or half !
breed mercenaries clad in mail There