The Quest - Smith Wilbur (читаем книги онлайн бесплатно TXT) 📗
At last a tall escarpment rose across the horizon, and they were aware of a murmur that grew louder as they drew closer. They came round another bend in the river, and saw before them a mighty waterfall that fell in thundering gouts of white foam from the top of a cliff into a swirling green pool at the foot.
On the beaches that surrounded it teams of oxen were standing ready to draw the boats ashore. Once again they disembarked, but this was for
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THE QUEST
the last time. No device of man could lift the vessels to the top of those cliffs. In the settlement on the riverbank there were guesthouses to accommodate the officers and Taita's party while the rest of the men, horses and baggage were brought ashore. The Basmara slaves were locked into barracoons.
It was three days before Colonel That was ready to continue the journey. Now all of the baggage was loaded on to pack oxen. The slaves were led out of the barracoons and roped together in long lines. The troopers and Taita's band mounted, and rode out along the base of the cliff in a long caravan. Within a league the road was climbing sharply up the escarpment in a series of hairpin bends and narrowed to a path. The gradient became so steep that they were forced to dismount and lead the horses, the heavily laden oxen and the slaves toiling behind them.
Half-way up the cliff they reached a place where a narrow rope suspension bridge crossed a deep gorge. Captain Onka took control of the crossing, allowing only a small number of pack animals and men to venture out on to the precarious structure at a time. Even with a limited load the bridge swayed and sagged alarmingly, and it was the middle of the afternoon before the caravan was across the gorge.
'Is this the only route to the top of the cliffs?' Meren asked Onka.
'There is an easier road that scales the escarpment forty leagues to the south, but it adds several days' travel to the journey.'
Once they were across the void they looked down and their view seemed to encompass the earth. From on high they surveyed golden savannahs over which the rivers crawled like dark serpents, distant blue hills and green jungles. Finally, on the misty horizon, the waters of the great lake Nalubaale along which they had sailed gleamed like molten metal.
At last they reached the border fort perched on the ridge to guard the pass, the Kitangule Gap, and the entrance to Jarri. It was dark by the time they bivouacked outside it. It rained during the night, but by morning the sun was shining benevolently. When they looked out of their shelter Taita and Fenn were presented with a sight that made all the splendours they had seen up to then seem commonplace. Below them lay a wide plateau that stretched to a distant horizon. Along it rose a range of rugged mountains so tall they must have been the abode of the gods. Three central peaks shone with the ethereal luminance of the full moon. Taita and Meren had travelled through the peaks along the Khorasan highway, but Fenn had never seen snow before. She was struck dumb by the glorious sight. At last she found her voice: 'Look! The mountains are on fire,' she cried.
From the summit of each shining mountain billowed silver clouds of smoke.> 'You were seeking a single volcano, Magus,' Meren said softly, 'but you have found three.' He turned and pointed back at the distant shimmer of Lake Nalubaale on the far side of the pass. 'Fire, air, water and earth .. .'
'. .. but the lord of these is fire,' Taita finished the incantation of Eos.
'Surely that must be the stronghold of the witch.' His legs were trembling and he was overcome with emotion. They had come so far and endured such hardship to reach this place. He had to find somewhere to sit for his legs could hardly bear his weight. He found a vantage-point from which he could gaze upon the sight. Fenn sat on the rock beside him to share his emotions.
At last Captain Onka rode back from the head of the caravan to find them. 'You may linger here no longer. We must move on.'
The road descended at an easier gradient. They mounted the horses and rode down through the foothills and on to the plateau. For the rest of that day they travelled towards the mountains, through an enchanted land. They had climbed just high enough above the lake, the jungles and deserts to reach this sweet, benevolent clime. Each breath they drew seemed to charge their bodies and clear their minds. Streams of clear water ran down from the mountains. They passed cottages and farms built of stone with golden thatch, surrounded by orchards and olive groves. There were meticulously tended vineyards where the vines were heavy with ripening grapes. The fields were planted with dhurra, the vegetable gardens with melons, beans, lentils, red and green peppers, pumpkins and other vegetables that Taita did not recognize. The pastures were green, and herds of cattle, sheep and goats grazed in them. Fat pigs rooted in the forests, ducks and geese paddled in river pools, and flocks of chickens scratched in every farmyard.
'Seldom in all our travels have we come upon such rich lands,' Meren said.
As they passed, the farmers and their families came out to welcome them with bowls of sherbet and red wine. They spoke Egyptian with the accents of the Two Kingdoms. They were all well nourished and dressed in good leather and linen. The children appeared healthy, but they were strangely subdued. The women were rosy cheeked and well favoured.
'What pretty girls,' Meren remarked. 'Not an ugly one among them.'
They soon found out why the pastures were so green. Suddenly the triple peaks of the snow-decked volcanoes were hidden behind a heavy
layer of cloud. Onka rode back to them and told Taita, 'You should don your capes. It will rain within the hour.'
'How do you know?' Taita asked.
'Because it rains every afternoon at this time.' He pointed ahead at the gathering clouds. 'The three peaks that dominate Jarri have many names, one of which is the Rainmakers. They are the reason why the land is so bounteous.' As he finished speaking, rain swept over them and, despite their capes, soaked them to the skin, but within a few hours the clouds had been blown aside and the sun shone once more. The land was washed clean and bright. The leaves on the trees glistened and the soil smelt of rich dhurra cake.
They came to a fork in the road. The column of slaves took the left hand path, and as they marched away Taita heard a sergeant of the escort remark, 'They are sorely needed in the new mines at Indebbi.'
The rest of the convoy continued along the right fork. At intervals the troopers came to salute Colonel That, then left the column and rode away in different directions to their home farms. In the end only That and Onka, with an escort of ten troopers, remained with them. It was late afternoon when they topped a gentle rise and discovered another small village nestled below them among green trees and pastures.
'This is Mutangi,' That told Taita. 'It is the local market town and magistracy. It will be your home for the time being. Quarters have been set aside for you and I am sure you will find them comfortable. You have heard it said before, but you are honoured guests in Jarri.'
The magistrate came out in person to welcome them, a man of middle age named Bilto. His full beard was tinged with silver, but he was straight and strong, his eye steady and his smile warm. Taita looked at him with the Inner Eye and saw that he was honest and well-intentioned but, like Colonel That Ankut, he was neither happy nor contented. He greeted Taita with the greatest respect, but looked at him strangely, as though he was expecting something from him. One of his own wives took Hilto and the others, including Nakonto and Imbali, to a commodious stone house near the far side of the village, where slave girls were waiting to attend to them. Bilto led Taita, Fenn and Meren to a larger building across the road. 'I think you will find all you need for your comfort.
