sii

i iiii! iiiiiHi if ;

<^-//>

146 fAH 1)

THE GOLDEN TALISMAN

"HE QUICKLY TOOK THE GOLDEN BOTTLE FROM HIS NECK."

THE

GOLDEN TALISMAN

H. PHELPS WHITMARSH

AUTHOR OF "THE WORLD'S ROUGH HAND," ETC.

ILLUSTRATED BY

H. BURGESS

BOSTON AND CHICAGO
W. A. WILDE COMPANY

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE

PROLOGUE 9

I. THE EXPEDITION 14

II. THE MYSTERIOUS KINGDOM .... 28

III. THE ROSE GARDENS 50

IV. A DANGEROUS JOURNEY .... 95
V. THE ATTACK AND ESCAPE .... 120

VI. THE FESMVAL OF MI-CAREME . . .140

VII. NEW FRIENDS 168

VIII. FORTUNE FROWNS ...... 195

IX. FORTUNE SMILES 215

X. THE GARDEN OF THE EAST .... 223

XI. THE FRIENDSHIP OF CHAN Fou . . .239

XII. INTO THE FORBIDDEN COUNTRY . . . 250

XIII. THE GRAND LAMA 268

XIV. WINNING THE PRINCESS . . . .294

2047046

ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

" He quickly took the golden bottle from his

neck " Frontispiece 42

" Strange and weird it seemed, lighted by the

flickering torch " . . . . . .63

" ' See the beds of roses, and there are the

violets'" . . . . . . . 164

" Steady, now, Johnny, boy '" .. . .218
7

THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

PROLOGUE.

IN the wild, mountainous district of Cen-
tral Asia, where the great chains of the
Himalaya and Kuen-lem mountains join,
stretches a broad plateau. It is walled in
by nature, and guarded by giant peaks
lifting their white heads toward heaven like
eternal sentinels. Though beset on all sides
by savage and rapacious tribes of hill-men,
this beautiful expanse of almost level coun-
try, known as Kaffiristan, has no need of
force of arms to protect its independence;
for by one pass only can entrance and exit
be made, and this is guarded by the most
powerful fighting men of the realm.

10 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

Lying north of Thibet and west of the
Chinese Empire, attempts have been made
by both of these countries, in the centuries
past, to conquer this wealthy little nation.
These have been chronicled by old writers in
both Sanskrit and Hindoostanee, all of whom
agree that the treasure-stores of Kaffiristan
are so great as to be almost beyond belief.
Legends, in all dialects of Northern India,
come down to us of brave men who, at the
heads of armies, have attacked the pass,
and given their lives in the pursuit of con-
quest. We learn, too, of many youths, bent
upon adventures of the most hazardous kind,
and lured on by the promise of fame, trav-
ersing the unknown paths of the mountains
in the hope of discovering some new way
into the enchanted plateau. Whether any
of these youths succeeded in their ambition
we have no means of telling, but certain
it is that neither they nor the warriors ever
returned to tell of it. Moreover, of all the
prisoners captured by the people of Kaffiris-

PROLOGUE. 11

tan, no one, until recently, lias been known
to escape.

Among the old records the only authentic
bit of information regarding this strange
country is written upon a standard, which
was found after a great battle just without
the pass. *It reads thus : " Never relinquish
conquest. This nation is the richest of all
the earth. Huge buildings of gold stand
everywhere about. Jewels and precious
stones form the pavements of the streets.
The beauty of the scene and fertility of the
soil were never equalled. And as for the
maidens, man's eye never gazed upon per-
fection before. One's senses are lost in gaz-
ing, and one is enraptured to such a point
that death is a small penalty to pay for
having for one moment looked upon such
superhuman beauty in life."

Is it to be wondered at that, after this,
great armies were fitted out to conquer and
despoil this fabulously rich kingdom ? Yet
one and all met with disastrous failure ; the

12 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

narrowness of the pass, together with the
superb courage and skill of the men who
guarded it, ever held Kaffiristan secure from
invasion.

Within the last few years an English ex-
plorer, at the head of a company of Northern
Hindoos and Arabs, made a desperate at-
tempt to enter Kaffiristan by way of the
hitherto impassable mountains on the Af-
ghanistan side. Though deserted by his
followers, without food, and obliged to en-
dure innumerable hardships, he succeeded
in reaching the plateau. Needless to say,
he was immediately taken prisoner, and in-
carcerated in a dungeon, the horrors of
which are not to be described. Two years
later, after having been tortured and maimed
for life by his captors, he was allowed to
pass out into the world again. Thus was
he made an example to all the civilized na-
tions of the inhuman methods by which the
inhabitants of Kaffiristan protect the isola-
tion which they consider sacred.

PROLOGUE. 13

To this brave explorer we owe the follow-
ing story of Hakkouki, the only foreigner
who has been allowed to enter this remark-
able and, to their minds, holy sect.

Hakkouki, to-day, is a man of great power
in the mountain kingdom of Kaffiristan, and,
when the present monarch dies it is very
probable that he will be made king. In
such an event Kaffiristan will doubtless open
its long-closed doors to civilization, but until
then, there is little hope of adding much to
our meagre knowledge of this strange coun-
try and its people.

CHAPTER I.

THE EXPEDITION.

TTAKKOUKI was a Persian; a cousin
twice removed from the royal house.
During his boyhood, and indeed up to the
time when circumstances led him to renounce
his native land, he was the chosen compan-
ion of the Shah, himself a lad his elder by
two years. Although a favorite at times,
he was ever the young Shah's plaything;
often knocked about, ill-treated, and insulted.
And as time went on, Hakkouki was treated
worse and worse; for while he sped on in his
development like a young lion, the youthful
ruler ceased to grow, and became jealous of
his handsome companion. Yet so strong
and lithe, dexterous and agile, was Hakkouki,
that he could easily ward off or slip aside

THE EXPEDITION. 15

from the blows constantly aimed at him, or,
what was often more necessary, avoid being
spat upon by the royal boy.

The time which the Shah gave to develop-
ing his sharp tongue, Hakkouki spent in culti-
vating his character. His self-control became
perfect; his tact, his ingenuity, his amiability,
grew with every year, as did his kindness of
heart and Christian forbearance. Notwith-
standing his cousin's ill-usage and bad temper,
Hakkouki always made excuses for him, and,
in spite of all, loved him as a brother.

The noble nature of Hakkouki was not to
be withstood. By degrees, the childish hatred
of the royal youth diminished, and he began
to admire and look up to his masterful com-
panion. Even at the time of his most intense
irritation, he would not be separated from
him. When he had kicked and abused Hak-
kouki until the attendants induced him to try
some other sport, he still insisted upon Hak-
kouki accompanying him.

Now Hakkouki was as handsome a boy as

16 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

the Persian sun ever shone upon. And as he
grew, his beauty, tact, and influence increased
to such an extent that at eighteen the throne
was no longer safe for the Shah. He had
become such a universal favorite, that there
was actual danger that his followers would
take him bodily and make him their ruler.
At this point the Shah's councillors said,
" Banish him " ; but such was the Shah's
love for Hakkouki by this time that he could
not bear the thought of losing him.

Just at the time when an insurrection
seemed imminent, something happened which
decided everything quickly and definitely.
Hakkouki was sent to the neighboring king-
dom of* Abdamousa for a beautiful princess
whom the Shah desired to marry. When he
was about to start upon the journey, the
Shah, in final farewell, ordered brought forth
a precious liquid with which he filled the
small golden bottle which hung by a, chain
from Hakkouki's neck.

This bottle was an ornament, worn by

THE EXPEDITION. 17

many of the nobles, for the purpose of carry-
ing the sweet perfumes so .much desired in
Oriental life. Upon its surface was inscribed
the words : " Death comes not to him who
wears this talisman." The liquid with
which the Shah filled it was said to possess,
in its fragrance, a life-giving charm. Hak-
kouki bowed his head in tender gratitude
for his cousin's solicitude, and rode away.

After nine days' journey he arrived at
the palace of Abdamousa at sunrise. As he
rode up to the entrance archway at the head
of the escorting troops, he made a truly
magnificent appearance. Mounted upon a
massive Arabian stallion, with the rays of
the sun glinting his armor, his weapons and
trappings, and his young, handsome face
aglow with youth and pleasure, he looked
like a young god.

It happened that the Princess, looking
down upon the scene from an upper win-
dow, saw this ideal lord ; and, thinking that
such a being could be no other than the

18 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

Shah himself, she ran swiftly down to greet
him.

At the palace door, just as Hakkouki had
reached it, the impetuous maiden threw her-
self into his arms, murmuring : " My lord !
I am thine ! To thee only will I be true ;
for in one moment I do love thee with all
my nature."

Immediately terrible consternation pre-
vailed. For these words were heard by
the officers who had come as an escort.
What was to be done? This story taken
back to the court would so incense the Shah
that the lives of Hakkouki and all the
officers would be in danger.

Not for a moment did Hakkouki forget
his mission, but the scene that followed was
one calculated to test his firmness and loyalty.

The Princess was young and fair. She
had been reared in an atmosphere of love
and indulgence. Indeed, it was one of ab-
solute devotion, wherein to wish was to
have. Having signified her approval in this

THE EXPEDITION. 19

spontaneous manner, with all the innocence
and sweetness of a child, she expected and
awaited a reciprocal response.

Surprised that none came, she withdrew
from his arms, but took his hand within
her own and looked with wonder and in-
quiry into his face, and then at the cour-
tiers. What she saw puzzled and distressed
her.

Upon all was an expression of dissent and
protest, softened in Hakkouki's face by kind-
ness and admiration.

As though in answer to their mute protest,
clasping his hand to her bosom, she called
out : " Nay, nay, tell me not 'tis not my
lord. I'll be the bride of none but he."

In truth, the Princess could not compre-
hend the situation. Small wonder ! Never
in her bright life had she experienced denial
or disapproval, and she was at a loss to
know why any one should be perplexed or
annoyed at her wish to espouse this fair
young lord.

20 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

In vain her father endeavored to withdraw
her into the palace that he might reason
and explain.

At last they were forced to call the
women, who, by persuasion and strategy,
and at last the promise that she should be
allowed to see him again within an hour,
led her away.

The King of Abdamousa was much dis-
tressed. He ordered breakfast to be served,
and took his guests to the banquet room to
refresh themselves. There they discussed
the best means of getting over the diffi-
culty.

Of course, there was but one way out of
it all. Silence under penalty of death for
the soldiers, and force with the Princess.
The tears streamed down the bronzed face
of the old warrior King. As well use force
with the rose which turns its beautiful, deli-
cate face toward the sun. It could be done.
The rose could be bent and tied down; it
could be placed where there was no sun,

THE EXPEDITION. 21

and then in a short time, there would be
no rose either. This was his thought, and
so the tears flowed freely. He glanced up
at the saddened, but enchanting, counte-
nance of the youth who sat opposite him.

" No wonder," he said to himself ; " his
beauty is irresistible."

In spite of all, the cruel decision was
made ; force must be used, and persuasion.
To the women was this last duty allotted.
They must tell her that Hakkouki was a
bad, hardened courtier, who had merely
been sent to filch her ; a pauper, moreover,
whose death would be ordered, if she per-
sisted in her bewailing.

Alas ! that such inventions should have
been told the poor Princess. When she
heard these things, her disappointment and
humiliation were so great that she retired
to her own chamber, took poison, and died.

To Hakkouki and his companions re-
mained nothing but death, for to return
without the bride, and with such an ex-

22 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

planation, would be unpardonable. The
very thought of the Shah's anger filled
them with terror. Never could they re-
turn. Of what avail, only to die.

"We can go out into the world and con-
quer lands," said one of the young officers.

" Then we will return and lay them at
the feet of our master, and he will forgive
us," said another.

"We have soldiers, but little gold," said
Hakkouki.

"Take my gold, take my treasure, take
my army," said the wretched King of Ab-
damousa. " I have no need of any now.
I go soon to join my dear one in the celes-
tial paradise of eternity."

And thus it came about that Hakkouki,
at the head of an army composed of the
best fighters known about those parts, and
possessed of the wealth of the realm, set
out to conquer unknown lands.

Wandering through Persia toward the
northeast, he, in time, reached the vicinity

THE EXPEDITION. 23

of the Elburz Mountains, which separated
him from Afghanistan. He found the pass
near Penjdeh, by which a few days' journey
would take him across the border. Until
this moment, the unhappy boy had scarcely
breathed freely, for the sight of a horseman
in the distance instantly brought fears of
pursuit. The rage of the Shah upon hear-
ing of the tragedy at Abdamousa's court
Hakkouki could well imagine. For weeks
it would be safe for none who entered his
presence. At the same time, Hakkouki, in
the kindness of his heart and love for his
cousin, felt only the greatest sympathy for
him in his terrible loss.

To lose such a sweet creature as the
Princess, who clung to his neck for those
few short moments, seemed to Hakkouki
a fate so hard that he hung his head in
sadness and woe.

Once over the border, he felt free from
pursuit, having gained much time in start-
ing so soon. He had sent three of his

24 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

swiftest horsemen in . advance to his friend
Bokhatan, whose palace and lands were on
the outskirts of Koodooz. Ever after, hav-
ing left Penjdeh, he was daily expecting
their return. The road to Koodooz was
good and well travelled. Moreover, he had
already passed signals placed by his horse-
men, telling him that he was moving in
the right direction. Bokhatan was well
known to Hakkouki, having lived at the
palace during his childhood. His wish for
fame and adventure was such that Hak-
kouki felt he had only to tell him his deter-
mination for conquest to gain his aid and
companionship.

It was necessary that Bokhatan should
meet him soon after arriving in Afghanistan ;
for although the road upon which he trav-
elled passed through a country which was
not thickly settled, he nevertheless needed a
friend, a native, to ease the fears of any one,
who might see such a large army coming into
their land. Wandering tribes, as they were

THE EXPEDITION. 25

generally in the outlying districts, paid little
attention to him ; but should the news reach
Koodooz before Bokhatan was prepared to
receive and assist him, trouble might accrue.
All, however, went well. Bokhatan, over-
whelmed with delight at the prospect, went
in great haste to the King. He took with
him the three swift horsemen, and in a few
hours' audience gained the consent of the
King to the use of the army. His plan was
that Hakkouki and himself should combine
to conquer the inhabitants of the moun-
tainous fortress of Kaffiristan.

Wild enthusiasm possessed the city when
the two armies under the leadership of Hak-
kouki, with Bokhatan as his chief general,
sallied forth toward the east. Never in all
the legends had such an army as this under-
taken the expedition, and with two such men
as Hakkouki and Bokhatan, such a thing as
failure seemed impossible. But for all the
bitter sadness that so many thousands of
young and brave and handsome men should

26 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

not have been victorious, to have opened up
this longed-for country to civilization (as they
called the life they led), to have possessed
themselves of its treasure and enriched their
courts at home, for all the bitter sadness of
it the hard fact remains, that they went only
to meet death.

With the exception of Hakkouki, not one
of this gay and spirited throng ever returned
to tell his tale. Hundreds upon hundreds
attacked the pass only to be thrown back to
die with their horses, while this remarkable
and overpowering guard still held the pass.
Never was one man of them seen to fall.
Death seemed impossible to them. While
from Hakkouki's army new men constantly
rode up to take the places of those who had
fallen, the same ones stood on the opposing
side to receive them. It was impossible to
tell by how many they were reenforced from
the rear, for the reason that the narrowness
of the pass prevented.

Although Hakkouki had fought at the head

THE EXPEDITION. 27

of his men during the whole encounter, and
Bokhatan had fallen in the early part of the
attack, Hakkouki still fought on. He found
himself at last apparently deserted, his horse
killed under him, and the ground strewn with
the bodies of his comrades heaped so com-
pactly as to make an elevation on which he
stood.

A dozen men swooped dow T n upon him ;
he struggled for a moment, when stout bands
of iron were thrown about his body, and in
his one last moment of consciousness he felt
himself dragged from his eminence on the
bodies of his faithful men.

CHAPTER II.

THE MYSTERIOUS KINGDOM.

TTOW long he remained unconscious, Hak-
kouki never knew. Whether he was
already dead, was, for a long time, something
of which he did not feel sure. But certainly,
when next he breathed a breath of conscious-
ness, it was as if he had been born again.
One thought only possessed him : " How
sweet is life ! " For he was well convinced
that this was life which he felt coursing
through his system. This wonderful beauty
which he saw before him was life. The sweet
sounds which he heard all about him were
life. He had no need to give thanks to his
Maker in words for the precious gift which
he had bestowed upon him, for his innermost
feeling and thought, his mere breathing, were
thanks in consciousness.

THE MYSTERIOUS KINGDOM. 29

And such it is to live, for a baby who
breathes its first breath, or for a youth from
whom life seems to have been taken, and
who comes back to its sweet seductions. But
Hakkouki did not ask, " Where am I ? " He
did not care. He was surrounded by many
people. He heard voices speaking in a lan-
guage foreign to him, and he knew not
whereof they spoke. He was lying upon a
luxurious couch in a grand apartment, the
ceiling of which, the draperies, and all that
came to his view, were most magnificent.

He tried to rise, for he was curious to know
who all these people were. He found it easy
enough, easier than he had thought it would
be. A scene of beauty and grandeur met his
eyes, such as even he had never known.
Many people talked together, and moved
about, but took no notice of him. He looked
down at himself, at his clothing, and he was
amazed to find that he was clad in robes
entirely different from any he had ever seen
before. Moreover, his hands, which were

30 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

usually bedecked with many jewels, were
quite bare.

As he lay there, lost in wonderment, a sud-
den hush fell upon the people. They moved
quickly to one side, and made an opening for
some one to enter. Suddenly there appeared
before Hakkouki's bewildered eyes a most
beautiful girl, so much more beautiful than
his imagination had ever pictured a girl could
be, that he fell upon his knees before her in
the most abject adoration. She put forth her
hand, and uttering some word which he felt
to mean " rise," he did so. She motioned
him to sit upon the couch beside her. She
made sounds with her beautiful lips, and he
answered " Hakkouki." He repeated the
sounds, and she said " Drusa." Then she
leaned forward and kissed him.

There was no need to speak each other's
language ; the language of affection is one
common to all. It does not go far, but it
means a good deal as far as it goes.

And so it came to pass that, as Hakkouki

THE MYSTERIOUS KINGDOM. 31

was allowed perfect freedom of the palace,
as he was never alone, even in his sleep-
ing room having always an attendant, he
soon learned sufficient of the language which
they spoke to make himself understood.
Once during each day, he was ordered to
the great room where he had first seen the
beautiful vision of Drusa. There each day,
more words were spoken, and more thoughts
exchanged. Never was any reference made
to a life which he thought he had lived
previous to this. Indeed, he was fast for-
getting that any such time had ever ex-
isted.

Happiness complete reigned in Hakkouki's
heart. Surrounded by all that was beautiful
and luxurious, treated by all with the most
extreme courtesy and respect, learning rapidly
to speak in this musical and sweet-sound-
ing language, and beloved by the most
beautiful woman ever created, what more
could he ask ? Certainly no spirit of ad-
venture dominated him now. Not for all

32 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

the worlds to conquer would he leave even
the palace, for fear that by some accident
he should not find the way back.

At last, when he was well able to express
himself, and could hold conversation very
comfortably with all, he was summoned
for the first time to dine in the banquet
hall.

The King, whom he had never before
seen, presided. As it was the custom at
the court never to speak the name of a per-
son unless he were present, Hakkouki had
never even heard of him. The King, a man
of noble bearing and kindly face, arose.

"Most honored enemy," said he, "during
my illness, and while my daughter reigned,
you have desired to visit my court. To
you now, upon my return to my friends,
I extend greeting, and on behalf of my
daughter, the Princess, hospitality. Be
seated."

The feast was one attended only by men.
After the first remarks addressed to Hak-

THE MYSTERIOUS KINGDOM. 33

kouki by the King, he turned his attention
to others and left his guest to be enter-
tained by those sitting near. He was con-
stantly addressed by his name and initiated
with the greatest consideration into the
customs of this nation, a world by itself.
He was told that it contained many cities,
and much beautiful country, and also was
he informed of the opportunity which would
soon be presented to him to travel about on
horseback and become acquainted with it.

All this was very interesting, and Hak-
kouki asked :

" Have you lakes and winding rivers ? "

" Yes, indeed, and, moreover, there is
Lake Tinkash, a deposit of salt making the
water buoyant, in which we bathe."

"How delightful!" said Hakkouki. "I
have bathed in such water on the shores
of the Caspian."

A sudden hush fell upon his neighbors.

" We know no such place," said his friend,
quietly.

34 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

Whereupon Hakkouki opened his mouth
to explain and describe, but in an instant
six armed men stood behind his chair. His
friend motioned them to go, saying to Hak-
kouki in a whisper, " We do not speak of
Hades while Heaven lies within our grasp."

Hakkouki comprehended, and the soldiers
dispersed. But he had learned his lesson, and
from then on, no word escaped his lips, nor
scarcely did a thought outside his delightful
surroundings come to his mind. Much had
he to take up his time. The young men
with whom he was thrown, although luxuri-
ously inclined, and fastidious in dress and
personal care, at the same time gave much
time and practice to games, and athletic
cultivation.

Hakkouki soon learned that the weak and
sick were beheaded at short notice, all males
being examined at stated intervals, and those
below the standard were dropped from the
ranks. Women and children of the same
physical order were allowed to live in homes

THE MYSTERIOUS KINGDOM. 35

erected for them, but marriage was forbidden
them. Their lives were happy, much credit
and fame often coming to them from the
beautiful work created by them with the
needle and the brush.

Hakkouki had often admired the wonderful
physical development of the young men, but
even then he had little knowledge how he
outshone them all in strength and beauty.
He never dared ask how he came to be alive ;
generally it was pleasant enough for him to
know he was alive.

One day, his attendant, Domli, repeated
the summons which daily gladdened his
heart, that his presence was desired below.
While making his toilet preparations, Domli
suddenly whispered :

" You're a happy man, sire."

" Oh, most certainly I am," said Hakkouki.

" You are beloved."

" Yes ? " breathed Hakkouki.

Although he was told this each day in one
way or another, still Hakkouki scarcely dared

36 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

believe it. The joy seemed too great. Then
Domli bent low over him, and said :

" You will be wed."

He did not answer. Suddenly, the servant
tottered, and almost falling into his arms,
whispered with gasping breath :

" She saved your life, she looked upon your
face and saved you. Look upon mine and
save me. I am not well ; they will take my
life to-morrow, and I love life just as you do.
Save me ! "

Hakkouki looked upon his face and saw
the pallor. For the first time he realized
how different Domli looked from any other
man he had seen there, and raising him up,
he said :

" To-morrow, you say so soon ? I will
try."

Now Domli looked indeed a most peculiar
person. Strange, narrow black eyes had he.
His hair was closely chopped, and perched
upon his head was a tall red turban. This
gave him a strange appearance, especially as

THE MYSTERIOUS KINGDOM. 37

his face was narrow and he had no ears. It
was the custom to remove the ears from all
prisoners taken from the besieging army.
Few were ever allowed to live, but when one
had performed some great act of heroism, life
was allowed him. But that he might be
always known as of a foreign race, this mark
distinguished him. Domli wore long and
trailing garments, which were highly and
variously colored.

Although he had seemed at all times
happy, previous to his illness, showing his
fine large white teeth when smiling, he at
the same time had a strange mysterious man-
ner and always whispered. The language
being without the sound of s gave a peculiar
tone in whispers.

Sadly Hakkouki went to meet his beloved
Drusa. To-morrow would soon be here, and
he might never see Domli again. Hakkouki,
possessed as he was of a tender and suscepti-
ble heart, found it difficult to accustom him-
self to the thought that this system was right

38 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

or lawful. Then Domli was so faithful, and
Hakkouki found he had a strong affection for
him. Moreover, the Princess had not yet
wed him, nor would she by to-morrow.

Now Domli had committed a sin in speak-
ing of it to him, and he should commit a sin
against hospitality in helping him.

However, he could not tell the Princess,
as many people were present, and it cer-
tainly was not etiquette to do so. The con-
versation was limited to personal subjects and
abstract thoughts, occupations, and story-tell-
ing. After the greeting of the Princess, Hak-
kouki suddenly could find no word to say.
All allowable subjects flashed through his
mind, and none but Domli came to his lips.

"You are not well, my love," spoke Drusa.

"Heavens! They would behead him,"
thought Hakkouki, turning pale.

"Ah, yes," said he, quickly. "I am well,
quite well. I have been thinking of Lake
Tinkash. I should much like to go for a few
days to try the water."

THE MYSTERIOUS KINGDOM. 39

"Most certainly; I will order an expedi-
tion," said the Princess.

" Ah, most gracious Princess, how can I
thank you? I can go to-day, if it would
please your highness."

"As you wish," said the Princess.

" But how can I leave you ? " gasped
Hakkouki.

Suddenly it seemed to him madness to
think of going. Three days how could he
live to do it? Those few precious moments
which w r ere more than gold to him, no, not
to save his own life would he give them up ;
but poor Domli ! He remembered his dis-
tressed face with its heartbreaking fear. To
be sure he was not to be examined until
to-morrow, and he might not be as ill as he
thought, or might be better by to-morrow. But
no, it would not be safe to wait. He must go,
and go he did. Thereby he made a friend
who years later and always would be to him
more than can be easily procured in this world.
A friend for life is no small thing to gain.

40 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

The salt bathing had a wonderfully invig-
orating effect on Domli's health. Three days
later, he went quickly to be examined, and
procured another lease of life.

A short time after this episode, while
assisting at his toilet, Domli presented Hak-
kouki with a small golden talisman attached
to a chain. Hakkouki knew it well. He had
worn it in his previous life. Much pleased,
he slipped the chain about his neck, and pro-
ceeded to the throne room, where he had been
summoned. Here he found a great assem-
blage gathered. Many guests from all parts
of the nation had arrived in honor of the
birthday of the Princess. The great room
was resplendent with jewels and fine garments.
A magnificent dais was raised at the end of
the room, upon which sat the King receiving
his distinguished guests, and beside him the
Princess, radiant in her youthful beauty.

Suddenly, in the midst of the reception, a
swift change overspread the Princess's coun-
tenance, the soft delicate features hardened

THE MYSTERIOUS KINGDOM. 41

into unnatural lines, the rose-coloring faded
to a ghastly pallor, and she fell back into the
attendant's arms. Terror held the spectators
spellbound.

Was the Princess dying?

A strange death-like silence reigned. Peo-
ple stood about in groups, whispering with
trembling lips. Awe-struck faces were to be
seen on all sides, and everywhere were ser-
vants hurrying with noiseless feet to and fro,
answering the calls for assistance. Certainly
a terrible calamity had befallen this house ;
for all who lived at the palace loved the
Princess devotedly, and to all present was
she endeared by her beautiful nature. Was
it death, come so soon to snatch this fair-
est bud of all their race ? No kingdom has
the power to vanquish this most aggressive
enemy. A wily fellow, whom giant moun-
tains and unconquerable guards cannot forbid
an entrance, who walks into the midst of the
strongest, and with a light hand seizes upon
their best beloved.

42 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

Hakkouki saw the consternation and ter-
ror of the people. In a moment he had
dashed across to the group crowding about
the Princess, as she was being lifted from
the throne. Though fear was upon his
classic features, he quickly took the golden
bottle from his neck, and, opening it, dashed
the contents over the fair face of the ex-
piring Princess. All gazed in silence at this
bold act. The next moment, however, they
cried, " She lives ! " The death-like pallor
gave way to a movement of color beneath
the waxen skin, the features relaxed, and
the eyes slowly widened and fixed them-
selves upon the man who had grasped her
from the hand of death. Then the beau-
tiful lips parted and murmured, "Hak-
kouki!"

If Hakkouki was adored at the court be-
fore this event occurred, what was the feel-
ing which these loving people had for him
afterward? They bowed down in unspeak-
able worship when he passed. In a few

THE MYSTERIOUS KINGDOM. 43

days' time the Princess recovered her usual
health and spirits.

One morning, soon after this event, Hak-
kouki received a summons to appear before
the King in his council chamber. Seated
before the august person of the King, were
the judges and learned men of the realm.
At first sight Hakkouki's heart quaked
within him; for his guilty conscience im-
mediately conjured up his connection with
Domli's escape from death. But when the
King spoke, all his fears were dispelled.

"Most honored Hakkouki! Thee do I
greet, thee do I command to be honored in
my kingdom."

Whereupon the learned men fell upon
their knees about him, kissing the hem of
his silken robe. A long, strange murmur
proceeded from their lips, which Hakkouki
had heard in the places of worship to their
Deity, the ancestor in flesh and blood of
the long line of kings who had reigned
over their nation. From this Deity was the

44 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

Princess descended. In her veins flowed the
blood of the Most High, and over this blood
had Hakkouki the power to command its
return to life when death was near death,
which in their religion was the enemy, the
opposing force of their Deity. For by death
only were their gods overpowered. Hak-
kouki had stayed the hand of death.

"Hakkouki," continued the King, "thy
power is omnipotent. To thee do we bow,
and thee do we request to make known to
us the contents of the phial, with which
thou hast overspread the fair face of my
daughter. A most strange and fascinating
odor, such as no man in Kaffiristan hath
smelled, is said to have ensued from the
liquid, filling the room with a rich, life-
giving fragrance. Where hast thou this
procured? Whence came this?"

" Most noble sire, that I know not. But
were I permitted to speak of a time before I
knew your enchanted kingdom, I could say
where I had possessed it."

THE MYSTERIOUS KINGDOM. 45

"To my ear alone is that possible to be
spoken," said the King. Turning to his Coun-
cil, " Leave us, my friends," said he ; " hither
will I call thee when all is known."

Left alone, Hakkouki narrated to the King
his custom of wearing always upon his neck
the golden bottle during his life in Persia. It
had been given him by his mother when a
babe, and was filled each day by the steward
of the palace from the perfumes of his rela-
tive, the Shah.

" Whence come they, I know not, but,
most honored sire, I love your daughter; I
would wed her, and to make myself noble, to
be worthy of her precious love, I would ac-
complish this small service. I would go forth
beyond your kingdom, to the ends of the
uncivilized world would I go, to probe the
mountains, to devastate the fields, to fathom
the depths of the bottomless seas, and of all
that lies beyond would I make myself in-
formed, in order that I might add to your fair
country a new delight in the knowledge of

46 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

perfumes ; and give pleasure and satisfaction
to you and your fair daughter. Being success-
ful, for in such a quest could no man fail,
I ask your word that she shall be my wife."
" It is to my kingdom's honor, most noble
Hakkouki, that we have inspired the love
and homage of such a man as thou art.
Thou shalt go upon thy travels, and thou
shalt learn of all the strange liquids used
with such remarkable power. Of these
things have we never known. And thou shalt
bring to this nation the wealth of this won-
derful science. We, who have been exalted
above all living things, may come to find that
we may learn from these poor wretches of
barbarity, as we before have learned the sci-
ence of life from poor, creeping, crawling, and
degraded things. In the hands of a noble
being as thou art, ignoble things become
noble. Thou shalt have all aid in thy under-
taking that treasure can give, but thou must
go alone. I call the judges back to hear the
decision we have made."

THE MYSTERIOUS KINGDOM. 47

It being settled, therefore, that Hakkouki
should go out into the world in search of
the one only charm this remarkable country
lacked, he made preparations at once, and
in something less than a month made his
departure. As he rode out by the moun-
tain pass where he had so valiantly fought
for entrance, he was escorted by the whole
populace. No conquering hero ever rode in
greater state. He was mounted upon a snow-
white charger, the most beautiful to be pro-
cured in the kingdom. This animal alone
was to be his companion beyond the moun-
tain walls. He was dressed in the garments
which he wore when captured, for Domli had
unearthed them, having buried them long ago
in a sealed urn in the wild solitudes of the
mountains. His love for his master had
made it impossible for him to destroy by fire,
as he had been ordered, these garments, hal-
lowed by contact with his beloved person.

This offence of Domli's was forgiven, as
these garments were much desired by the

48 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

King's Council, they having decided it far
wiser to send Hakkouki forth clad as a
being of the outer world. Much time and
consideration had been spent in striving to
construct a set of garments in imitation of
such as they had never seen. Their satis-
faction was complete when Domli produced
these much-coveted clothes. To them was
added a lining of fine and strong kid, em-
broidered in quiltings by the marvellous
handiwork of the women. In these quilt-
ings were encased diamonds and other
jewels of inestimable value, that Hakkouki
might lack for nothing which treasure
could procure while wandering among bar-
barians. This wealth increased the weight
of his clothing to a considerable degree,
but Hakkouki was a strong and powerful
man, and his heart was light.

When Hakkouki went forth, no weight
felt he, for hope bounded exultantly within
him. He went to win honor for her, his
fair princess, and his heart beat with wild

THE MYSTERIOUS KINGDOM. 49

throbs as he pictured to himself his delight
upon returning to his bride. Of the perils
of his quest no thought had he, only of the
glory of his return, a man honored to
equal her position, who had shown his
valor in pursuit of her wish, and able to
feel himself worthy of her.

CHAPTER III.

THE ROSE GARDENS.

OTANDING in the elevated and narrow
^ pass, Hakkouki turned and faced the
people of Kaffiristan, his friends and wor-
shippers, once his most bitter enemies.
Pulling his horse up for a moment, he sat
silently waving his plumed helmet, and
listened to the wild cheers and cries of
farewell. The vision the last to meet his
gaze, was the lovely person of his Drusa,
seated in her litter in all her glorious
beauty, waving him a blessing with her
dainty hand.

He turned quickly and rode on over the
grass-grown mounds, where his comrades of
two years ago had fallen.

Two years had he loved and been loved,

THE ROSE GARDENS. 51

never venturing to ask her hand in
marriage, until such time as he felt himself
her equal by having won honor for her.
Two years had sufficed to remove all mem-
ory of events which had occurred before
his entrance into this fairyland. Happi-
ness had filled his heart, and life had been
to him full of all which makes what we
call time. Moreover, as time in Kaffiristan
was counted by another schedule than any
he had ever been accustomed to, it was
not until after he had returned to Persia
that he was able to judge how long a time
had elapsed since his departure.

Throughout the day he rode on toward
the west, feeling neither hunger nor
fatigue. In the panniers of his saddle he
found food which had been placed there to
provide for his needs until he should arrive
where he might buy more. This would
probably be but a short time, for he knew
well that he should come upon the tempo-
rary settlement of some wandering tribe

52 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

as soon as he had travelled over the moun-
tains. That night he camped in the forest.
He slept heavily and long and when he
awoke it was with the feeling that some
one was near him. Soon brought to his
senses by the thought of the valuable cargo
upon his person, and knowing full well
the thieving instincts of these wandering
tribes, he quickly grasped his knife to pro-
tect himself. Standing, he looked about
him, but could see nothing, although he
plainly heard the crunching of dry sticks
in the timber behind.

He decided, as it was dawn, and the air
cool and bracing, that he would breakfast
and move on. Rapidly he rode along,
stopping during the hottest part of the
day, and sleeping wherever he found him-
self when night fell, until he reached a
small town on the outskirts of Koodooz.
He could not bear the thought of entering
the town; for in these last days of travel,
he had thought much of his old friend

THE ROSE GARDENS. 53

Bokhatan, now no more. And what
seemed to his tender, loving heart more
tragic yet, was that he previously was bent
upon the conquest of that nation, now to
him most dear, where lived his sweet
Drusa and her noble father.

This was the country which was now the
only goal for him to strive for. He made
stops in Afghanistan only where the need of
food required it, for he was anxious to press
on into Persia. Having crossed the frontier,
he was still more anxious to arrive in the
vicinity of the court where his boyhood had
been passed. Remembering clearly the sad
tragedy which had forced him to leave this
country, he naturally had no thought of going
to the palace.

As all of his companions on his journey to
Abdamousa's court had been slain in battle,
there were few who could know him, and few
of his friends remained. While riding along
alone he had thought much ; and things long
since forgotten returned to his mind. In

54 THE GOLDEN TALJSMAN.

recalling the friends whom he had known,
and who might still remain true to him, his
old master in books came nearest to his heart.
He it was who had helped him to decipher
the manuscripts which were considered neces-
sary to be read by a youth, and which con-
stituted his education.

Camduatim lived in what might be called a
chalet on the hillside overlooking the town.
With him Hakkouki determined to make his
residence, during which time he should be
able to procure whatever knowledge was
necessary toward fulfilling the mission upon
which he had been sent. Hakkouki arrived
at the chalet of Camduatim late at night.
The house 'was situated on the side of a hill
not far from the palace, and overlooking it.
Hakkouki had especially timed his arrival in
the city that he might pass through it after
dark, as he did not wish to be recognized by
any of his former acquaintances.

Up the dark and straggling path Hakkouki
clambered, having been obliged to dismount,

THE ROSE GARDENS. 55

as the night was too dark to see where the
road made its sharp turns. Much of the day
he had walked beside his horse, talking
quietly to this one companion of his journey,
who was more than dear to him from his as-
sociation with the Princess, who had selected
him herself.

Hakkouki with difficulty found the low
entrance to the house of Camduatim. The
two doors joined in the middle from top to
bottom, and opened from the outside. But
when Hakkouki pressed upon them, some
obstacle within prevented them opening. The
obstacle was in the form of a very heavy and
sleepy man, who lay stretched across what
would have been the threshold, had there
been one. In reality there was only the
paved courtyard within, the same as outside,
ancient and irregular, hard and cold, but
apparently luxurious to the sleeper.

"Camduatim! Camduatim!" called Hak-
kouki.

In time much noise and confusion, com-

56 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

mands and cries, were heard in language
which Hakkouki had not spoken for so long ;
and which to his unaccustomed ear seemed
strange and harsh. Ah! How different from
the soft tones in the household of his sweet
Drusa !

A small gleam of light appeared in the
opening, and a crowd of people filled the
inner court. They were servants who slept
in their daily clothing, ready at all mo-
ments to protect their master's house against
intruders.

"Who art thou?" called a voice from
within. But this question Hakkouki would
not answer, for his person was not safe in
Persia.

Since he would not give his name, Cam-
duatim was not aroused, nor would he be
for an unknown wanderer. Whereupon
Hakkouki began, in his strong, deep-toned
voice, to sing the sweet ballads of his youth,
which Camduatim had himself taught him.
The din in the courtyard ceased while Hak-

THE ROSE GARDENS. 57

kouki sang, but at the end of the song the
noise began again, and Hakkouki could hear
the sound of weapons clanking on the stones,
when suddenly the doors were opened, and
his errand asked of him. For answer he
took up his refrain again, and suddenly his
heart was gladdened by the voice of Cam-
duatim, speaking in French, the language
used much at the court, and not known to
servants.

" Ah, fair youth, where art thou ? My
beloved son, for whom I have longed this
many a day. Quickly will I come to give
thee entrance ! "

Soon he appeared in the doorway, and
Hakkouki felt himself held in the welcom-
ing embrace of the old man. All night the
two friends sat in converse. Hakkouki told
Camduatim of his experience after having
left the court, of the tragedy at Abdamousa's
palace, of his friend Bokbatan, and tbeir
battle for conquest, of the wonderful king-
dom he had visited, and his hope to win

58 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

his bride by fulfilling the mission upon
which he had been sent.

Camduatim was a man well versed in the
old-time lore. He was, moreover, a friend
of the man who procured for the court all
sweet scents and perfumes, from whom he
was sure Hakkouki could learn all which
was known to the world.

This man was old Ulema, a native of the
Ural district, who for many years had sup-
plied the Persian court with perfumes from
foreign lands. He lived in an old deserted
palace in the mountains above Tokat, in Tur-
key, and the final more delicate processes in
the preparation of these luxuries were thought,
by Camduatim, to take place in the old palace.

It was a long and wearisome journey
through the mountainous district to Tokat,
and Camduatim would not allow Hakkouki
to think of setting out alone. Though Hak-
kouki was impatient to be off, he was much
delighted by the prospect of Camduatim's
companionship.

THE ROSE GARDENS. 59

Accordingly, servants were sent ahead with
provisions, to wait for them in the lonely
stretches where villages were far apart, and
they took the road together.

" My son," said Camduatim, when they
were nearing the end of their journey, " I
have not thought it best to make known to
thee previously the danger of meeting with
robber tribes. But we are nearing Tokat,
and about this region the lawless men of the
border are prone to plunder at will. Much
discretion must we now use, travelling at
night and in silence."

They passed places which had recently
been used as camps by large numbers of
men, and upon entering Tokat, found the
town in an uproar. The robbers, composed
of many tribes, had made a combined effort
to plunder the city. The panic-stricken in-
habitants were driven from their houses, and
the property of the rich stolen. These peo-
ple robbed were principally Armenians, a
race foreign to the Mohammedans in their

60 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

religion, who are hated by them, and their
riches coveted. The- disturbance of the town
allowed Camduatim and Hakkouki to pass
through it unknown and unquestioned. They
made their way quickly to the outskirts,
where, by the mountain path, they might
proceed to Ulema's castle.

At last, in a sheltered spot, they rested to
recover from the awful sights of pillage and
bloodshed which they had lately witnessed.
The horrors recalled to Hakkouki the mem-
ory of his battle at the entrance to Drusa's
kingdom. The life among these peace-loving
people had banished from his mind all
thoughts of conquest of other's rights, or
even of dissension with his fellow-beings.

" And this," said Hakkouki, " was what I
called civilization when I went forth to con-
quer barbarians in the region of the Kaffiris."

" Civilization is Heaven," said Camduatim.

"And I have found it in my enchanted
kingdom," answered Hakkouki.

But old Camduatim shook his head sadly,

THE ROSE GARDENS. 61

for Hakkouki's wild enthusiasm for his
adopted country seemed to Camduatim bor-
dering on madness.

Just as the sun was fading behind the dis-
tant hills, leaving its brilliant afterglow in
the sky above, Hakkouki and Camduatim
came suddenly upon the palatial ruin where
lived Ulema. Crowning the summit of the
hill, in magnificent isolation stood the ivy-
grown structure. Before the great entrance,
on the courtyard overgrown with weeds,
Ulema walked, deep in thought, alone.

" Nola ! Ulema ! " called Camduatim.

Extending both arms in welcome, with a
brilliant smile lighting his old and withered
visage, Ulema hurried toward them.

" Most beloved friend, welcome ! " said he,
" and thou, fair youth, art thou from Heaven
direct?"

" Indeed, I am that," said Hakkouki,
laughing, for throughout his whole being he
felt he lived only in the memory of his be-
loved country and the hope of his return to

62- THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

it. But Camduatim dispelled the old man's
wonder.

" 'Tis my pupil, Hakkouki, Ulema, come
with me to learn of thee more than I can
teach. Thy knowledge of sweet scents and
thy craft in such."

Passing through a long-deserted banquet
hall, where stood the huge black table about
which boisterous men had gathered in far-dis-
tant times, they were ushered into the great
entrance room. Opening from one side a
small door led into the apartments of Ulema,
which looked quite cosey after the dreary
appearance of the great hall. There were
couches upon which several might sleep, and
low tables from which many might be fed ;
for hospitality reigned in Ulema' s mansion.

" A welcome to thee, my friends," said
Ulema.

He knelt and bathed their feet himself,
and then cooked a meal in their presence.
His delight at seeing his old friend again was
almost childish.

THE ROSE GARDENS. 63

When supper was over, Hakkouki was
anxious to know what Ulema advised, and
he listened with impatience to the reminis-
cences of the two older men. Camduatim,
ever ready to understand the wishes of those
about him, soon suggested the object of their
visit, whereupon Ulema, carrying a torch, led
them through the banquet hall to the other
side. Here they passed into his laboratory.
Strange and weird it seemed, lighted by the
nickering torch held high in Ulema's right
hand. Hakkouki soon became interested in
all which Ulema told him of the materials
with which he worked. Everything seemed
ancient, dating back to a time long since
passed ; for the same laboratory had been
in use in the days when the old palace was
full of life and youth and gayety.

This science is one long known, and which
has changed little in all the ages. Perfumes
are to-day made just as they were three thou-
sand years ago. New ones have been added,
and new combinations of the old, but the

64 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

essence of the rose, the violet, the lily in
its purity, have no need of change. Great
quantities of the material prepared for trans-
portation in its crude form were packed at
one end of the room, in the respective casks,
bottles, or horns, whatever is best adapted for
shipment. A great caldron stood near by,
into which the bags of rose petals were emp-
tied to be pickled in brine. This crystallizes
on the surface of the petal, and preserves it
for an indefinite time. Here were casks of
alcohol to mix with the otto, or, as it is
sometimes called, " attar " ; here also were
horns of civet, used with other scents to
give them strength. These horns were cov-
ered at the wide end with leather, sewn
with rawhide, and stopped at the small end
with wooden plugs. Here were ambergris
packed in jars, small Chinese caddies of
musk, bottles of ylang-ylang, tins of va-
nilla, and bottles of patchouli, violet, and
jasmine, all of which were sought after by
the luxurious people of the Persian court,

STRANGE AND WEIRD IT SEEMED, LIGHTED BY THE FLICKERING
TORCH."

THE ROSE GARDENS. 65

for whom only Ulema blended his enchant-
ing perfumes.

In one small flask, to be sent to the court,
was a perfume of greater value than ten times
its weight in gold. Ulema showed Hakkouki
all which could be seen by the light of the
dim torch, and early next morning he re-
sumed his teaching.

At the end of a week, when Ulema had
explained the processes and taught Hakkouki
all that he could learn without practical expe-
rience, Hakkouki said to the old man :

" Father, what must I do to be a master
in this art?"

"My son," returned Ulema, "if thou wouldst
know this art as no other man hath ever
known it, thou must go out into the world
and study each perfume from its beginning.
Thou must visit every land which produces
a perfume, trace that perfume to its source,
and learn by experience its true value and
uses. I am now an old man, and such an
undertaking as this is beyond me, but for

66 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

you, who are young and ambitious, the task
should not be impossible."

"That, then, shall be my mission," said
Hakkouki.

Delighted that Hakkouki was so much in
earnest, Ulema proceeded to tell him what
he knew of the localities and productions.

" But whither first ?" asked Hakkouki.

Camduatim suggested China for musk, or
the Indian Ocean for the lily of the Philip-
pines.

" The violet is most beautiful," said Hak-
kouki. " Why not France ? "

Ulema remained silent.

"Which shall it be, Ulema?" asked Hak-
kouki.

With the light of youth in his old eyes,
Ulema bent toward them, and speaking in his
low, musical voice he said :

" The rose, the rose it must be first. I am
old; I know not how long thou wouldst tarry,
and I would know of the rose first." Much
interested in his subject, he continued : " The

THE ROSE GARDENS. 67

rose grows everywhere, and is cultivated for
its perfume in many places, but nowhere in
such profusion as in Bulgaria. The mother of
my beloved wife was a Turkish woman from
across the sea [meaning European Turkey in
distinction from Asiatic], and she dressed her
little one in the native costume of Bulgaria.
Roses, always roses, were the little one's
delight. A rosebud she was herself, but
never a rose, for she was taken from me in
our early life. Yet I am not alone, for her
rose-like presence lives within my heart."

Silence ensued, broken only by the old
man's sandals. For he had risen in his gentle
emotion and paced the room slowly.

" Then," said Hakkouki, rising to his feet,
" the rose it shall be. I will go first to Bul-
garia."

The old man, without words in answer,
went to his cupboard and brought therefrom
an earthen jug bearing a peculiar label.
Placing it upon the table, he went again and
brought strange earthen mugs. He filled

68 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

them with a white liquor from the jug, and
handed one each to Hakkouki and Camdua-
tira. Then lifting his own mug, he said :

" Let us drink to the success of the trip in
old Bulgarian raki."

It was a solemn occasion to old Ulema, and
his heart was stirred deeply.

Early the next morning they set forth.
Camduatim and his suite were to travel with
Hakkouki to Sentari, whence he should cross
the Bosphorus to Constantinople. Ulema
went with them to the pass, to bid them
good-by.

" Good luck, and a speedy return ! " called
he, his face aglow with kindness.

The journey to Sentari was long and te-
dious, and during the first part so perilous
that they travelled chiefly at night. Arriv-
ing in Sentari, Camduatim looked about to
find a residence for himself, for he had de-
termined to await Hakkouki's return in
that city.

" My son, thou must change thy dress,"

THE ROSE GARDENS. 69

said he. " For travellers in Europe had best
not be too Oriental in their clothing."

A change, indeed, it was when Hakkouki
appeared with his hair and beard shorn, and
a foreign dress in ill accord with his pictu-
resque style. These things, however, troubled
him little, for he was without vanity. His
valuable clothing he left in Camduatim's care,
and was thereby relieved of its weight. Even
the shoes, of American make, which he had
bought, did not disturb him, so enthusiastic
was he in his undertaking.

After an affectionate farewell to Camdua-
tim, Hakkouki took train through Con-
stantinople to Philippopolis. Throughout
this section were rose gardens in great
abundance, but Hakkouki wished to visit
those of Kasanlik, where the rose is pre-
eminent for its beauty, and where the whole
country is one great garden. The best mode
of conveyance was a carriage drawn by four
horses, which by stopping one night at
Kalofer (fifty miles north of Philippopolis)

70 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

gave him a whole day's driving amidst the
most beautiful scenery. The gardens, being
protected by the Balkan Mountains from the
cold north winds, produce a most luxuriant
growth.

He arrived in Kasanlik at night, and went
directly to the house of M. Tsmahan, a Bulga-
rian who spoke French and owned one of the
largest gardens. Although the family had re-
tired, he was expected and greeted by the ser-
vant in waiting, who gave him refreshments
and showed him his sleeping apartment.

The next morning a light tap on the
door awakened him. He dressed as quickly
as his unaccustomed garments would allow,
and stepped immediately into the great
plank-lined living room. The room was
lighted from the roof above, and had doors
leading to all other parts of the house, and
benches covered with cushions along the
walls. There were no chairs, decorations, nor
pictures, but merely cupboards in the walls
filled with curios and works of art.

THE ROSE GARDENS. 71

Mme. Ismahan, seated upon the bench,
bowed and smiled in a friendly manner, but
spoke no French. The raki was offered
first of all.

" I have already tried your famous raki,"
said Hakkouki to his host. "We drank
the success of my journey in it before I
left Turkey."

M. Ismahan was much interested ; but
when Hakkouki told him that old Ulema
had married the daughter of a Bulgarian
woman, he was not surprised, for no Bul-
garian marriage could be celebrated without
raki. The table was decorated with roses,
and even the small maid who served them
had roses in her veil, which all the women
wear for a headdress.

After breakfast M. Ismahan conducted
Hakkouki to the gardens. Roses, roses,
everywhere, hanging from above, and car-
peting the ground upon which they trod ;
baskets heaped with them, and carts drawn
by small buffalo laden with them, wreaths

72 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

of roses upon the women's heads, and
bunches thrust within the bows of their
apron strings ; all save one girl wore roses.

" Anita, conie," called M. Ismahan.

The girl whom Hakkouki noticed had no
decorations came in answer.

" Show M. Hakkouki about, and tell Hon-
dago to make preparations to receive him
at the distillery."

This plan had been agreed upon at break-
fast, as Hakkouki wished to spend all his
time among the roses, that no part of the
process of converting their fragrance into
a form which could bear transportation
should be lost to him. The " fair Anita,"
as she was called in the village, looked
shyly up at him, and said in her dialect :

"Good morning."

Hakkouki made answer " Bon jour," and
thereafter Anita always said "Bon jour."
Then she beckoned him to follow and led the
way.

She was a pale, delicate girl, particularly

THE ROSE GARDENS. 73

so beside her ruddy-faced comrades, dressed
in the highly colored and picturesque costume
of the peasants. They greeted Hakkouki
with smiling faces as he passed, and sang
merrily at their work.

When Anita found Hondago in charge of
a large number of gatherers, she made known
to him M. Ismahan's orders, and they all
walked together through the fields of roses to
the distillery.

Distillation formerly was performed in the
open air; but as at present the business is
carried on so extensively, and the localities
are subject to severe thunder-storms, the
caldrons are under the cover of rude sheds,
open in front. These buildings are called
" hapus." Here Hakkouki found to his great
comfort a Frenchman in charge.

" It gives me much pleasure," said he, bow-
ing low, " to explain to you the process, M.
Hakkouki. Pray be seated and partake of
some coffee."

Just behind the great caldrons, six in num-

74 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

her, stood a small table where coffee was
ready to be served. The Frenchman talked
constantly while Hakkouki drank his coffee.

Hondago and Anita cast sly glances at each
other, and seemed well content to be left to
their own society. The heat of the braziers
under the caldrons was intense, and Hak-
kouki also found that the customary coffee at
ten o'clock on a hot morning was not particu-
larly agreeable.

Hakkouki rose and stood without the shed
beside the Frenchman, who talked incessantly.

" Yes, we put many bushels of roses to the
value of one hundred pounds in English
money into the caldrons at once. These are
previously half filled with warm water, which
is kept at an even temperature, and regulated
by a thermometer. They must be tightly
covered."

"What passes through these tubes?"
asked Hakkouki. For from the cover of
each caldron were iron tubes running to an
open trough of tin filled with cold water.

THE ROSE GARDENS. 75

" That is the vapor from the roses," said
the Frenchman. " It passes into the water
and drops from the troughs into the large
glass bottles which you see placed to receive
it." The man seemed much delighted that'
he had so attentive a listener. " It requires
three distillations before the oil from the rose
vapor rises to the top of the water in the
troughs. This is run into leaden bottles,
hermetically sealed, and it is ready for
shipment."

" And that," said Hakkouki, " is the pure
perfume of the roses in the form of oil."

He bade the Frenchman good day, and to
tell the truth, was as much pleased to return
to his untalkative companions Anita and
Hondago, as he had been a short time before
to meet the garrulous Frenchman. There
was something particularly enjoyable to Hak-
kouki in the silent companionship of these
two, who spoke no word while he was near.
He understood them well, without the use of
words. How much their faces and gestures

76 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

meant ! How easy for him to make known
his wishes to them, and in the meantime
the restful peace of the gardens spoke vol-
umes to him. Hakkouki wished to know all
which concerned the cultivation of the rose,
its best soil and all the climatic and agricul-
tural conditions and necessities. Much of this
Hondago knew and could show him.

Hakkouki liked to lie upon a heap of roses,
and watch these light-hearted and sunny-faced
workers, as they packed the roses in great
bags to be sent away for distillation else-
where. Day after day he stayed on, and the
"fair Anita," who lived at M. Ismahan's
house, and often served at table, went each
day back and forth with him to the rose
gardens. Here he would often lie upon his
fragrant bed and dream. It was all so beau-
tiful, this fairyland of roses. He listened to
the merry songs of the gatherers, and read
from their faces their lives. Here was a
woman bending down, clipping the roses
quickly from the stems, while a small child

THE ROSE GARDENS. 77

seated beside her twisted the roses in and out
the coarse home-made lace of her chemisette.

"Ah ! how happy I am," said the woman's
face. "Here is my baby, whom I love, and
there, in the field, just within my sight, is
her father. Ah! how happy we are!"
And the merry voice carolled its joy, just
as a bird carols its song of life and love
and happiness.

Hakkouki loved to watch their glances,
and find who were united in families, who
by marriage, and who soon would be by
marriage. In the last category he placed
Hondago and the fair Anita.

One day, lying there watching her, he
said to himself, "And why does she not
wear a wreath of roses as the other women
do? She would look so pretty in it. The
bright color would light up her fair face."
And so he plucked some of the smallest,
pinkest buds, and twined their stems to-
gether. It was a pleasant task, and when
Anita came to him, telling him it was time

78 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

to go, he rose, and placed the wreath upon
her head. Then he stood back to admire,
but , the fair Anita had grown suddenly
fairer. In an instant she had turned as
pale as death. As she looked him fairly
in the eyes, however, the bright red color
leaped into her face, and her eyes darted a
strange shy glance at him. Though she
let the wreath remain on the homeward
walk, the telltale color overspread her
countenance as she passed her comrades,
and instead of singing in her usual merry
way, she grew silent. Hakkouki, interested
as he was in acquiring information, going
about among the farmers of the surround-
ing country, and studying the growth of
the rose, thought no more about the episode
of the wreath.

He was therefore much amazed one even-
ing, when, passing Cloister Trojan, he was
suddenly seized from behind, and in an in-
stant thrust through a small door into the
monastery. Here he was thrown to one

THE ROSE GARDENS. 79

side into a dark cell, and the doors shut
upon him. He felt he was alone, but as
his eyes became accustomed to the dark-
ness, he saw a skull, beside it another, and
yet another, and then he saw that the end
of the cell was heaped with skulls, from
floor to ceiling. It was a grewsome picture,
and to Hakkouki a particularly painful one.
So full of life and youth was he, that death
seemed an unreal and far-away thing. He
listened, and heard in the distance the peal
of an organ, and many male voices chant-
ing " Gospodin pomilui " (God help us).

Hakkouki moved in the direction of the
sounds, and finding the door, he threw him-
self fiercely against it. It gave way easily
before his vigorous strength. Still guided
by the music, he felt his way along a dark
corridor, until he found another door. This
opened into a dimly lighted chapel, where,
upon their knees, the forty-five monks of
the Brotherhood knelt, repeating " Gospodin
pomilui."

80 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

"Trapped," said Hakkouki to himself.
There seemed to him no possible chance of
escape from the place. Though M. Ismahan
would doubtless undertake his release when
he heard of his plight, delay was certain,
and in the meantime he knew not what to
expect.

When the brothers rose from their devo-
tions, one of them, Brother Partenije by
name, walked in a leisurely and dignified
manner toward Hakkouki.

" Thou art Hakkouki," said he in French,
without showing any surprise. " Thou hast
been sent here to expiate thy crime."

"Pray what is my crime?" asked Hak-
kouki, much astonished.

"Ah! dost thou not know?" In a kind-
lier tone he continued, " With us, when a
girl's hand is being sought in marriage, she
wears no wreath; but when she has given
her answer, the chosen man has the right
to place one upon her head. Any man who
infringes on the courtesy due his brother,

THE ROSE GARDENS. 81

while he is waiting for his answer, is a
coward. You have won the bride, and
the notice of your betrothal is placed upon
the parish church ; but Hondago is not a
man to be so vilely used. So good and
true and devout is he in his adherence to
the forms of the church, that we have
taken charge of you to protect him."

"I did not know the custom," said Hak-
kouki. " I had no thought of tempting
Anita. I placed the wreath upon her head
for beauty's sake alone."

And Brother Partenije believed him.

" Show me the notice of my betrothal, and
I will make it right," said Hakkouki.

The monk hesitated for a moment, and
then he led Hakkouki out into the night.
After a long walk they reached the small
chapel of the parish. There hung the no-
tice surely, placed there by the parish Father:
"Hakkouki weds Anita at close of mass on
Monday."

For in Bulgaria the maiden sets the day.

82 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

Hakkouki got out of his scrape by inducing
the monk to make a change in the placard.
The following morning this notice met the
astonished gaze of the passers-by : " Hondago
weds Anita at close of mass on Monday."

" For," reasoned the practical Brother Par-
tenije, " since she has given her answer by
allowing Hakkouki's wreath to remain upon
her head, she is ready for marriage."

Hakkouki wended his way homeward,
reaching there just before daybreak, but for
a long time he was unable to free himself
from the grim impression which the cloister
had produced upon him.

" Thou art late," said M. Ismahan, when
Hakkouki entered the living room. These
friendly people constantly made use of the
familiar " thou " in addressing Hakkouki.
u I had thought of showing thee my store-
room."

So, leading the way after breakfast through
one of the many doors, they entered the
room where the value of many thousands of

THE ROSE GARDENS. 83

dollars was kept. This was in the form of
"otto." The liquid was generally sealed
in leaden bottles, but there were some small
glass ones which showed the deep gold color
of the oil. The glass bottles were reserved
for Eastern use, the contents of which will
keep for eighty years in good condition.
The leaden ones were for shipment to Lon-
don, Paris, and all the great centres of per-
fume manufacturing. The strong subtle
odor, although pleasant at first, soon became
oppressive, and produced giddiness in the
head.

Strange to say, the peasants dislike the
perfume which they themselves manufacture.
It clings tenaciously even in the open air.
A thousand different scents a few drops of
this thick rich oil have in them.

Hakkouki was very grateful to M. Isma-
han for all the attention he had shown him,
and the opportunities he had given him to
obtain the information he desired, though
he was much distressed by the incident of

84 THE G 'OLDEN TALISMAN.

the wreath. He was anxious to find an
opportunity for explaining his ignorance
of their customs, and regret for what had
happened through it, when upon entering
the living room Anita walked toward them.
There was no appearance of embarrassment
about her, as upon former occasions. She
spoke to M. Ismahan, who in turn said to
Hakkouki :

. " Anita tells me she is to marry Hondago
on Monday, and wishes you to dance at her
wedding."

This delighted Hakkouki, as he had
already heard of the " Horadantz," as they
called it. Moreover, he was overjoyed that
Anita was so " reasonable."

His experience with the daughter of the
King of Abdamousa had led him to fear a
similar possible upheaval among these quiet
people in Bulgaria. " They are certainly
more civilized," said Hakkouki to himself.
And then he wondered if it were better
so. He was fast becoming educated by

THE ROSE GARDENS. 85

his travels, and was already beginning to
moralize.

Anita's wedding was delightful. The girls
in their white veils and chemisettes, heavily
embroidered, short skirts and brilliantly col-
ored aprons, with their massive ornaments
on neck and belt, fairly radiated joy from
their merry faces. After the ceremony, the
procession, passing untler the extended arms
of Brother Partenije, who blessed the mar-
riage, broke into groups before the church.

Then the young people formed circles,
and danced on the green to the music of
the shrieking flutes and bagpipes. The gay
spirits of the company knew no bounds.
The young men in short jackets and full
breeches to the knee, red sashes bound
tightly about their white shirts, stood each
between two girls. They joined in line, not
by hands, but by catching the fingers under
the sashes of their next neighbors. The lit-
tle children danced behind them in a circle,
throwing long ropes of roses about the heads

86 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

and shoulders of those in front. Never was
a girl happier than the fair Anita upon her
wedding day.

The following day Hakkouki was to leave,
but the sky shed tears of woe that he was to
be known in this friendly village no more.
So M. Ismahan induced him to stay another
day, saying:

" The heavens weep indeed, and our hos-
pitality will not permit us to allow you to
depart in discomfort."

To compensate for the gloomy and wet
day, all nature's influences combined to make
Hakkouki's regrets more poignant by bath-
ing this beautiful valley the next day in the
peculiarly glorious sunshine which follows a
storm in that region. There was exhilara-
tion in the light, crisp air.- Hakkouki, with
half the village to bid him " Godspeed," took
his seat in the same heavy vehicle, drawn by
four horses, in which he had entered the
town. The same policemen rode one on each
side of him, and his picturesque driver, in his

THE ROSE GARDENS. 87

short fur jacket, which is worn at all seasons,
climbed to his seat. He cracked his whip,
and Hakkouki turned his head to hide the
tears which sprang to his eyes in leaving his
dear friends. Down the highroad, over the
rough pavements they rattled. Waving caps
and friendly farewells greeted his eyes and
ears on all sides, and his last view was one of
beauty and good-fellowship.

A golden haze hung over the rain-bedewed
valley, and the wet rosebuds, opening their
hearts to the sun, perfumed the air with
their heavy sweetness. The buffaloes slowly
trundled the creaking carts over the damp
grass, but the horses which drew Hakkouki
flew on at a breakneck speed, never holding
up even when crossing the numerous bridges.
More powerful and enduring are these bridges
than those of many other parts of the world.
The unenclosed rose fields stretched for miles
on either ; side. Hakkouki enjoyed every mo-
ment of the delightful journey. As he lay
back in the carriage, he dreamed of his future

88 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

and Drusa, and was happy in the thought
that every hour, every mile, brought him
nearer to her.

Suddenly he heard the driver's " Brrr, brrr,"
and the carriage came to a full stop. Quick,
anxious words, though meaningless to Hak-
kouki, were exchanged. He thrust his head
out of the window, and saw a boy, evidently
a beggar, pale with fright, wildly beseeching
help and pointing to the side of the road.
Hakkouki stepped out of the carriage, and
going in the direction which the boy pointed,
found a woman lying there apparently in
great distress.

" Ah ! Monsieur," said the boy, " the driver
says you speak only French, and I speak so
little. My mother is French, and she suffers
so. She is dying, I think."

Near them was a pile of poor and much-used
furniture, together with the scanty pots and
pans of housekeeping. Hakkouki knew the
situation. A family turned out of house and
home for non-payment of the church tax;

THE ROSE GARDENS. 89

for still the Greek church requires the tax law
to be enforced, especially on the many Catho-
lics who have come into the province. Fail-
ing to pay it, they are quickly turned out,
and the house occupied by a family of the
Greek church.

"Yes," said the unfortunate woman, "I
am dying. God help my boy." And she
clasped her hands in agony.

" Lift her into the carriage," said Hak-
kouki to the driver.

They made her as comfortable as possible,
and Hakkouki and the boy sprang quickly in.

" Drive on ! " called Hakkouki.

They stopped at the "hahu" of Mehala
for food and rest, but were unable to pro-
cure more than temporary accommodation
for the poor woman. Here Hakkouki had
hoped to leave her to die in peace, but the
family were afraid of ill-luck coming to
them, should a Catholic die in their house.
The good food and rest, however, had a bene-
ficial effect upon both the woman and Fran-

90 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

qois, as she called him, and enabled her to
bear the journey to Kalofer, where Hakkouki
knew he could procure a permanent resting-
place for her at the convent. The driver,
with his cap on one side, and cigarette in
his mouth, looked askance at this " taking
up of beggars to ride like princes," but Hak-
kouki was not a man to be questioned as to
his acts.

They drove direct to the convent and were
received in the courtyard by the mayor of
the town, whom M. Ismahan had notified
of Hakkouki's passage through the town.
Great was his astonishment to behold the
beggar woman so carefully assisted and placed
in the care of the good nuns.

" She is dying," said Hakkouki, simply.

" Gospodin pomilui," said the mayor.

These words brought very forcibly to Hak-
kouki the memory of his experience in the
cell of skulls. He shuddered as he thought
of it. They entered the receiving room of
the convent, with its chill and uninviting

THE ROSE GARDENS. 91

appearance. Here they waited until they
should hear that the woman had been made
comfortable, and then with FranQois crossed
to the hotel leading from the same courtyard.
Francois was a handsome boy of fifteen.
His father had been a Bulgarian. With his
great eyes upon Hakkouki, he had sat in
silence during the day's ride. Now, as he
was given a place at the table with these
two, and knew that his mother was among
friends, his heart overflowed with love and
gratitude toward this handsome stranger with
humanity in his soul. Never had FranQois
known such kindness. He was to sleep in
the room next to Hakkouki. In the night,
unable to close his eyes, he rose quietly and
went over to the window to watch the light
in the room where they had placed his be-
loved mother. Toward midnight he saw
one of the nuns come to the window and
open it, and then the light went out. And
then he knew that the light had also gone
out of his mother's world-beaten soul.

92 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

" She is happy now," said Francois, softly,
to himself, and with no thought for his
own grief, he went back to his bed and fell
asleep.

When the mayor called to see Hakkouki
in the morning, the boy was still sleeping.
Hakkouki, on hearing of the woman's death,
impulsively decided to take the boy along
with him.

"But," said the mayor, "why not leave
him here ? I will be a friend to him, and
as he is a Bulgarian, he would be more a
stranger in a foreign land." And so it was
decided.

But when Francois awoke, he was incon-
solable. It was a terrible blow to him that
his friend had gone without his seeing him.

" Oh, why did he go ? " he cried to the
mayor.

" But he has left with me a sum sufficient
to care for you and have you learn of books,
if you will," said the mayor.

" But I could have gone with him as his

THE ROSE GARDENS. 93

servant, and seen him always," sobbed

In the meantime, the train was carrying
Hakkouki to Constantinople. " Fast it ought
to be, and fast it must be that I am travel-
ling, but oh, how long it takes ! " said Hak-
kouki to himself. Crossing the Bosphorus
again, he hurried impatiently toward Cam-
duatim's house, where he was received with
the greatest surprise.

" What," said Camduatim, " hast thou
failed ? How happens it that thou dost
return ? "

With his notions of time and travel, it
seemed incredible that Hakkouki had been
and seen all that he wished in so short a
time. Camduatim had settled into his home
to study and read of all that Hakkouki was
to see and do. A life's work almost it
seemed to Camduatim. Many days Hak-
kouki passed in converse with Camduatim,
telling of all he saw in Bulgaria, of the
roses and lands, of M. Ismahan* Anita, and

94 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

Francois. But not a word did he say of
the cell in the cloister. He could almost
hear in his imagination Camduatim say,
" Ah ! the fiends ! the wretches ! the dogs ! "
" Who ? " Hakkouki would ask. " The
Christians!" Camduatim would answer; and
Hakkouki did not wish to hear him say it,
for the loving Catholic people of Bulgaria,
with their kindly ways and happy family
life, were dear to him.

CHAPTER IV.

A DANGEROUS JOURNEY.

son," said Camduatim, "it is hard
to part with thee again so soon,
when I have so lately found thee."

"Ah, indeed, I find it hard to part with
thee," replied Hakkouki, " but I must go,
for the sooner I leave, the sooner I shall
return."

Camduatim shook his head in silence, for
that return meant not to him, but to that
country of the mountains which seemed to
him so mythical. Then would Hakkouki
be known to him no more. However, in
his unselfish love for Hakkouki, he quickly
threw off his personal sorrow, and entered
with enthusiasm into the plans for his
journey to Africa to learn of civet.

9G THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

" I can be of great help to thee," said he
at last. " Thou wilt need presentation to
those in power, and having influence in
this country, I can get permission for thee
to travel as becomes thee in a foreign
land."

"But," said Hakkouki, "I do not need
it. I want to go among the people, and
learn from them and be one of them. I
do not want to travel as a person of distinc-
tion, in state. The people will then draw
away from me, and I shall know nothing
of their life."

Camduatim, however, cautiously kept his
own counsel. He went forth early the next
morning to procure what he thought neces-
sary for Hakkouki's comfort, and what was
still more important to Camduatim 's peace
of mind, Hakkouki's safety in travelling in
this unknown country. Information was
sent to Massowah, the town on the coast
of Abyssinia where Hakkouki was to land.
This was the principal port of the Italian

A DANGEROUS JOURNEY. 97

colony which was then powerful in Africa.
The colony was called by the picturesque
name of " Colonia Eritrea," and was pre-
sided over by an Italian governor. To
him by letter Camduatim appealed that,
upon Hakkouki's arrival, he should be pro-
vided with a sufficient escort to insure his
safety.

Camduatim's previous knowledge of Af-
rica had been meagre, and all day he passed
going from one person to another in Sen-
tari, constantly more and more amazed as
he learned of the conditions of life which
existed in that savage country.

At night, as he sat with Hakkouki at
their repast, he was surprised at what
seemed taciturnity on the part of Hak-
kouki. His usual cheerful disposition was
entirely changed. The explanation came
in Hakkouki's remark:

" I must start early to-morrow morning,
and I wished much to be with thee to-day.
Thou hast been away the entire day."

98 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

"But," said Camduatim, " thou couldst
not go without thy papers. Thou couldst
not leave the port. I have done much
which will help thee."

In the enthusiasm of youth, his impa-
tience to combat with the world, and that
confidence in his power to combat victori-
ously which is so mighty before the great
teacher, experience, visits a man, Hakkouki
had little gratitude for the old man's care
and caution. Later he carne to appreciate
it.

Arriving in Massowah, the Governor of
the colony boarded the steamer to meet
him, taking him to his own house. The
town is located upon three coral islands,
and is often compared to Venice, although
more picturesque in its surroundings. The
sea to the east, and the beautiful Abyssinian
Mountains to the west, present an impos-
ing view. The old Egyptian architecture
here and there interspersed by recently
built Italian edifices lends a peculiarly

A DANGEROUS JOURNEY. 99

characteristic touch, while the various styles
of dress of these people of all nations give
color and charm to the scene.

Hakkouki found the climate delightful,
warm, and healthful, and the town free
from the terrible pests of insects and vermin
which are so prevalent in hot countries. The
Governor had provided an interpreter, one
Ahmed by name. He was an Arab who had
lived much in Persia, but, having had a na-
tive Abyssinian for a mother, he had passed
a part of his youth inland, and spoke the
dialects of the mountainous districts. Hak-
kouki looked with much interest upon this
man, who was to be his constant companion.

" Is he to be also a friend ? " Hakkouki
asked himself. Ahmed presented an unre-
sponsive appearance, and Hakkouki's ques-
tion remained for many a day unanswered.

" I have made arrangements for your
journey," said the Governor, as they sat
about his hospitable board. " The men,
mules, and camels are camped just without

100 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

the town, from where we are to despatch
them early to-morrow morning. They must
start in advance of you."

" How is that ? " asked Hakkouki.

" Why, you are to go by train," and the
Governor laughed. " Ah ! you thought we
did not have trains in Africa? Well, you
shall see."

The Governor was proud of the progress
made by the Italians. They had built a road
of twenty-seven kilometres, crossing that
strip of country known as the Samhar, the
horrors of which have been told by all trav-
ellers in these parts.

" You will have much to see," said Ahmed,
who was in the gayest of spirits in antici-
pation of his journey " homeward," as he
called it.

He flung back his new " shamma," expos-
ing his sinewy brown arm. He had arrayed
himself in this native garment, which is
similar to the Roman toga, because it was
the dress of his own people. Ahmed's

A DANGEROUS JOURNEY. 101

shamma was made of pure white cotton,
and had a strip of turkey red down the
front. This is an emblem of Christianity
among the Abyssinians, representing the
blood of Christ. A pair of short white cot-
ton drawers completed his costume.

" Why, what is that, Ahmed ? " asked the
Governor, pointing to a short leather jacket,
tossed over the divan upon which Ahmed
sat.

There was a look of hesitation upon his
handsome face.

" It is my coat," said he. " It is so long
since I have worn the shamma, I thought
best to provide another garment, as it is
always colder in the mountains."

He turned and repeated this answer to
Hakkouki in Persian, and added, " You will
wear the native dress also, Fitaurari?"

This title means " General " in Abyssinia,
and Ahmed used it constantly in addressing
Hakkouki. But it was some time before
Hakkouki learned that Ahmed himself had

102 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

the coat of a general. It was very hand-
some. Curious figures cut from green and
yellow leather were sewed upon a red leather
foundation. All about the edge was a fringe
of tiny tongueless silver bells, and it had a
silver filigree clasp.

" Perhaps it is just as well for you to wear
the coat," said the Governor, slowly. Ahmed
was well known to him, and he saw no
reason to doubt his good intentions.

"I think, on the whole, Hakkouki, it
might be well for you to wear the native
dress also," said the Governor.

Hakkouki decided at once to leave behind
his valuable and heavy suit, which he had
worn away from Kaffiristan, and had again
donned at Sentari. This would be safely
cared for by the Governor, and, by exchang-
ing a valuable diamond into the money of
the country, he would have all that would
be necessary or safe to carry. Presents for
priests or persons of rank with whom he
might meet, the Governor offered kindly to

A DANGEROUS JOURNEY. 103

send him when he should desire. There was
telegraphic communication to Asmara and
other places.

The dinner completed, these three men,
of such varying origin, seated themselves
cross-legged upon the veranda overlooking
the brilliantly illumined garden and fountain
of the inner court. The hookah was pro-
duced, as all were smokers ; and with this
and tedge (a drink of the natives served in
large horns) they whiled away the evening.
Ahmed translated from one to the other in
a brilliant, entertaining fashion. He also
sang some of his native songs in a wild,
musical voice. What with his wit and ac-
complishments, he was certainly a gay com-
panion.

Early next morning the mules which
Hakkouki and Ahmed were to ride were
brought into the courtyard. They were to go
first to the camp, there to start off the escort,
and then, returning to the city, go to the
shops, and purchase clothing for Hakkouki.

104 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

Before mounting, Hakkouki stopped to
admire the trimmings of his white mule.
The blanket was similar to Ahmed's coat ;
the collar of silver, to which many jingling
ornaments were attached. Ahmed rode in
true native fashion, one toe in the small
stirrup.

" I have fitted you out as I thought neces-
sary," said the Governor, " and I have asked
Ahmed's counsel as to what is required in
parts of the country I have never visited."

With fourteen camels to carry provisions,
and six mules for the camping outfits, twenty
men in charge of the animals and eight men
with mules making up the military escort,
it seemed to Hakkouki that he was well
provided.

" I am travelling like a foreign monarch,"
said he.

" I believed an armed native escort neces-
sary," said the Governor ; " for not only may
you meet with brigands, but there is internal
strife going on between Ras Alula and Ras

A DANGEROUS JOURNEY. 105

Mangashah which we have not yet been
able to quell. The troops of Ras Man-
gashah are our friends. From them you
may ask protection, but those of Alula
must be avoided."

The camp was hastily breaking up and
getting ready for departure, the last of the
straggling muleteers having arrived from
town. Hakkouki and Ahmed having sent
their mules with the escort, mounted new
and very wild ones, and rode back to town.
Then to the bazaar they went to purchase
Hakkouki's costume. It was quick work to
buy the trousers and shamma, but the coat
was no ordinary effort, for the Governor was
determined to have a certain one only.

" This will do just as well," said Hakkouki,
pointing to one similar to Ahmed's.

The remark was repeated by Ahmed, but
the Governor paid no heed. He continued
to bargain and haggle and " waste time," as
Hakkouki thought, and at last paid fourteen
Maria Theresa dollars more for the one which

106 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

he was determined to have. These dollars
are worth about seven to the sovereign.

Ahmed explained that the coats represented
rank, and that Hakkouki's must be superior
to his.

Hakkouki donned his new clothes the
next morning. Over the shamma he
strapped on a cartridge belt, from which
was hung also a short curving sword in a
leather case. The Governor escorted them
to the railway, and bade them good-by as
they seated themselves in the small carriage.

The train was made up of a diminutive
engine and two carriages of Italian make,
also an open box-car which carried freight.
There was no station, as during the time
of year when the train runs to Sahati there
is no need of cover, for it is then the dry
season. They took their seats in the car-
riage in the early morning. About midday
the train started. Over the Samhar they
slowly wended their way, past Otumlo, a
village in a sea of sand. This is a collection

A DANGEROUS JOURNEY. 107

of round huts made of every imaginable scrap
of rubbish, old oil tins, mats, and rags; past
Moncullo, with its Swedish mission house
standing out conspicuously amongst a similar
collection of huts; past Dogali, celebrated in
Italian annals for the victory over Ras Alula,
when he came down from his mountain fast-
nesses to drive them into the sea; until
toward night the train reached Sahati, at
the foot of the Abyssinian Mountains.

From Sahati, as soon as the escort had
caught up to them, they moved onward
toward Asmara. They found here a good
road, which had been much improved by
the Italians, and which had an ascent of
two thousand or three thousand feet through
a country of wild vegetation. Beneath the
trees the rich-colored gladioli and long hang-
ing orchids gave beauty and color to the
scene. At Ghinda they found a perfect
paradise of luxuriant fertility.

"See," said Ahmed, looking upward,
"there is Asmara."

108 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

Through the thick forest of quolquol
trees, like seven-branched candlesticks, and
seemingly almost over their heads, they
could see the roof of the ancient church
of Asmara. Seven thousand feet had they
travelled upward from Massowah. From
the heavy, misty air of the valley they
suddenly emerged as if by magic into a sea
of brilliant sunshine high above the clouds.
They camped that night by one of the
many springs which are in all the high-
lands of Abyssinia.

As soon as the camp was settled and the
animals were unloaded, Ahmed departed on a
tour of investigation. He returned shortly,
showing great excitement.

"We cannot go on from here, Fitaurari,
unless we join the rebels. They are fight-
ing on all sides. Ras Mangashah's men
are but a few miles to the north."

Now, Hakkouki had no idea of joining
rebels or fighting. He came on a peaceful
mission. He had planned to go north as far

A DANGEROUS JOURNEY. 109

as Keren, where much civet was prepared
for market, and where in the dense forests
thereabouts is found the animal from which
it is taken in its wild state. Ahmed's ex-
citement gave him much uneasiness.

" Join the rebels ! " said he. " Which
side, then ? Are not both sides rebels ? "

Ahmed turned quickly with a flushed
face.

" The southern Menelek has wrongly
given Ras Mangashah the lordship of Tigre,
and the friends of Ras Alula, who is an
old man, will not have his kingdom taken
from him."

"Would you fight against Alula then,
by joining the rebels?" asked Hakkouki.

" By joining them," said Ahmed, cun-
ningly, "we could learn of Mangashah's
plans, and make them known to Ras
Alula."

Then Hakkouki realized his danger.
Ras (meaning prince) Mangashah and his
men were friends of the Italians. He was

110 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

ruler by order of King Menelek, with whom
it was important that the Italians should
be at peace. Hakkouki was travelling on
the courtesy of the Italians, and here was
Ahmed, a serpent among them, in sympa-
thy with Ras Alula, the enemy. Hakkouki
felt himself handicapped by only being
able to obtain information through the
interpreter. There was one thing, however,
upon which he quickly determined. On
no account must he allow his opposition to
Ahmed's sympathies to escape him, for
then Ahmed would not be frank with him.
At the same time, while he was accepting
the courtesy of the Italians, he felt that he
ought not to allow spies among his escort.
Hakkouki, however, was fast becoming
much attached to Ahmed. His gay spirits,
his wild, yet loving nature, his amiability,
wonderful physical endurance and beauty,
were all attractions. But there was evi-
dently that in his nature which it is hard
to accustom one's self to in a friend an

A DANGEROUS JOURNEY. HI

entire lack of honor. Hakkouki asked him-
self " Can he ever be a friend to me ? "

They were obliged to remain a short
time in Asmara to find out more definitely
the condition of the road to Keren. Dur-
ing this time, and afterward, Hakkouki
accompanied Ahmed on all his tours, as he
could not trust him.

On the road to town one morning for
they were camped two miles out the}'
passed some natives winnowing grain, called
teff, from which they make their bread.
They held baskets of the grain high above
their heads, and as the peas fell to the
earth, the wind blew away the chaff.
Though they were in haste to reach town
before the sun got high, Ahmed found time
to jump down from his mule and kiss the
prettiest girl. This was a habit of Ahmed's
to which Hakkouki had already become
accustomed, supposing it to be one of the
customs of the country. Later, he found
it was one of Ahmed's foreign introductions

112 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

nevertheless, it seemed to please the
natives.

As soon as they learned that Ras Man-
gashah had moved on, Hakkouki deter-
mined to push northward as fast as possible
to Keren. They passed Azteclesan at the
foot of the mountains, and cautiously
entered the country of the powerful chief
Hadghambassah. The latter was an ally
of Ras Alula, noted for his cruelties and
opposition to the Italian government. Hak-
kouki wished heartily to avoid Hadgham-
bassah, indeed, he hoped to keep free
from any connection with the political con-
dition of the country. Ahmed, on the
contrary, was most anxious to see Had-
ghambassah. This much-feared man had
built for himself a hut (known as a castle)
on the highest point of the village, and forti-
fied it with a wall of stones. He never left
this stronghold except to go on marauding
expeditions, for he had many enemies, and
was in perpetual fear of assassination.

A DANGEROUS JOURNEY. 113

After travelling through a rough country
they camped upon the bank of a beautiful
stream in a narrow valley, with steep cliffs
on either side, and a great variety of tropical
vegetation. Here they were able to bathe in
the stream, while the native troops lit roar-
ing fires to frighten away the leopards and
hyenas which swarm in these valleys.

After supper, as they smoked the hookah,
and Ahmed drank his beloved tedge, they
planned for the future.

" Fitaurari," said Ahmed, " if to learn of
civet is your only mission, we may remain in
this valley. The animal is common in this
locality, and the natives of a village close by,
called Amba Derho, live by hunting it and
selling its perfume. They pack the sub-
stance in horn, like this." And Ahmed held
up his drinking horn.

" In that case," said Hakkouki, " we will
hunt the animals ourselves, and make this
spot our headquarters."

Early next morning they rode to Amba

114 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

Derho. Although they passed several girls
(probably pretty from Ahmed's point of
view), he never once dismounted. Hak-
kouki smiled, for he knew Ahmed's whole
heart must be in this enterprise to make him
so neglectful of his duties.

" Ride slowly, Fitaurari," said Ahmed, as
they came to a collection of huts, "and we
will discover where they use the greatest
quantity."

By their noses they were guided, for the
natives use the scent so freely that the inte-
rior of the hut is saturated with it. It is
used both as a medicine and a perfume. At
last they halted. A man's head appeared in
the aperture ; then he crawled out and sat
cross-legged by the side of the house, with
a sulky look upon his face. Ahmed held
out an amote. This is a bar of crystallized
salt, used as money, five equalling an Abys-
sinian dollar.

It varies in value and size, and it is a token
of affection when friends meet to give each

A DANGEROUS JOURNEY. 115

other a lick of their respective amotes, which
thereby diminishes the value. The man
sprang eagerly forward to lick it, when
Ahmed pressed him to take it. He bowed
low, and then turning to Hakkouki he bowed
lower, and called out " Dejitchmatch," which
means "big man," for he was overwhelmed
by the grandeur of Hakkouki's equipment.

" To-morrow we must go to hunt the
civet," said Ahmed. The man shook his
head.

" For two amotes I'll show you the animals
now," he said.

" One," said Ahmed.

"Two," said the man.

" One," said Ahmed, and then the real
bargain began.

To Hakkouki's amusement, Ahmed won.
He usually did, for he laughed and was so
good-natured about it that there seemed to be
no way but to yield to him.

" This way," said the man.

They dismounted, and with a dozen or

116 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

more children they started through the vil-
lage, each hut supplying another half dozen
children. Hakkouki and Ahmed led their
mules, for had they left them, they would
quickly have been hidden underground or
elsewhere. No one would ever have known
where.

At last, in a great hole in the ground,
with its top barred by long, pliable branches,
they found the imprisoned animals. The
native then held a small strong cage over an
opening which he uncovered in the roof. One
of the animals, in the hope of escape, sprang
into it, and was immediately secured. As the
civet secretes its perfume in larger quantities
when irritated, the man poked him with a
stick, and succeeded in obtaining a small
quantity of this most powerful scent. This
is usually accomplished by means of a thin
wooden spoon which scrapes it out of the
glands in which it is produced.

As they walked back toward the hut,
Ahmed bargained for a hunt on the next

A DANGEROUS JOURNEY. 117

night, and succeeded in getting the required
number of men and traps.

" If we are to remain here for some time,
Fitaurari," said Ahmed, " it would be a good
thing for us to buy a cow. Our people love
milk better than tedge, and it will keep our
men in good humor if we add a cow to the
party."

Hakkouki having agreed to the purchase,
Ahmed at once began to bargain for one
of the humpbacked animals of that country.
It did not occur to either of them that they
might experience some difficulty in getting
the cow to camp.

" We must drive her ahead of us," pro-
posed Hakkouki.

As long as they were accompanied by the
whole village, they had no trouble, but when
bereft of their escort, the cow objected to
being driven. All efforts to force her to do
other than she wished Avere of no avail.

" The obstinate brute ! " said Ahmed. " I
see nothing to do but ride her to camp."

118 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

And giving the rein of his mule to Hak-
kouki, he sprang nimbly upon the back of
the cow. Hakkouki had implicit confidence
in Ahmed's powers to accomplish whatever
he might undertake. But when Ahmed had
once mounted the cow, with the exception
of an instantaneous view of a pair of cloven
hoofs and an immense cloud of dust, he was
lost to Hakkouki's vision for many a day to
come. Straight ahead they seemed to go ;
but though Hakkouki anxiously hurried in
pursuit, dragging Ahmed's unwilling mule,
no trace whatever of the fugitives was dis-
cernible. Into the clouds they might have
flown as far as any earthly sign was left of
them.

"There is but one thing to do," thought
Hakkouki ; " go to the camp. He will proba-
bly reach there sooner than I."

At the camp, by motions, and what words
he had learned, he communicated to the men
the situation. After waiting a few hours, he
sent out a searching party. When, on the

A DANGEROUS JOURNEY. H9

next day, these men had not returned, Hak-
kouki decided to send the rest of the mule-
teers and camel-drivers in pursuit, thus leaving
in camp only the eight natives who consti-
tuted the armed escort.

Again the same thing happened. The situa-
tion then seemed plain to them all. "Brig-
ands," was the conclusion. " But what could
brigands want with Ahmed and his cow?"
This puzzled Hakkouki.

CHAPTER V.

THE ATTACK AND ESCAPE.

OEING well armed, he determined to take
^ his eight soldiers and find Ahmed him-
self. He took the road back to the village.
Not far from the scene of Ahmed's agility he
stopped suddenly. Sounds of laughter could
be distinctly heard back from the road.
Breaking through the tangled brush, he and
his followers rode toward the sounds. Soon,
through an opening in the rocks, a remarka-
ble scene met their eyes. A wide expanse
of level country, through which flowed a nar-
row and winding river, stretched before them.
With the exception of a few large syca-
mores, this land was treeless. Mules, num-
bers of them, were tethered under the trees ;
and it was plain that a feast of some kind

120

THE ATTACK AND ESCAPE. 121

was going on. Men were dancing in the
wildest manner, and among these men, no
less wild than they, Hakkouki recognized his
own muleteers. Tedge (the common drink
of the people) in great horns was circulated
freely.

" But where is Ahmed ? " asked Hakkouki.
He realized that the men who had been sent
in search of him had succumbed to the attrac-
tions of the feast. It appeared to Hakkouki
to be a religious feast. He saw what seemed
to be a priest, who, with a mitre on his head
and a purple umbrella above it, danced with
the others. At certain intervals in the music
he bathed a cross which he held in his hand
in the stream.

Christianity was carried into Abyssinia
about 600 A.D., and at the present day the
forms are carried on in the same manner
as at that time. The Abyssinian is not
progressive, and scorns change. They take
their religious zeal in dancing from the fact
that David danced before the ark. Persist-

122 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

ent attempts have been made to convert
them to the Catholic form by the brave
Jesuits who have suffered martyrdom at
their hands, but have always failed. Gen-
erally, upon such occasions, many priests
danced ; in fact, they outnumbered the other
people as dancers, but here there was but
one.

As Hakkouki and his soldiers went forward,
the natives surrounded them with open-
mouthed wonder. Hakkouki looked into the
faces about him, hoping to find Ahmed, but
he was disappointed. Seeing that the feast
was over, he ordered his men to return to
their camp. Downright refusal, however, met
his demand. The soldiers even refused him
protection from his gaping captors, as they
turned out to be. Under the circumstances
there was nothing for Hakkouki to do but go
where he was asked. He therefore mounted
his mule, and rode along with them. In
spite of his position, he could not help laugh-
ing a little at the ridiculous " armed escort."

THE ATTACK AND ESCAPE. 123

Hakkouki's captors evidently considered
him a person of distinction ; for they rode
beside -and behind him, though never immedi-
ately in front of him. Moreover, they treated
him with great courtesy, which was at least
some compensation.

After a time he saw to his right the priest
coming toward him. He was gorgeously
attired, and carried the silver cross. Beside
his mule walked two men, one holding the
umbrella, the other a silver crutch. The face
of the priest was covered by the white robe
which he wore drawn up to his eyes ; and the
turkey red which was bound about his head
to make the mitre fit, hid all above. He rode
in silence beside Hakkouki, while the others
fell back. A captive was safe in the hands
of a priest ; for such is the force of their re-
ligion, that the reverence for the priest gov-
erns more than arms. For some time they
rode on in this way. Hakkouki began to feel
anxious ; certainly things had a dubious look.

When it became dark, however, a merry

124 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

voice beside Hakkouki whispered, " We are
bound for Azteclesan to visit Hadghambassah."
Joy leaped into Hakkouki's heart as he recog-
nized Ahmed's voice. Before he had time to
realize the horror of "visiting" Hadgham-
bassah, taken prisoner as he was by his
followers, Ahmed spoke again.

" I am his priest," laughed he. <f The cow
took me there. She never stopped until we
reached Azteclesan. I hid myself within the
church where no good priest will step, and
there I thought to make myself a priest, and
go to Hadghambassah and help him save his
soul, for none but a priest would ever dare
enter his presence unarmed. The day of
Epiphany being near, he bade me hasten to
the sacred stream to bathe the cross and purify
him of his sins."

Hakkouki was full of admiration for
Ahmed's cleverness.

" As I could not go to you, I held the men,
knowing that you would follow," Ahmed
continued.

THE ATTACK AND ESCAPE. 125

Hakkouki was overjoyed. So happy a
prisoner never walked into Hadghambassah's
clutch. For with Ahmed found all things
seemed possible. Nevertheless, he could not
help feeling somewhat suspicious of Ahmed.

" Did you not guide that cow toward
Azteclesan ? " he asked of Ahmed.

"Oh, Fitaurari, how could you think so?"

But still Hakkouki had his doubts as to
the cow taking a direct course to the man
whom Ahmed wished so much to see.

"Why has he done this thing?" Hak-
kouki asked himself. " Hadghambassah is
an ally of Ras Alula, and Ahmed is in
sympathy with him. Why has he chosen
to come here?"

He considered it wiser, however, not to
ask more questions, so they continued the
journey in silence. Arriving in the village,
they went directly to the fortified hut on
the highest eminence, where Hadghambassah
lived. They were treated with great civility.
The room into which they were ushered had

126 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

ox horns let into the wall, upon which
Hakkouki hung his gun and heavy cartridge
belt, and Ahmed, his cross and heavy mitre.

The house was the finest Hakkouki had
seen since leaving Massowah. Hadghambas-
sah entered from a sleeping closet adjoining,
although it was long past midnight. Hak-
kouki did not anticipate very polite treat-
ment, as this was the man who had slapped
Captain Bettini in the face when he had
visited him the year before. Thus he had
openly insulted and rebelled against the
Italians. Thanks to the charming inven-
tions of Ahmed, however, he was treated as
if he were Ras Alula himself.

" Did you tell him I was Ras Alula ? "
he asked Ahmed.

" I told him you were sent by Ras Alula
to tell him of his whereabouts, and that
you would send him back presents on your
return to the south country."

The repast was ordered, and the tedge-
horn sent around the table. Notwithstand-

THE ATTACK AND ESCAPE. 127

ing the fact that this drink was nauseating
to Hakkouki, courtesy forbade him to re-
fuse it. Food was then set before them,
and they fell to. So hungry was Hak-
kouki, that even the sour, strangely flavored
bread tasted delicious. Gayety followed;
for laughter and fun, stories and songs, went
hand in hand with Ahmed. None could
resist him. At length Ahmed said to
Hadghambassah :

" Hakkouki is camped below at Amba
Derho. He has left his camels there, and
brought his men with him."

" To-rnorrow they can return and fetch
the camels here," was the reply.

But Ahmed, knowing the trickery of his
own kind, answered :

" To-morrow we must hunt."

"I fear it is not safe," said Hadghambas-
sah. " The country is overrun with friends
of Ras Mangashah. We should encounter
them in battle."

"Hakkouki has armed men," replied

128 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

Ahmed. " Moreover, he has letters to Ras
Mangashah, and even to the Italians to
make friends of them."

Hadghambassah frowned. A veritable
thunder-cloud overspread his dark face, for
he immediately suspected trickery himself.

"How comes it so?" asked he.

" We stole them," answered Ahmed,
simply. "We came upon a stranger travel-
ling, and relieved him of what we thought
might be of use to us."

Thus Ahmed smoothed all troubles away
with his easy tongue.

The next day they hunted.

Azteclesan was situated on the highest
point in that part of Abyssinia, overlooking
the country for miles in all directions. The
thick forests of the surrounding hillside
gave fine opportunities for game, and as the
town was large, they had plenty of com-
pany on their hunt. Hakkouki was anxious
to get a civet. Having sent the men back
to the camp to care for the animals, Hak-

THE ATTACK AND ESCAPE. 129

kouki felt in no hurry to depart; more-
over, he began to feel that Hadghambassah
might not let him go so easily.

The chief, however, soon tired of such
continuous hunting, and remained behind.
Priests, although they are allowed all liberty,
do not generally hunt. Their lives, with
the exception of dancing, which they carry
to the extreme, are generally inactive. But
Ahmed, being interpreter as well as priest,
was obliged to hunt if Hakkouki required
it. As Hakkouki was especially anxious to
secure a civet, and as this animal goes
about only at night, the hunters remained
out until midnight. There were with them
men from the village, who were accustomed
to catching the animal ; and as one live
civet is worth forty dead ones, they carried
traps made of quolquol branches.

The civet is such a timid, stealthy animal
that hours of quiet watching are often re-
quired before a capture is made. The traps
are worked by a native in ambush. These

130 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

cat-like creatures are from two to three
feet in length. They are sharp-nosed,
have a striped skin, and long tails marked
with dark rings. Their eyes are like a
cat's, closing to a mere line to shut out
the light.

After a long, silent wait, Hakkouki was
delighted to hear the cover of a trap fall.
The natives hurried toward it, and secured
the affrighted animal by straps of rawhide.
Ahmed then and there bargained for him. It
seemed strange to Hakkouki that in these
woods at midnight, when all were ready for
food and sleep, that Ahmed should undertake
the purchase. Indeed, in his anxiety to pro-
cure the animal, Ahmed took from his belt
the money which had been left after the pur-
chase of the cow, and offered it to the men
to be allowed to carry the animal on his own
saddle. This was a sum double the supposed
value of the civet. They mounted their
mules, which had been tethered on the edge
of the wood, Ahmed calling Hakkouki's men

THE ATTACK AND ESCAPE. 131

to help him bind the animal on his saddle.
Me an while, their friends, satisfied with the
money they had received, rode rapidly on.
Then in single file, they started on their
wearisome journey to the top of the moun-
tain.

" Fitaurari ! " whispered Ahmed, suddenly.

Hakkouki, turning his head, heard Ahmed
say, " Soon we strike the main road. In a
few hours we can be at the camp. Let us
run for our lives."

And run they did, as fast as their mules
could carry them.

Since it was daylight when they reached
the camp, they found the men enjoying their
freedom by playing the exciting national
game of gambolta, where tiny balls are
moved about on a wooden board. It was no
easy matter to hurry the men to break camp
and pack up. Ahmed's indefatigable persist-
ence accomplished it at last, and they took
the road.

" Once past the hill-road, and we shall be

132 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

free," said Ahmed. " But should Hadgham-
bassah discover our escape before the men
sleep, our chance will be small."

Ahmed reckoned that the men of Aztecle-
san, being content with their money, would
sleep first.

" Being in advance of us, they may not
have noticed our escape," said he.

As rapidly as possible they continued on
their way. Although near midday, they
travelled on, watching from side to side, to
detect their hidden foe. In that region the
jungle is so wild, that the narrow pathway
called a road allows only a single file to pass.
Their men were frightened to the point of
weakness. Not only were stories rife among
them of the horrible assaults and cruelties
perpetrated by Hadghambassah and his fol-
lowers upon inoffensive people, but they knew
well that the chief had already begun to
suspect his " visitors." The native soldiers,
having been companions of the people during
the stay at Azteclesan, had brought back

THE ATTACK AND ESCAPE. 133

tales which made their teeth chatter and
their hair stand on end.

Previously it had been difficult to drive
the men on, but now they themselves drove
the poor animals without mercy. For once
neither rest nor food was needed by these
frightened men.

"To Asmara, as fast as the camels can
travel," was the one thought of all.

"We must move by day to accomplish
greater distance, although it is more danger-
ous," said Ahmed.

The night before reaching Asmara, Hak-
kouki lay in peaceful sleep in his tent. Dan-
ger, he felt, was passed, his mission thus far
accomplished, and in his dreams he lived
again in Drusa's court. Sweet visions
greeted his eyes, sweet sounds his ears, and
sweet scents had he brought back to that
beloved room where stood the Princess
thanking him when, suddenly, he felt
himself rudely shaken, and heard Ahmed's
voice in his ear.

134 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

"Fitaurari, quick ! " said the interpreter.

Pulling him along, Ahmed hurried Hak-
kouki to the rear of the tent, and thence
quickly down a pathway in the brush.

' Hakkouki, now thoroughly awake, saw his
mule hidden behind a tree.

" Mount ! " said Ahmed, breathlessly, " and
wait here for me. Should I not come by day-
light ride on to Asmara. I shall have gone
before." Then Ahmed disappeared.

Not knowing why, fearing to disturb
Ahmed's plans, and impatient at being inac-
tive, Hakkouki silently waited. He could
hear the sound of clashing spears, but as he
heard no rifle shots, he felt his own men
could not be engaged.

" This is terrible," said he to himself. " If
I could but help, but I must be ready to start
at the instant, should Ahmed appear. Why
could he not have told me?"

Day was breaking. At that moment he
heard a sound in the bush near him, and
immediately afterward saw Ahmed's mule,

THE ATTACK AND ESCAPE. 135

seemingly alone. Then he saw that Ahmed
was bound flat upon the mule's back.

" Dead ! " said Hakkouki, with a gasp.
But no ! He could see that Ahmed had his
foot caught in the rein and was guiding the
mule toward him. He was wounded and
appeared to be dying. There he lay, with his
feet extending forward, and his body bent
backward, and bound down tightly by a strip
of rawhide about the neck. With his hand
he pointed to Asmara. Hakkouki quickly
cut the straps which bound him.

" Quick ! " gasped Ahmed. u There is no
time to lose."

And wounded though he was, he hurried
his mule along. Though faint from loss of
blood, his wonderful will sustained him.

" No, I must not die until we reach
Asmara; not until you're safe, Fitaurari,"
he whispered hoarsely. And a faint sem-
blance of his merry smile appeared on his
face.

" Asmara at last ! " cried Ahmed, when

136 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

they came in sight of the huts. Then, just
as they reached the Italian quarters, where
Hakkouki would be protected, the brave
fellow fell forward upon his mule's neck
unconscious.

But Ahmed was strong, and his wonder-
ful vitality asserted itself. After the sur-
geon's care, and a night's rest, he looked
almost himself again.

" It was this way," he told Hakkouki.
"They came upon us like thieves in the
night, and took away our camels. Our
men were sleeping, for they thought we
were out of danger."

"Was it Hadghambassah ? " asked Hak-
kouki, feeling ashamed that he, the chief,
had been in hiding behind a tree.

" No, no," replied Ahmed j " we thought
it was at first, but it turned out to be Ras
Mangashah's men." With a srnile he added,
"Our soldiers did not wait to see. They
ran and hid."

"Like me," said Hakkouki, sadly.

THE ATTACK AND ESCAPE. 137

"The muleteers and camel-drivers fought
for a time with what they had to fight with,
but the soldiers had carried their guns away
with them."

"But Ras Mangashah's men were to be
our friends. Why did you not tell them
the Italians had promised us their protec-
tion?" said Hakkouki.

"Ah! but they had heard we were at
Azteclesan as friends of Ras Alula," replied
Ahmed, "and they wanted to kill you.
The}^ fired the camp just as I caught my
mule and jumped upon her back, and then
the brutes bound me down. They wanted
fun, they said."

"He is indeed my friend," said Hakkouki,
as he looked at the interpreter. In a few
days Ahmed recovered sufficiently to be car-
ried upon a litter to Sahati, and thence by
train to Massowah.

To Hakkouki's surprise, they were met
upon arrival by the Italian Governor. Hak-
kouki had especially requested his friends

138 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

in Asmara not to notify the Governor, as
he was in doubt as to the day upon which
it would be safe to move Ahmed; and he
did not wish to give the Governor any un-
necessary trouble. Still more surprised was
he when the Governor said :

" I came to the train both yesterday and
day before. The soldiers said you might be
here any day. What caused your delay ? "

Then Hakkouki realized that the soldiers
had arrived ahead of them.

" It was Ahmed's wound," answered Hak-
kouki.

" They told me nothing of it," said the
Governor.

"They did not know," laughed Ahmed.
"They could not see with their backs."

A week or so later Hakkouki left Mas-
sowah for the south of France to study the
methods of obtaining perfumes from the
many varieties of flowers growing there.

While walking in the streets of Genoa,
where the steamer from Massowah landed,

THE ATTACK AND ESCAPE. 139

his attention was called to a notice posted
upon a wall.

"Remarkable capture by the Italians in
Abyssinia of the bold chief Hadghambassah,
who has been the fear of the tribes in the
vicinity of Azteclesan for years. He was
taken by force from his fortress on the top
of the mountain. This is considered a great
conquest over Ras Alula. Hadghambassah
is now imprisoned in the Italian coast sta-
tion of Assab."

Then Hakkouki read in the list of men
whom the Italian government had recently
honored for bravery that of an Arab, one
Ahmed Jemadar Mahmoud Khan, by name.
"And this is the way Ahmed has returned
the courtesy showed us on our hunting trip,
for all he was such a good friend of Ras
Alula/' laughed Hakkouki.

CHAPTER VI.

THE FESTIVAL OF MI-CAREME.

E same evening that Hakkouki read
the notice he took train for Cannes.
On one thing he had determined, that in
France he should not travel as a person of
distinction. Upon his arrival in Cannes,
therefore, he purchased a blue cotton blouse
and trousers, and a small rough cap, such
as those who work in the gardens wear.

Leaving his valuables in charge of his
banker, he stepped jauntily into the railway
carriage which was to carry him over the
short branch road of eighteen kilometres to
Grasse. For the first time in his life Hak-
kouki felt himself one of the people. It
was wonderful what effect his change of cos-
tume made in his feelings ; also wonderful

140

THE FESTIVAL OF MI-CARE ME. 141

were the changed manners of others toward
him, particularly as he had thoughtlessly
taken a first-class carriage.

There were few passengers for this early
train, made up of only four carriages. Pres-
ently, however, the pretty face of a little
lady appeared at the door of the carriage,
and Hakkouki, with natural gallantry, rose
to make room for her, struggling to remove
his close-fitting cap. A disdainful expression
obliterated the smile upon the pretty face,
and lispingly the owner asked of the guard,
" Is there not a third-class carriage on the
train?"

" Show me your ticket, man," growled the
guard.

The ticket entitled Hakkouki to a first-
class passage, which the pretty one noticed,
and saying, " I will ride in a third-class car-
riage," she disappeared, leaving the sweet
odor of violets to remind Hakkouki of her
presence.

The suddenness of the attack, for a mo-

142 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

ment, disconcerted Hakkouki. The blood
flew to his face, and anger rose within him.
But in a moment a smile overspread his
handsome face.

" What if Drusa could have seen that ? " he
thought. Then, as the train pulled out of
the station, he said aloud, " Of course the
dear little woman wouldn't want to sit in
the carriage with these clothes. I could
have assured her they were quite clean,
though."

Soon he was in sight of the town of
Grasse. Upon the sidehill he could see
the white walls and buildings among the
olive trees. Higher up was the tall white
tower of the Cathedral rising above the red-
tiled roofs, and higher still, the smoke of
numerous factories curling up to the clouds.

In this district of Provence are more than
ninety distilleries of perfumes, fifty of which
are located in the town of Grasse itself.
These vary in size from the great buildings
where the work is done by steam, to the

THE FESTIVAL OF MI-CARE ME. 143

small ones in the homes of the owners. The
surrounding country is overspread with gar-
dens and high walls ; each strip of ground
being planted with vines, orange trees, and
flower buds.

" If the soil of Provence were to be val-
ued at the price of the best land in France,"
wrote Mirabeau, " its entire rental would not
defray the cost of the walls that are used
for holding it up."

No fruit tree which will grow, nor sweet-
scented flower which can be made to yield
its essence, is neglected here.

Hakkouki, from the car window, could see
fields of flowers ablaze with color. Roses,
violets, jonquils, jasmine, and tuberoses, in
vivid masses, were everywhere.

When he reached the station in Grasse,
Hakkouki found that he had by no means
got to the town, which, with its irregular
roofs heaped at random, tier above tier,
seems to be trying to climb the mountain.
As he stepped out upon the platform, he saw

144 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

his dainty little fellow-traveller step from
her third-class carriage at the same moment.
By this . time she had acquired a genuine
dislike for Hakkouki; for the hard board
seats of a third-class carriage had not im-
proved her temper.

Hakkouki smiled sweetly as he passed
her, whereupon her face took on a some-
what amazed expression. As there were two
omnibuses, he saw no reason why he should
enter the same one she did. She lifted her
silken and much-ruffled petticoats, thereby
displaying a very dainty little foot, and with
a light and somewhat spiteful spring, she
settled herself into the corner of the other
omnibus facing Hakkouki, through the open
window.

Hakkouki stared straight at her ; certainly
a workman could not give offence to such a
fine lady. " I have never seen any one like
her," said he to himself.

The two omnibuses were rivals. They
started off at a furious gallop up the hill, and

THE FESTIVAL OF MI-CAREME. 145

raced each other through the narrow streets
and zigzag turns, with imminent risk of a
collision or an upset. The little lady in the
other omnibus, which passed Hakkouki's just
before reaching the hotel, was much dis-
turbed. Anger and fright were depicted
upon her fair countenance. Hakkouki
thought it would have been easier if he had
taken "la voitre de St. FranQois" (as they
called the use of the legs in that country)
and carried that spiteful little bunch of ruffles
and lace and feathers upon his shoulder.

Hakkouki had inquired of Pierre, the
coachman who drove him to the station in
Cannes, for a residence in Grasse, and Pierre
had sent him to his own mother. Alighting
from the omnibus, Hakkouki was directed up
a flight of steps, where he found the old
woman on the pavement roasting coffee.
Most of the housework in this town is done
on the sidewalks.

"Bon jour, Madame, la mere de Pierre,"
called Hakkouki, merrily, for he knew her at

146 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

once. Pierre had said, " She will be sitting
there at her work," and a homesick tear had
trickled down his rough face.

With a bright smile of welcome Hakkouki
was received by "old Madame" and "young
Madame " and all six of " young Madame's "
children. Then they placed a table before
him on the pavement, and brought bread, red
wine, and cigarettes. Hakkouki looked away
and away over the undulating country in an
ever-widening circle, on hill upon hill of soft
gray olives and softer green pines, in the dis-
tance. The sunlight touching here and there
the brilliant green of the terraced cornfields,
the pink and white and blue and yellow
of the flower-gardens below ; and like enclos-
ing arms in the far distance, lay the shadowy
Esterels to the west, the glittering snow-
capped Alps to the east, and between them a
long straight strip of exquisite blue the sea.

Hakkouki was up betimes the next morn-
ing, for all the flowers must be gathered
while the dew is on them.

THE FESTIVAL OF MI-CAREME. 147

" Monsieur," called old Madame after him,
"take Pierre's hat." And she held out a
huge straw disc, as large as an umbrella.
" Go straight to M. Girot," advised Madame.
" I used to work for him myself. He will
give you work, and is an easy master. The
young masters are greedy, and want to make
more money than they have a right to. But
M. Girot has made enough and lets his people
make some too."

Old Madame had already told Hakkouki of
her own patch of land out of the town, where
she cultivated the sweet yellow jasmine.
While a girl she had saved her money until
she had enough to buy a small piece of land.
Here she built a tiny hut just large enough
to sleep in, and in her spare time she had
worked upon the jasmine lot, until she was
able to buy a small patch adjoining it. By
working longer hours and saving every sou,
she had become the proprietor of a house and
large garden. Being thus possessed of a good
dowry, she had married the keeper of the

148 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

hotel, who, at his death, left her a rich
woman.

" Pierre could come and fill his father's
place, but he wants life, and Grasse is too
slow for him. So he must live in Cannes,"
said old Madame.

It was a long walk to the old Franciscan
Convent, where M. Girot had his distillery
and office. Hakkouki was, therefore, too late
to go to the fields and see the flowers gath-
ered that morning. As he arrived the people
with cart-loads of flowers were just coming
from the fields to the church, where the
"Triage" takes place. There are three
processes, known as " Cucillage," the gather-
ing ; " Triage," the stripping of the petals
from the calyx and stem ; and " Enfleurage,"
the distilling of the petals to procure the
essential oil.

M. Girot received Hakkouki kindly, but
indifferently. Without turning his head
from his writing, he said,

" Bon jour ; what can I do for you ? "

THE FESTIVAL OF MI-CAREME. 149

" I would like work," said Hakkouki.

" Where have you been at work ? whose
gardens have you been in, or did you work in
the factory ? "

" I have not worked here," stammered
Hakkouki. " I am a stranger."

"Ah!" said M. Girot; "I have all the
hands I need."

" I come from Madame of the ' Fort Lion,' "
said Hakkouki, not willing to take his dis-
missal so quickly.

At this M. Girot turned and looked at
him.

" She sent you, did she ? You are a stran-
ger, you say? Are you a friend of that
scapegrace son of hers ? "

Now Hakkouki didn't feel sure whether he
was a friend of Pierre or not. At the same
time Pierre's recommendation was the only one
he had.

" I am from Persia," he made answer, simply.

This interested M. Girot. " Ah ! " said he.
" You know of the industry there ? "

150 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

" Yes," answered Hakkouki, " and I have
lately been in Bulgaria."

M. Girot was all attention. " That's good,"
he said. " The Bulgarian rose is the only
rose I cultivate. There is double the amount
of oil in it. I'll have nothing to do with any
other. Some say the yellow rose grows more
luxuriantly, and that it has a sweeter fra-
grance, but the Bulgarian rose is the rose for
me. I have good crops and I make money."
The employer folded his hands complacently
and smiled.

" Bien ! " he said suddenly, " I'll give you
work," as if he were doing Hakkouki a great
favor. " Step through that door into the
church, and go to work," he said bluntly.
" I'll call you when I want to hear about
Bulgaria. I haven't time now. I'll take you
through my distillery later, and you can tell
me all you know. Now to work ! " And the
great man swung around quickly in his seat,
and continued his writing.

Hakkouki, as he stepped through the door

THE FESTIVAL OF MI-CARE ME. 151

into the church, felt puzzled. What troubled
him, he could scarcely say. But he knew he
was angry. Why ? M. Girot had been kind ;
he had even given him work. In the condi-
tion in which he had placed himself, he ought
to have felt grateful, and yet what was that
tone of superiority in M. Girot's manner?
Was he superior to all the people whom Hak-
kouki saw toiling at the tables before him ?
Because he paid them what they earned ?
Was he wiser, better, more clever, more capa-
ble, or whatever superiority consists in, than
they were ? He wondered if others in the
great crowd had felt as he now felt when they
were engaged to work for M. Girot.

He solved it all at last. The anger and the
indignation which had risen when M. Girot
implied his ownership not only of his hands
to work, but of his mind to tell " all that he
knew," gradually quieted down at last. u It
is because I am not used to it," he thought.
" All have spoken respectfully and with cour-
tesy to me before." And then he asked him-

152 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

self, " Why am I different now ? Because I
put on another suit of clothes and ask to be
paid for my work ? "

But Hakkouki did not answer this question.
He took off his ungainly hat and looked about
him with interest. He saw the long tables
filling the great body of the church, which
was open from the flower-strewn floor to the
raftered roof. Some of the long tables were
heaped two or three feet high with violet
petals drying for distillation. At other tables
men and women were separating the blue
petals from the calyx and stalk, much care
being used to free them from the green.
There were more women than men, and all
were talking and laughing, their bright, sunny
faces showing neither sorrow nor care.

Hakkouki took his seat between a girl and
a boy on the only bench where there seemed
to be a place to sit. The girl kindly moved
up to give him more room, but the boy made
no effort to accommodate him.

"Will you have this basket?" asked the

THE FESTIVAL OF MI-CAREME. 153

girl, pleasantly. She worked so rapidly that
Hakkouki felt ashamed of his own slow-
ness.

When her basket was full, the girl, whom
they called Marie, took it to the counter,
where her petals were weighed, and she re-
ceived her pay at once. She returned jin-
gling her sous in her pocket. As she passed
behind the boy, she pushed his head forward
into his basket, and called him " Paresseux,"
which means " lazybones." She did the
same to Hakkouki. Laughingly, she again
took her seat beside him. Hakkouki felt
grateful for what he supposed to be her cour-
tesy, for he was feeling rather lonely.

"You work very fast," he said.

Marie laughed.

" You make much money."

She laughed again.

"I cannot work fast, and cannot make
much money. Am I not unfortunate?"
Hakkouki looked at her with such a sad
expression that Marie laughed immoderately.

154 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

Then Hakkouki laughed too, and they be-
came friends.

Marie went often to empty her basket and
get her money. The wages were four sous a
kilo, or four cents for two pounds. By din-
ner time she had earned fifty sous, while
Hakkouki had earned only six. As he had
brought nothing to eat with him, Marie took
her bread and cheese from her pocket and
promptly offered him half.

" How much shall I pay you ? " asked
Hakkouki.

" Four sous," answered she, quite as if she
were accustomed to sell half her lunch every
day.

" Would you like some wine ? " she asked.
" You can buy two sous' worth just outside
the door." And as Hakkouki had no tin
cup, Marie offered to run and get it for
him.

Hakkouki's labor that morning had pur-
chased his luncheon.

" It's something to be able to earn one's

THE FESTIVAL OF MI-CARE ME. 155

bread," thought he, and he determined to
work faster during the afternoon.

The effect of M. Girot's words, however,
did not pass away from Hakkouki's mind.
He began to be curious as to the feelings of
his colaborers.

" How long have you been here ? " he
asked one day of Marie, as they worked to-
gether upon acacia blossoms.

" Five years," answered Marie.

" What a long time," said Hakkouki.
" And you're very happy here ? You like
M. Girot?"

" Oh, yes," said Marie. " He is very good,
and Mine. Girot is so kind and sweet.
She is an American, you know, and comes
from the country where everybody is rich
and yet everybody works, and so the work-
ing people are as good as anybody. We all
go to their beautiful home at mi-careme [the
lenten festival] and they make us very
happy."

" And Jean here, your brother," said Hak-

156 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

kouki, motioning toward the boy on his other
side, " does he go ? He does not seem as
happy as you."

" Jean, oh, no," said she, laughing. " Jean
will not go. He says he has no house to ask
M. and Mme. Girot to come to, and he will
not take charity. But Jean is just ill-
natured. We can't all have fine houses and
be rich and beautiful like Mme. Girot." And
Marie smiled contentedly.

Hakkouki felt that he had solved another
problem. " It was just because I was ill-
natured that I was offended when M. Girot
said to me, ' You can come with the others to
my house at mi-careme,' " he said to himself.
If he were happy and good like Marie, he
would be delighted to go. As for Marie, she
talked of nothing but the beautiful house and
gardens, the flowers to be strewn on the floor
for Mme. Girot to walk upon, the beautiful
new clothes the girls would wear, the illumi-
nation at night, and last but not least, " the
lovely things which they would have to eat."

THE FESTIVAL OF MI-CAREME. 157

So Hakkouki decided to go. Who could
resist after hearing Marie talk of it ?

" Where do you come from ? " asked Marie,
one day.

' ; From Persia," answered Hakkouki.

" And where is that ? In Africa ? " asked
Marie, simply.

" It's farther than Africa," said Hakkouki.

" And how did you know of M. Girot so
far away ? " she asked.

" I didn't know of him until I came here,"
said Hakkouki.

Marie turned her great eyes in surprise
upon him.

" And did you come so far without know-
ing where you could get work?"

" Yes," laughed Hakkouki.

" Who told you to come to him ? "

" Madame of the ' Fort Lion.' "

" Ah, you know Madame ? " said Marie,
looking pleased.

" I am living with her," replied Hakkouki.
" Her son Pierre sent me to stay with her."

158 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

Then Marie bent her head forward blush-
ingly, and asked softly, " Do you know
Pierre ? "

"Yes," said Hakkouki. "Why does he
not live here ? "

"Ah," said Marie, sadly, "it is not his
fault. It is old Madarne's. She is so stingy.
She says he must work just as she did, and
yet she is rich. Pierre has no need to work.
He should live in a fine house and drive fine
horses. Ah ! Pierre can drive so beautifully."
Then the girl became quiet, and worked very
hard.

A few days later, Hakkouki was ordered
to work in the distillery. Here the flower
petals were placed upon a glass slab coated
with prepared fat. After the petals were
laid on half an inch deep, a glass lid prepared
in the same manner was closed over the
flowers. The fat absorbs the perfume in
from twelve to twenty-four hours. When
it is saturated, it is packed in tins for ship-
ment. In this way the fleeting odors of the

THE FESTIVAL OF MI-CARE ME. 159

flowers are caught and held until washed out
with alcohol.

Hakkouki was set to work spreading the
flo \vers upon the glass slabs, for they must
be often replenished. Some delicate per-
fumes require fifty to eighty new layers of
petals upon the same fat. Those flowers
which are very strong in perfume do not
need to be replenished as many times. It
takes sixteen thousand kilos of rose petals
to make one kilo of French otto of rose.

In some factories all flowers but the violet
after " triage " are simply shot down through
a trap-door at the end of the building, and
here thrust into caldrons of boiling-hot fat.
This process extracts the perfume more
quickly, but is more wasteful, as much fra-
grance passes off into the air. It seemed
almost sacrilege to Hakkouki that these
beautiful flowers should be so barbarously
treated, but he was answered, " Roses are
said to be born to live but a morning, and
here we immortalize them."

160 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

While at this work, Hakkouki was still
able to take his luncheon with Marie and
her sulky brother Jean ; but when the orange
blossom season began, and he went among
the trees to gather the blossoms, he lost
sight of his friends for a time.

Among the close-growing, round-topped
trees he worked, from early morning until
late at night. The scent was so overpow-
ering that occasionally one of his fellow-
workers would drop silently to the ground
in a faint. But Hakkouki found himself
able to work with the best of them. After
a time he began to understand why the
festival of mi-careme was so joyously an-
ticipated by the flower workers. He actu-
ally found himself counting the time which
must elapse before that day of rest and
enjoyment.

"Work surely brings pleasure, after all,"
said Hakkouki. " How else could I ever
have longed so earnestly for this one gala-
day ? "

THE FESTIVAL OF MI-CAR EME. 161

" Provence is the garden of France, and
Grasse the garden of Provence."

All its ways seem to presuppose pleasant-
ness and its paths peace, yet from the ear-
liest times until the last century there has
been fighting and much cruel suffering here.
Beginning with the time of the invasions of
remote and barbarous tribes of Moors, who
made their way here and carried the inhabi-
tants off as slaves, it has been sacked by the
Spaniards, involved in disputes with rival
popes, destroyed by Francis I. on the ap-
proach of Charles V., and plundered by
Charles V. when he did reach it ; it suffered
in the war of succession in Poland, and even
worse for Maria Theresa's war with Fred-
erick the Great. Almost every European
war has made itself felt in Provence. It
was either occupied by the enemy, or its
fortifications destroyed lest it should be oc-
cupied. Sometimes the enemy demanded
ten thousand bottles of scent hi ransom,
but this was only in addition to as much

162 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

money as would have been demanded with-
out the scent.

On this industry has Grasse lived and
thriven, and its inhabitants become enriched.
Mme. de Pompadour is said to have spent
five million francs in one year on perfumes,
mostly produced in this little town by its
hard-working people.

On the day of mi-careme, however, nobody
worked. Even Pierre came from Cannes;
for who else could drive the prize-car in the
procession of the " boeuf-gras " so well as
he? said old Madame. If Pierre were not
admired as a worker, he certainly was as a
fancy driver. And a wild day it was, to
be sure.

Hakkouki, in his small room on the bal-
cony just over the pavement was awakened
at an early hour by the stir. The furniture
and mattresses must be dusted and beaten
in the street, and " young Madame' s " chil-
dren must be dressed, scolded, and punished,
all before breakfast in the open air.

THE FESTIVAL OF MI-CAREME. 163

He dressed himself in holiday attire, and
after the noisy breakfast, joined the proces-
sion on Pierre's coach.

Through the narrow, winding alleys, under
the arched buttresses thrown from house to
house, Pierre drove, to the admiration of all.

The streets were gay with flags and fes-
toons, and bright with the high-colored
shoulder-scarfs and skirts of the women.
The smiling faces, white teeth, and brilliant
eyes of the people were good to look upon,
and would long be remembered by Hakkouki.

In the crowd Hakkouki recognized Marie
and her brother. Even Jean could not re-
tain his sulky expression that day. Con-
fetti was flying in showers, and peals of
merry laughter made sweeter music than the
flutes and other instruments. Then there
was the carnival, and the masqued figures
in costume forcing their way through the
crowd, the fakirs, the fair, and all the wild
tumult. But always there was courtesy
and merriment among these fun-loving peo-

164 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN,

pie, who neither drink to excess nor fight.
In the evening came the fete at M. Girot's
house, for all his employees.

" Come with us," said Marie to Hakkouki,
but her glance toward Pierre was far more
inviting.

" It will all be just as I have told you,"
said Marie, hastening along in the direction
of M. Girot's house. " See the beautiful
gateway, and oh ! the heavenly gardens.
Did I not tell you?" asked she. "But then
you could not know how, beautiful it was
until you saw it. See the beds of roses, and
there are the violets. Madame loves violets
best of all. And those little white flowers
are the anemones."

It seemed strange that this girl who lived
her life among the flowers should love them
so ardently.

" And there ! " called she, excitedly, drag-
ging Hakkouki along by the hand, " there's
the house. Did you ever see so beautiful a
house ? It is of stone ; and see the vines and

SEE THE BEDS OF ROSES, AND THERE ARE THE VIOLETS.'"

THE FESTIVAL OF MI-CARE ME. 165

the ivy growing over it. Monsieur built it
when he married Madame," she whispered in
Hakkouki's ear. " But come, we must go
to the other side where Madame stands on
the balcony, and you will see how beautiful
she is."

Breathlessly this enthusiastic girl pulled
Hakkouki along through the garden. Every-
where in the paths and under the trees tables
were spread, and great crowds of gayly
dressed people in the highest spirits walked
about.

" There she is," whispered Marie, " and
there is M. Girot beside her, and Francois,
the new foreman. Oh, isn't she beautiful ?
Did you ever see such a beautiful lady ? "

They were immediately in front of the low
balcony, where stood Mme. Girot in all her
sweet infantile beauty. To Hakkouki's as-
tonishment, he found that she was no other
than his little fellow-traveller from Cannes
to Grasse. Lifting his hat, he looked at
her, and smiled in answer to her greeting.

166 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

She recognized him at once, and her face
flushed.

At that moment the young foreman, who
stood near her, gave a cry of astonishment.

" It is he ! It is surely he ! " he said,
loudly.

"Who?" asked Mme. Girot, turning
toward the excited boy.

" Hakkouki ! My Hakkouki from Bul-
garia ! And before that from Persia, where
he is a great lord! " And Francois for so
he proved to be sprang from the balcony
toward the man he looked upon as little less
than a god.

" For the land's sake ! " ejaculated Ma-
dame in good Yankee English.

Her interest and curiosity were roused im-
mediately, and she smiled again upon him.
Hakkouki, however, did not see it, for he was
led off by FranQois, Pierre, Marie, and his
other new-found friends.

Afterward, Hakkouki remembered that
although Mme. Girot received the people at

THE FESTIVAL OF MI-CAREME. 167

her home, she did it, not as one of them, but
with an air of condescension and patronage,
as if, indeed, she were a being far superior.
Yet, to Hakkouki, that day of pure, simple
enjoyment was a very happy one ; and he
told his friends so.

As they seated themselves about one of the
tables, and Hakkouki noted the joy of these
simple peasant folk, he was glad that he had
entered Grasse as a workman. Not only did
he feel that their friendship was truer than
that of the higher classes, but he had proved
to his satisfaction that money was not a
necessity in the pursuit of happiness. Then,
from the brilliantly lighted garden, with its
flowers and merry laughter, his mind flew
back to his adopted land and Drusa.

CHAPTER VII.

NEW FRIENDS.

T^HE festival of the mi-careme being over,
and Hakkouki having by that time
gained a fairly good general knowledge of the
perfume-giving flowers of Southern France,
he made plans to leave Grasse and continue
his search for information in the New World.
Mexico and the vanilla bean were to be his
next study. As Fran 90 is pleaded hard to
accompany his idol on this journey, Hak-
kouki consented to take him.

When Hakkouki made his determination
known to Marie, she asked, " And have you
nothing more to learn in France?"

" Indeed, yes," answered Hakkouki.
" There is doubtless more to learn in France
than any short lifetime could accomplish,

168

NEW FRIENDS. 169

but as it is only flowers that I am studying, I
must push on."

" And are there no more flowers to study?"
persisted Marie, for she was loath to have her
new friend go.

" Here in this garden," said Hakkouki, " I
have watched the orange blossom, the rose,
the violet, the jasmine, the heliotrope, the
wallflower "

" Ah ! " said Marie, " but there is one that
you have not seen, the lavender."

"I am told that lavender grows in Eng-
land," said Hakkouki.

"Does it?" asked Marie. "I know there
are many cultivators of it near the mountain
of Ventoux in Vaucluse."

" Then to Vaucluse I shall go," said Hak-
kouki.

Hakkouki found Fra^ois an interesting
companion as well as a faithful friend. The
boy had profited much by his schooling.

"Ah, Monsieur," said he, " I always meant
to find you. I studied that I might learn

170 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

how, and when the mayor of Kalofer died,
and they told me I must work, I went to
work that I might find you."

u Did they tell you that the money I left
for you was gone in such a short time ? "
asked Hakkouki.

" Yes ; they said I had been a burden to the
mayor for a long time."

" Truly," said Hakkouki, " honest men are
hard to find."

" I was only a beggar boy, you know,"
said Francois, " and as my mother was
French, they said it was right that I should
go to her country to earn my living. So
they sent me to Grasse. M. Girot is a rela-
tive of my mother, and he took me as his
foreman ; but he never could have done so if
I had not studied books, and that I have to
thank you for, Monsieur."

In the Department of Vaucluse the lavender
is cultivated in the greatest abundance. It
flourishes best in a dry, sandy soil.

" We will stay in the village of Vaucluse,"

NEW FRIENDS. 171

said Hakkouki. Here, in this tiny village of
five hundred and ninety souls, was not only
the factory for distilling lavender, which con-
stitutes a very important branch of commerce,
but also a silk factory, and one for the prepa-
ration of madder and of paper. Its industri-
ous population worked early and late.

Hakkouki and Fra^ois visited the enclo-
sures of dry land where the lavender was
cultivated, and found a low shrub from one
to three feet high, with irregular dull green
leaves and spikes of small, bluish gray flowers
growing on long stalks. In this locality they
cut the stalks with sickles, and distilled the
stalk with the blossoms.

" But," said the foreman of the works,
" in England, where they distil only the
blossoms, they produce an oil of much finer
quality. We manufacture three thousand to
four thousand kilogrammes a year, worth
twenty thousand to thirty thousand francs,
but the English lavender, being more delicate
in perfume, is worth four times as much."

172 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

As soon as they had gathered what infor-
mation they could get about French oil of
lavender, Hakkouki took Francois to visit the
wonderful " Fontaine de Vaucluse," which
is a natural cascade in the mountains.

"This is a place," said Frangois, "where
one might come and live forever."

" So said the poet Petrarch," answered
Hakkouki. " There," he continued, pointing
beyond the magnificent chateau which bears
his name, "is the spot where he was born."

The grandeur of the scene, the powerful
voice of nature in the rushing waters, im-
pressed Hakkouki in a way not soon to be
forgotten ; and, like Frangois, he too might
have wished never to leave the place, but
for his ambition. There, in close touch and
sympathy with nature, at which time a man
comes nearest to all that is divine within
him, he thought continually of Drusa.

On the way down the mountain side to
the quiet, sunlit valley below, he said to
Frangois, " We will go to England, and at

NEW FRIENDS. 173

a place called Liverpool we will step aboard
a steamer and sail across the seas to Mexico."

Francois was all delight, for he had heard
of England. " It is an island, is it not ? " he
asked.

Mexico, however, seemed very far away.
Yet with Hakkouki, he thought, one surely
might go anywhere.

They journeyed first to London, where,
within a radius of thirty miles, the lavender
is grown largely. In Surrey alone there are
three hundred and fifty acres devoted to it.

It is only within recent years that it has
been cultivated in England for the purpose
of producing essential oil, although dried
lavender flowers have been used from time
immemorial. Even the Komans made use
of them in scenting their baths.

From London our travellers took train to
Hertfordshire, and alighted at a station called
Hitchin. In this place two thousand gallons
of oil are produced each year. As the gath-
ering of flowers and distillation takes place

174 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

in July, they were just in time to watch the
most interesting part of the process. The
plants are set out in early spring in rows a
yard apart. When three years old they are
at their best, and at seven years, having
made much wood, they are uprooted and
new plants set out.

As they entered the distillery, the strong
aromatic odor of lavender was almost over-
powering.

" Look out for the bees," said the man
who was conducting them about.

Thousands of the insects were clinging
tenaciously to the tiny flowers; many of
them even preferring death in the huge
boiling caldrons to separation.

" How much better things are arranged
here than in Bulgaria," said Francois.

Everything was done to guard against
waste. The covers of the copper pots were
closed down tightly, and luted with clay or
linseed meal to prevent the fumes from es-
caping. The copper stills hold two hundred

NEW FRIENDS. 175

gallons, and each batch produces about a
pint of oil. After the still is filled with
flowers pressed tightly down, boiling water
is poured over them, and fires lighted be-
neath the kettles to keep them boiling.
The cover is shaped like a huge tobacco
pipe, with the bowl turned downward over
the still. The process of distillation is the
same as that used in Bulgaria and France.
Lavender is used largely in combination with
other perfumes for making eau-de-cologne
and for scenting soaps. When first distilled,
it has an unpleasant odor, but in a twelve-
month it mellows down and is fit for use.

England alone produces thirty thousand
gallons of oil a year. It is also used in
medicine as a tonic for asthma and hysteria,
and many forms of nervous diseases. Sixty
pounds of good flowers yield about sixteen
fluid ounces of oil.

From Liverpool Hakkouki found he could
take a steamship for Vera Cruz on the
eastern coast of Mexico, stopping only at

176 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

New Orleans. Before leaving, he purchased
not only sea-clothing, but books.

" We are now, in truth, going among for-
eigners and must learn their language," he
said to Frangois.

He half planned to leave his valuables in
charge of a banker in Liverpool, but he had
not yet learned the confidence of business,
and felt really safer to carry his posses-
sions with him.

Fran9ois and he devoted their entire
attention aboard ship to the study of the
Spanish language, and were pleased to find,
upon their arrival in Vera Cruz, that they
could at least ask for what they wanted.

At New Orleans, the only stopping-place
on the voyage, their attention was called to
a noisy dispute just as they were leaving
the wharf. Leaning over the rail, they
found two rnen defying the porters and
quartermasters, and hurriedly throwing their
trunks, hand-bags, and engineering instru-
ments aboard.

NEW FRIENDS. 177

While one, a tall man with blond hair
and mustache, stood midway up the gang-
plank and carried on a vociferous conversa-
tion with his opponents, the other, who was
small and dark, did the work.

" I tell you," said the tall one, " there's
plenty of time if you fellows would only get
to work. Hand along that trunk there."

" Get off the gang-plank ! " called a voice
from the bridge.

The tall man, however, would not hear.
Quite at his ease, he held his ground.

" Give me the valise, Vaughn," called he
to his companion, who was at this moment on
the pier, breathless from running back and
forth over the gang-plank.

"I'll pitch you into the water if you don't
get off! We're ten minutes late already."

" Oh, you're off. Your ticker is wrong.
Here's the correct time," drawled the tall
fellow, taking out his watch. " Plenty of
time," he continued ; te only one more valise.
There you are, Vaughn ! "

178 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

And after his companion had passed him,
he slowly walked inboard amid execrations
from the men and laughter from the pas-
sengers. Bracing back, with his idle hands
in his pockets, and a broad smile on his
face, he addressed the crowd :

" Begad ! Any one would think this was an
express train," he said.

No one could resist the contagion of his
merriment. A few minutes later, the second
officer, with a memorandum book and pencil,
stepped up to him, and in a severe voice
demanded his name.

" Why, Mulligan, of course," he replied.

The crowd laughed.

" No fault of mine either. 'Twas the old
man gave me the name," he explained with a
smile.

"Where do you come from?" asked the
officer.

" New Orleans," answered Mulligan.

" I know that," said the officer, impatiently.

" If ye know it then, why are ye asking me ? "

NEW FRIENDS. 179

" I mean, where is your home, you scoun-
drel," said the angry officer.

"My home?" ejaculated Mulligan. "Tell
me, if a man has had a thing and lost it, can
he tell where it is ? "

" Sometimes," answered the officer, fretfully.

"Well, where's your temper?" said Mulli-
gan. Then he threw back his head with a
peal of laughter, which was caught up and
ran round the whole deck.

It sobered and quieted the officer, who,
seeing that he was in danger of losing his
dignity as well, said quietly :

" I want your name and address. I want to
know where to find you on account of this
disturbance at the wharf."

Mulligan took the book, wrote something
in it, and handed it back to the officer. After
reading it, the latter asked, " Are you an
American ? "

" Why, yes, I was brought up in Boston."

" Were you born there ? "

" No, I was born in Ireland."

180 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

" Then aren't you an Irishman ? "

" An Irishman ! If a man is born in a
stable, is he a horse ? "

Amid the roars of laughter which followed
this, the officer saw fit to withdraw.

Later, when Vaughn had finished gather-
ing his belongings together, Francois, who
was much interested in these impertinent
fellows, and had followed them about, was
delighted to hear them speaking in French.
As they were speaking confidentially, Fran-
gois thought it proper to let them know
that he understood them.

"Excuse me, Monsieur," he said to Mulli-
gan, " I overheard you speaking in French."

" Certainly," said Mulligan. u A French-
man are you, or from New Orleans?"

"No, I'm from France," replied Frangois.
"Do Frenchmen come from New Orleans?"

" Vaughn's from New Orleans. He's
French. I've lived there five years, and
I'm almost French myself. I suppose you
know that many Americans use your polite

NEW FRIENDS. 181

language. Vaughn and I are going to
work on the railroad near Tampico. Lots
of engineers have been sent out. Won't
you sit down and talk awhile ? What
are you going to Mexico for?"

" I'm going out with M. Hakkouki to
find out all about vanilla."

" Hakkouki," said Mulligan, smiling ;
"that's a strange name."

" Yes," said Francois ; " he is a Persian."

"Is that his last name?"

" No, it is his Christian name."

Mulligan then threw back his head and
laughed loudly.

" How can a Mohammedan have a Chris-
tian name ? "

Frangois thought best not to discuss Hak-
kouki's affairs.

"Do you expect to have trouble from
the man who questioned you?" he asked.
"I saw him taking your name."

"Trouble? Well, I'll let you know
later," laughed Mulligan. "He wanted to

182 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

know where my home was, where I lived.
How can I tell ? Here I am, an orphan,
without a cent in the world nor a friend,
except Vaughn." He nudged Vaughn affec-
tionately. "How's a fellow going to know
where he lives until he gets where he
lives?"

Frangois looked with great, wondering
eyes upon this big, jolly man, who looked
so rich and well dressed ; and who was
describing himself just such a beggar as he
had been.

" Why," continued Mulligan, " it reminded
me of a servant girl who once lived with
my mother. Some time after she had left
our employ, my mother met her on the
street and said, e Well, Mary, where are you
living now?' ' Please, mum,' said Mary,
1 1 ain't living nowhere now. I'm married.'
You see," he went on, " we sent the bag-
gage down last night so there would be
nothing to do but take ourselves down this
morning, but even then we ran all the way."

NEW FRIENDS. 183

" You didn't run fast enough," suggested
Fra^ois.

" Oh, yes, we did, but we didn't start
soon enough ; nest ce pas, Vaughn ? " said
the big man, giving his friend another dig
in the ribs, at which Vaughn moved some-
what farther away.

During the voyage the two Americans
possessed the greatest attraction for Fran-
9ois. He watched with curious interest the
extravagance of these men without a cent
in the world. He thought it strange that
two persons of one race should be so ut-
terly unlike. In spite of their professed
poverty, they dressed well, were shaved
daily by the barber, had their boots black-
ened by the boot-black aboard, and spent
money to an extent that made Francois
wonder.

There were a number of engineers aboard;
for the building of the railroad and the
improvement of the harbor at Tampico were
great undertakings. Until this time Vera

184 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

Cruz had been the only good harbor on the
east coast of Mexico. Tampico is to-day
considered the only good harbor on the east
coast.

Francois saw much of the engineers up
to the time of arrival in Vera Cruz. He also
took a great liking to one of the passengers
named Shaw, who spent his time laughing at
everything which fell from Mulligan's lips.

Under the very walls of the castle fortress
San Juan de Ulua, the steamer dropped
anchor. Even then they were almost a mile
from the " mole," where seems concentrated
the life of the city. In clear weather the
volcano of Orijaba can be seen sixty miles
inland, its profile sharply cut against the blue
sky.

Vera Cruz is the spot where Cortez landed
in 1519, and raised the cross in the name of
Spain. He called the volcano the star of the
sea, and it well deserves its name, for its
crystal peak, borne on high 17,500 feet, can
be seen one hundred miles away.

NEW FRIENDS. 185

"This fortress," said Vaughn, who had
been in Mexico before, " is said to be impreg-
nable, although it has been captured every
time it has been besieged. The dungeon,
which is below the water level, is still made
use of for political prisoners."

They were so near the fortress that a can-
non, which boomed in salute, fairly jarred
the deck of the steamship.

" Sure, we're all deaf from the noise of it,"
said Mulligan. " I knew a man once who was
made completely deaf by the explosion from a
cannon near him, and for two weeks after he
couldn't hear a thing unless it was written."

They boarded the small boats shaded by
awnings and propelled by boatmen clad in
immaculate garments of white, and were soon
at the quay. Vera Cruz is one of the hottest
as well as the most unhealthy of any of the
cities of Mexico, and yet, by strange anomaly,
it is likewise the cleanest. The architecture
is a mixture of Moorish and Spanish. Since
many of the inhabitants are German and

186 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

French merchants, this foreign influence is
also noticeable. The prevalence of yellow
fever makes it necessary for all the wealthy
residents to have homes in a higher altitude,
and Jalapa (pronounced Halapa), four thou-
sand feet above the sea-level, is chosen for
this purpose. Though Vera Cruz has suf-
fered more than any other city in Mexico
from plagues, pirates, and hurricanes, to-day
it exists as a prosperous and well-conditioned
city.

It was sacked by the pirates Agramont and
Lorencillo in 1568 ; a terrible fire swept over
it in 1618 ; destroyed again by pirates and
three hundred and sixty of its inhabitants
killed in 1683 ; bombarded by the Spaniards
in 1822 ; attacked by the French in 1838 ;
suffered from cannonade by the Ameri-
can fleet in 1847; and nearly destroyed by
a hurricane in 1856. In 1861 the "inter-
vention " fleet made its appearance in the
harbor, and destroyed all its shipping, and
was held in possession of the French until

NEW FRIENDS. 187

1867. Since that time the cause of freedom
has been triumphant, and nothing has oc-
curred to interrupt its career of commercial
prosperity. Vera Cruz bears the distinguished
title of "heroic," granted by Congress in honor
of the many sieges it has gallantly sustained.

Hakkouki was joined by Mulligan, Vaughn,
and Shaw, when he left the boat at the
wharf, to the great delight of FranQois.
Having ordered their baggage sent to a
hotel, which they found ranked with the
best, they walked on toward the Plaza, an
attractive open space with marble walks and
wind-blown trees. Mulligan was searching
for an opportunity to get his boots blacked,
for they had become wet in the small boat.
The Mexicans have little use for such a con-
venience, as they generally go barefoot, both
men and women.

The wealthy classes are seldom seen on
the street, particularly the women.

Soon they were greeted by the sign,
"Boots blacked within."

188 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

"As one might expect in this place," said
Mulligan. "Why should they black the
inside of your boot instead of the outside ? "

The place was evidently meant to accom-
modate Americans, for the sign was in
English.

After a " shine " they walked on together.
Their progress was impeded by a funeral
procession, and they were ordered to stand
with uncovered heads by the gentlemanly
policeman. It was a procession of great
pomp and ostentation, gorgeous uniforms,
and flowers.

" It must be the king's funeral," whispered
Francois.

" There is no king ; he is a president,"
said Mulligan.

" Whose do you suppose it is ? " said Fran-
Qois, burning with curiosity.

"Well, I can't be sure, but I'm after
thinking it's the man's in the coffin," whis-
pered Mulligan, in awestruck tones. " And a
fragile-looking coffin it is, too," he added, for

NEW FRIENDS. 189

through the glass hearse it could be plainly
seen.

" I heard of a man once who had a stone
coffin made for him," whispered FranQois.

" That was good," answered Mulligan,
under his breath. "A stone coffin would last
a lifetime, anyway."

They stopped next at a bank; for the
engineers were going into the " wilds," as
they called it, and could take nothing of
value with them. Hakkouki was much in-
terested in the institution.

"Why don't you put your money in this
savings bank?" asked Mulligan of him.

" How can I draw it out again when I
want it ? " asked Hakkouki.

" It's easy enough," said Mulligan. " If
you put it in to-day, you can get it out to-
morrow by giving a fortnight's notice."

FranQois laughed heartily. To him the
big Irish-American was the funniest man in
the world. He saw, too, that Mulligan en-
joyed being laughed at.

190 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

" Did you take after your father ? " asked
Franqois, thinking of Mulligan's Irish birth.

"No," was the answer. " I didn't take after
my father, for he left me nothing to take."

Most of that day they spent in going about
to equip themselves for their respective jour-
neys. Mulligan had brought with him what
he thought he should require. But Hakkouki
and Francois had nothing suitable for the
climate, nor had Vaughn. The day was so
warm that Vaughn insisted on purchasing
some true Mexican clothing.

" No one knows," said he, " how to dress in
any country so well as the people who live
in it."

" What, you ! " exclaimed Mulligan, with
astonishment, '''you complaining of the heat?
Why, friends, he is so cold-blooded that a dog,
who bit him in the leg last winter, froze to
death."

"Do you think Mulligan always tells the
truth?" asked Francois, in a whisper of
Hakkouki.

NEW FRIENDS. 191

They were waiting in the front part of the
clothing shop, while Vaughn, who, as he said,
" was already overcome with the heat of the
tropics," was decking himself out in Mexican
clothes. At last he appeared. Being small
and dark-hued, he looked the part well, but
managed his serape rather awkwardly.

This garment is the long, narrow shawl no
Mexican ever goes without. As the air grows
cold at night, he draws his serape close up
round his neck, and even covers the lower
part of his face. The great sombrero set jaun-
tily upon Vaughn's curling hair, but he was,
nevertheless, greeted with a roar of laughter.

" Where did you get those trousers ? " asked
Mulligan, his face red from laughing, and the
tears glistening on his cheeks.

"I got them where they grew," answered
Vaughn, indignantly.

"Then, by my conscience," sid Mulligan,
"you pulled them a year too soon."

" I wouldn't wear such trousers as those,"
said

192 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

" Well, now," said Vaughn, " if it is as hot
as this to-morrow, I'll bet you a dollar every
one of you will be wearing them."

"I neither bet nor gamble," answered
Francois.

" Well," whispered Mulligan to Shaw, " if
he is no gambler, he's no better."

And sure enough, they all purchased just
such clothes as Vaughn had bought, the next
day.

" This would be a fine place to live," said
Vaughn, later, as they sat reclining at their
ease in the comfortable chairs and hammocks
of the patio.

" It would, indeed, be a good place to live,
if it weren't for the heat and yellow fever,"
said Hakkouki.

"And bugs and spiders," added Shaw.

"And this system of caste," added Mulli-
gan, " whichfrkeeps all the pretty girls tied up
in the back yards for fear they'll marry an
Indian or something worse."

"Yes," assented Francois, "it must be

NEW FRIENDS. 193

especially hard for you Americans, who have
your liberty and no aristocracy ; you have no
aristocracy in America, have you ? " he asked
Mulligan.

" What do you mean by aristocracy ? "
said Mulligan, who was a little touchy on
the subject.

"I mean people who do no work, and
whose fathers never did," answered Fran-
Qois, innocently.

" Oh, yes," said Mulligan, " we have
plenty of them, but we call them tramps."

The little party was such a congenial one
that Franqois felt sad at the thought of
parting next day, and with his tendency
toward sentiment, he told his companions
so.

"On my word, it is too bad," said
Vaughn. " I shall feel the parting myself."

" And Mulligan also ? " asked FranQois,
timidly, for he wanted the affection of this
big, merry fellow.

"Mulligan!" laughed Vaughn. "The

194 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

only parting that ever troubled him was the
parting of his back hair."

"Very good," said Mulligan, "but rather
too pointed, as the codfish said when he
swallowed the bait."

CHAPTER VIII.

FORTUNE FROWNS.

A T three the next morning the porter of
** the hotel drew Hakkouki and FranQois
forth from the cell which the proprietor
had assigned to them as a bedroom, and
led the way to the station through dark
and cool streets. They went by steam six-
teen miles, and then changed to a tram-
way for Jalapa; for in the vicinity of this
town the vanilla is produced in its greatest
luxuriance.

Three cars comprised the train, divided
into first, second, and third class, and each
drawn by four mules. Along the route
numerous black crosses marked the graves
where murdered men were buried. The
road rose four thousand feet within the

195

196 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

seventy miles' distance ; and as they were
pulled up by mules, they felt satisfied to
reach Jalapa in twelve hours. The scenery
was magnificent, as it had been all the
way after reaching the uplands, and Hak-
kouki was gratified to find good accommo-
dations in the Hotel Vera Aruzana. It
was a low building, running completely
round an open court called the patio, where
fountains played and flowers and birds
abounded.

Jalapa signifies the place of water and
land. Certainly the water is in evidence;
for here, like Bergen in Norway, it may
be said to rain eight days in the week.
The rain-filled clouds from the Gulf strike
the cool hills only to pour their contents
upon them. The town is famous for the
loveliest flowers and most beautiful women
in all Mexico. From its gardens may be
gathered the fruits and flowers of every
zone. Although the women of Mexico
have almost invariably dark skins and

FORTUNE FROWNS. 197

black eyes, those of Jalapa are decided
blondes. Their complexions are said to
rival the delicacy of the petals of the
orchids which grow in such abundance
there. Among the special products of the
vicinity is the aromatic vanilla plant, which
is indigenous. It grows wild in the forests
and proves a great source of income to
the industrious native gatherers. The
Indians, who still reside in their primitive
villages, are restricted in the harvest sea-
son by the Alcade, who apportions to each
his share in the labor.

The morning following Hakkouki's arrival
he set forth with an Alcade for the woods
to see the vanilla growing.

" The vanilla has been known here since
the first Spaniard stepped upon the soil," said
the Alcade. " Chocolate flavored with vanilla
was placed before Cortez by Montezuma.
Long before that, however, it was highly
appreciated by the Aztec nobles and com-
manded, even in those days, a liberal price."

198 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

"I have read that it was first brought to
Europe as a perfume in 1510, ten years
before tobacco was known," said Hakkouki.

"Here is the plant," called Frangois, who
had run on ahead. " I know it by your
description."

" Yes, that is vanilla," said the Alcade.

It was a tall climber, with long, succulent
green stems, white aerial roots, and bright
green leaves.

" The native mode of culture," said the
Alcade, " is to plant the cuttings of the vine
beneath large trees, for all it needs is shade
and moisture. They are left then to grow
and twine around supports as best they can.
Occasionally, for the sake of convenience,
vines are trained around trees to prevent their
attaining a greater height than nine feet."

As it was late in the season, there were
few pods left on the vines; but Hakkouki
obtained one of a light yellow color, which
was about eight inches long and one-half an
inch broad.

FORTUNE FROWNS. 199

"This is not the season in which we
gather, but I will take you where you can
see the bean cured," said the Alcade. " I
suppose you know that the vanilla of Mexico
is superior to that of other countries like
Tahiti and Reunion Island."

" Why is that ? " asked Hakkouki.

"It is our peculiar soil and climate, and
also the help which the insects give us," an-
swered the Alcade. " Here they carry the
pollen from one flower to the pistil of
another; whereas in other places this must
be done by artificial inoculation."

"Oh, yes," said Hakkouki; "I have read
that women and children work with a small
stick like a pencil to carry the pollen."

" Oh, what difficult work it must be ! " said

The flowers in blossom on the vines were a
greenish yellow, here and there touched with
white.

"The pods of these flowers will be ready
for gathering next March or April," said the

200 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

Alcade. "The longer the pods grow, the
greater is considered their value."

During their stay in Jalapa, they visited
the homes of the people who cured and dried
the beans on mats before their mud houses,
great care being required to prevent their
being wet by the constant showers. The
pods are left on the vine until they show a
light yellow tinge, then the}'- are plunged
half a minute in very hot, if not actually
boiling, water. When soft and brown and
ready to dry, they are carefully and regularly
pressed between the fingers and slightly
anointed with oil.

Some of the proprietors had boxes with
glass covers for their pods to dry in. After
fifteen days' exposure to the sun, they are
taken to the building for drying, which is
made throughout of corrugated iron, and con-
tains tiers of wire shelves. The beans are
laid on the top one at first, and removed to
a lower level later. When properly cured,
they are of a rich dark chocolate color, and

FORTUNE FROWNS. 201

perfectly free from moisture. The pods are
selected according to their size, the longest
ones being considered the most valuable, and
tied up in packets of fifty. These packets,
after being tied in the middle, and again near
each end, are carefully put up in closely fit-
ting tin boxes. When vanilla pods are in
good condition, they become covered with an
efflorescence of needles, called vanillin. The
interior of the bean is then soft, unctuous, and
balsamic. In order to obtain the essence or
perfume, one-half pound of such pods are cut
up small and put into one gallon of pure
alcohol. The ingredients must remain to-
gether four weeks, then all the strength of
the vanilla will be found in the spirit, which
may be strained off clear and bright. Ex-
tract of clematis, heliotrope, wallflower, etc.,
contain about half vanilla essence. The
United States is the principal market for
these beans.

During their two weeks' stay, Hakkouki
and Fra^ois had become Mexicanized to

202 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

the point of enjoying the tortilla, which
takes the place of bread, and pulque, which
takes the place of wine. The latter is said
to be nourishing and quite uninjurious. It
is made from the maguey plant, which may
be called the " general utility store " of the
Mexicans. From it they obtain not only
pulque, but paper, twine, and thread. Poor
people thatch their houses with the leaves,
placing one over the other like shingles.
Ropes are also made from the fibre.

The country about Jalapa is particularly
interesting on account of its luxuriant vege-
tation. Wild fruits are so plenty that they
ripen and decay undisturbed by the hands
of the natives. There are fifty or sixty
species of singing birds, and seventy kinds
suitable for food.

Toward the latter part of their stay,
Hakkouki and Fra^ois, while walking in
the woods, suddenly came upon a figure
apparently holding up a tree. Beneath a
great sombrero, with brim little less than

FORTUNE FROWNS. 203

a yard wide, stood a woollen shirt and
leather breeches girt about with a pistol-
belt full of cartridges and revolvers. A
rifle hand against the left arm, while the
right hand of all this furniture was strok-
ing a beard belonging to a countenance
not altogether unfamiliar. It was Mulli-
gan. But how changed! His hair, which
he had been wont to anoint with oil and
part in the middle, was awry, and had
reminiscences of the blanket he last slept
in. His face was a flaring red, his hands
blistered, and his once bulky form had
shrunk almost to a shadow.

"Mulligan!" cried Francois, excitedly rush-
ing forward to grasp his hand. " Oh ! How
thin you are ! "

"Just look at Vaughn," said Mulligan,
pointing down the hill to his companion,
who was almost hidden behind the theod-
olite. "But you ought to see Shaw," he
continued. "He is thinner than Vaughn
and I put together."

204 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

"Have you been ill?" queried Frangois,
eagerly.

" Indeed, I came near dying last night. I
lay speechless all the night, crying, ' Water !
water ! ' and my head ached that bad I
couldn't lift it from the pillow until I got
up and walked about a bit."

" And where do you live now ? " asked
Frangois.

" There," answered Mulligan, pointing to
a very small hut. " We built it, and I think
it will stand as long as the world does, and
longer." Not a smile had yet crossed his
countenance. " I'd ask you to come in and
sit awhile, but the place isn't large enough
for Mr. Hakkouki and me to get into."

" No," acquiesced Frangois, measuring the
two with his eye. "Yet you and Vaughn
and Shaw all sleep there."

" Not a bit of it. None of us sleep. We
stay there nights, and eat outdoors."

"Why do you go so heavily armed?" in-
quired Hakkouki.

FORTUNE FROWNS. 205

" On account of these thundering thieves
of Mexicans. They'd steal the very hands
off your body, if you should lay them down
by mistake."

" What kind of a pistol is that ? " asked
Hakkouki, pointing to the huge weapon in
Mulligan's belt.

"It's what they call a horse-pistol," he
answered.

"Why do they call it that?" asked
Francois.

" For the reason that it kicks, I suppose,"
replied Mulligan. " In this country 'twould
better be a mule-pistol. Shaw ! " he yelled
suddenly, "will you come here and hold the
guns and ammunition?" Then turning to
Hakkouki and FranQois, he said, "And I'll
sit down and talk with you awhile."

Shaw left his work some distance away,
and came toward them. As Mulligan spread
his tired limbs upon the ground, he groaned,
" What's the use of a man's working himself
to death to get a living? It's a hard time

206 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

we've had, to say nothing of the valuable
goods we've lost. The thieves have followed
us, constantly. Up to this Vaughn has held
on to the theodolite, but now he's so weak
it's holding on to him. Oh, it's an awful
country ! "

Then, as Vaughn trudged up the hill with
his precious theodolite, to join them, Mulli-
gan began to sing, " Green grow the rushes,
oh ! " the song from which the word " Gringo "
was taken when the American troops went
into Mexico.

Vaughn was certainly "blue." He imme-
diately began to growl about the country and
the rain and the food.

" Oh, the rain ! Did you ever see anything
like it?" asked Mulligan.

They were all comfortably seated on the
ground but Shaw, who kept guard.

" The rain certainly falls here constantly,"
said Hakkouki, " and yet the country is dry."

" Right you are," said Mulligan. " I crossed
the bed of a stream the other day without a

FORTUNE FROWNS. 207

drop of water in it. 'Twas all sand ; and I
put up a sign : ' Take notice ! ' says I ; ' when
this board is under water, this stream is
impassable.' "

At which they all laughed for the first
time since their reunion.

"And I've heard," continued Mulligan,
encouraged, "that the streams are so dry
that the fish have to wear dusters to keep
their clothing from being spoiled."

" Now you're yourself again," said Hak-
kouki.

"It's only a little decent food I'm need-
ing to be myself," said he. " If the other
fellows would come up to relieve us in time,
we'd go down to Vera Cruz with you and
get a bite. Have you met any of the others
in your wanderings around these woods ?"

" No," said Hakkouki ; " nothing but
Mexicans and Indians."

"Say," continued Mulligan. "There was
a funny thing happened yesterday. I went
out with my shot-gun to get a change of

208 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

food in the way of a bird or something,
and I came upon Jacobs on the bridge.
' Jacobs,' says I, i how are you ? ' ' Pretty
well, thank you, Dorherty,' says he. ' Dor-
herty?' says I; 'that's not my name.' So
with that, we looked at each other again,
and sure enough ! It was neither of us ! "

"We are going back to Vera Cruz day
after to-morrow," said Hakkouki. " Can't
you go with us ? "

" Indeed, I think the other fellows will be
along by that time, and then we'll go, sure ;
for it's starving we are. But we must go
to another hotel. You see, I had a letter
from the proprietor of that last."

"Did you?" asked Hakkouki, interested;
while Vaughn laughed immoderately.

" Ay, he asked me to send him the amount
of his bill," said Mulligan, seriously.

"And," said Vaughn, choking with laugh-
ter, " Mulligan wrote back, ' The amount is
$25.93. Yours respectfully, J. W. Mulli-
gan.' "

FORTUNE FROWNS. 209

With the laughter that followed, Hak-
kouki and Francois rose to go, for night
was closing in, and the air getting chilly.

" Ah ! " sighed Mulligan. " What a bless-
ing it is that night never comes till late
in the day, when a man's tired, and can't
work any more ! But we'll go to Vera
Cruz with you. What time does the train
start ? "

"We are going down by the tramway.
They leave at twelve o'clock."

When the mule train left Jalapa, two
days later, there were Hakkouki, Mulligan,
Vaughn, FranQois, and one very elegant
Mexican gentleman, crowded into the one
small first-class carriage. The route lay
over the old national road, by way of Cerro
Gordo. This hamlet, the place where Gen-
eral Scott outflanked and defeated Santa
Anna April 18, 1847, now consists of a few
mud cabins in a tumble-down condition.
The Mexican gentleman seated beside Mulli-
gan also pointed out the birthplace of Gen-

210 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

eral Santa Anna, the most notorious of
Mexico's soldiers of fortune.

"We used to be overrun with brigands
here," said the Mexican gentleman, " and
travelling over this road was accompanied
by fear as well as danger. General Bazaine,
however, put a stop to that. Hearing of
the dangers, he took ten of his most expert
sharpshooters, and, dressing some of them
as women, they boarded the coach. The
driver was sworn to secrecy, under threat
of being shot if he disobeyed orders. On
the route the brigands stopped them, or-
dered them to throw up their hands, and
assisted the first passenger, who was a lady,
to alight. In an instant, however, the lady's
cape was thrown up, and, shooting with a
revolver in each hand, she finished two of
the brigands at once. The next morning
fourteen gentlemen of the road were found
killed. Only one of the band escaped."

Having finished his exciting tale, he felt
for his handkerchief to mop his fevered

FORTUNE FROWNS. 211

brow. Failing to find it, he turned suddenly
to Mulligan.

"I'll thank you to return my handker-
chief," said he.

Mulligan turned purple. He was about
to speak, when the Mexican discovered his
property on the floor. He excused himself
profusely, saying it was a mistake.

" Sure, Senor, it is a mutual mistake,"
said Mulligan. " You took me for a thief,
and I took you for a gentleman."

After that the Mexican was left out of
the conversation.

" It would be a great convenience," said
Mulligan, who could not live without talking,
"if the mile-stones were placed just a little
nearer each other."

They were soon in sight of the great con-
vent of San Francisco, supposed to have been
built by Cortez, and a most picturesque
ruin.

" The Spaniards were certainly artistic,"
said Hakkouki.

212 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

Arriving in Vera Cruz, they went to a new
hotel, hoping that the proprietor was not first
cousin of the last one. There they did their
best to make up for the food which they had
not eaten during the previous two weeks.

Hakkouki, who had determined to proceed
to the Philippines next, in order to study the
floral growth of those islands, went out alone
to investigate the best method for getting
there.

Among the ships in the harbor, he found
one upon which he could get passage around
the Horn. Though this would doubtless take
longer than crossing Mexico, and shipping
from the port of San Bias, it seemed to Hak-
kouki more desirable, as he wished to see
something of sea life.

On his way back to the hotel he called at
the bank for his valuable suit. As many of
the sights of the town interested him, he
walked along leisurely, and took little notice
of the direction in which he was going. Pres-
ently, he found himself in a narrow alley,

FORTUNE FROWNS. 213

quite strange to him, and lie realized that he
had lost his way. He was about to retrace
his steps when the precious bundle he carried
was suddenly snatched from him, and he him-
self thrown violently to the ground. Before
he could recover, a terrific blow upon the
head left him senseless.

When Hakkouki came to, he was lying in
a white cot in the hospital, with his head
bandaged.

" How long have I been here ? " he inquired
of the nurse.

" This is the tenth day," she replied. " You
have been delirious ever since you came in,
and we almost despaired of your life."

" Has any one been to see me ? " he asked.

" No one," answered the nurse.

Hakkouki groaned. He wondered what
had become of Francois and his other friends.
That afternoon he sent a message to the hotel,
asking Francois to come and see him, but the
messenger returned alone. The French boy,
he said, had searched the city for a week for

214 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

his companion, and then, supposing he had
been deserted, shipped as a steward upon a
vessel bound for the United States.

Thus Hakkouki found himself friendless
and penniless in a strange country.

CHAPTER IX.

FORTUNE SMILES.

TJAKKOUKI emerged from the hospital
thin, but hopeful. In spite of his condi-
tion and his loss of money, he never once
thought of giving up his search for knowledge,
but determined to follow his ambitious under-
taking to the end, and to win.

Through the influence of an American
merchant, whose acquaintance Hakkouki had
chanced to make, he obtained a position as
ordinary seaman aboard a New Bedford
whaler named the Florence, and bound for
the Pacific. Notwithstanding the hardships
which he knew he should be obliged to un-
dergo in such a capacity, he felt very happy
at the prospect. Not only was he moving
in the right direction, but he hoped that
upon such a voyage he might learn some-

215

216 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

thing about that most precious of all per-
fume bases, ambergris.

The new sailor was very seasick and mis-
erable for the first ten days out. After that,
however, he began to enjoy the healthy,
invigorating life. As he was a willing and
a powerful man on a rope, quick to learn,
and good-natured, he soon became a favorite
with both officers and crew. By the time
the ship had " rounded the Horn," he was
looked upon as one of the most valuable
men aboard.

The Florence cruised about the South Pa-
cific for some time without much success,
when one morning, in the vicinity of the
Galapagos Islands, there came from aloft the
welcome cry :

" There she blo-o-o-ows ! "

Instantly all hands turned out, and the
officers gave orders in quick succession. The
boats were provisioned, and swung out in
the davits, and everything put in order for
the next command.

FORTUNE SMILES. 217

The second mate, who, in the meantime,
had gone aloft with his glass, now hailed
the excited captain on deck.

" They are sperm whales, sir ! Four of
them ! Heading to the north'ard ! "

" Back the main yard ! " immediately cried
the skipper.

As soon as the vessel was hove to, the
two boats were lowered ; the captain taking
charge of one, and the mate steering the
other. In the latter Hakkouki found him-
self.

Both boats pulled rapidly toward the
whales, and the hearts of all beat high at
the thought of making a haul at last. The
captain, being in advance, got fast first.

" It's only a small cow," said the mate,
contemptuously. " He's welcome to her.
I'm going for the big bull to wind'ard."

So to the windward they pulled, and it
was not long before Hakkouki, looking over
the gunwale of the boat, saw that they were
passing the whale's immense flukes.

218 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

The next moment the mate cried to
the harpooner, " Now, Johnny ! Send it
home ! "

Just as the Portuguese was about to strike,
however, he lost his balance and fell over-
board. Instantly the whale elevated his tail
and " sounded," while the mate gave vent to
a volley of abuse, such as Hakkouki had
never heard before. The unfortunate Por-
tuguese was hauled aboard, however, and the
chase of the big bull continued.

"Easy all," whispered the mate, as they
came near the leviathan again.

Johnny, the Portuguese, stood in the bow
this time with a look of revenge upon his
dark face. As he braced himself against
the " cleat," it was apparent that he intended
to get even with that whale.

"Steady, now, Johnny, boy," again whis-
pered the mate.

Suddenly, when the boat was within ten
feet of the whale, Johnny drew back his arm
and darted. As the keen harpoon buried

STEADY, HOW, JOHNNY, BOY!

FORTUNE SMILES. 219

itself in the blubber, the flukes of the monster
went up, and with a mighty splash he dived
below.

" Stern all ! " yelled the mate, and the men
obeyed just in time to prevent the boat being
swamped.

The line at once began to run out so fast
that the wood fairly smoked with the friction,
and they were obliged to wet it.

"My land!" said the mate, as he looked
anxiously at the tubs. " How far down is he
going?"

A moment later, however, the line slack-
ened, and the men were ordered to face for-
ward and " haul line." As this meant that
the whale was coming up, the mate then took
the place of the harpooner, and stood ready
to use the lance. After a long, hard pull, the
boat was brought cautiously up to the fleeing
whale.

" Pull, boys ! " cried the officer, as soon as
the flukes were passed in safely. " Wood and
black skin ! "

220 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

The next moment he plunged the sharp
lance deep into the monster's vitals, and
churned it up and down until blood was
spouted.

Now that the whale had hoisted what is
known as the "red flag," the boat retreated;
for in his death "flurry" the whale is most
dangerous of all. For a quarter of an hour
he thrashed helplessly about; then, with a
sound almost like a human groan, he turned
on his side, dead.

This was the beginning of the Florence's
luck. From that time whales were captured
with a regularity that became almost monoto-
nous. As the crew were "on shares," how-
ever, they worked willingly enough.

Two months later the ship's hold was full
of oil, and as all hands were " spoiling " for
some of their pay-day and a run ashore, the
captain headed for Batavia, where he knew
he could tranship his valuable cargo.

But the luck of the Florence was not over
yet. Before reaching Java she picked up a

FORTUNE SMILES. 221

huge lump of ambergris floating on the
sea, which, together with her load of oil,
gave every man aboard of her a small for-
tune.

Hakkouki examined the valuable mass with
much curiosity. When first brought aboard,
it was black and almost as soft as putty, but
after it had dried, it became a light gray
color and fairly hard. Intermixed with the
mass were many small cuttlefish beaks, which
scientists consider proves that ambergris is a
morbid secretion of the sperm whale. As it
dried it gave out a sweet earthy odor. The
value of ambergris, however, does not lie in
its perfume, but in its power to fix or hold
other odors in combination.

The weight of the piece of ambergris found
by the Lucky Florence, as she was afterward
called, was one hundred and eighty pounds.
When sold in Batavia, it fetched the sum of
fifty-seven thousand six hundred dollars,
which was divided pro rata among the ship's
company.

222 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

As soon as the vessel arrived at Batavia,
Hakkouki asked to be paid off ; and with the
goodly sum he received in his pocket, he once
more continued his search for the knowledge
of perfumes.

CHAPTER X.

THE GARDEN OF THE EAST.

TXT" HEN Hakkouki, liberated from his
* * long voyage at sea, found himself fly-
ing up the Molenvliet (the chief thorough-
fare in Batavia) in a comfortable, even
luxurious, carriage, he experienced most
lively emotions of surprise and pleasure.
The swift ponies, driven by a brown coach-
man in a long red calico jacket, seemed to
Hakkouki possessed of wings.

It was a long drive to the hotel, which
was a most imposing building. He was
allotted a fair-sized room, opening on to a
court, with other rooms opening to the
right, left, and in fact all around him.

In front of the doors of these rooms sat
people in every stage of dishabille. There

224 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

seemed to be no privacy, and fortunately,
the situation being as it was, no shyness.

As Hakkouki's clothes were by this time
very much worn and out of place, his first
care was to purchase a native suit. This
consists of a sarong, which is a short, close-
fitting petticoat, and a white linen jacket,
called a kabaya. The Dutch colonists have
adopted this native costume, as being most
suitable to the climate, and seldom wear
any other, except on important occasions.

By the time Hakkouki had rigged him-
self in his new clothes, the midday meal
was ready, and he had an opportunity to sit
at the much-talked-of rice table. Spread-
ing a foundation of rice on the plate, one
choses from the numerous viands presented
by the servant, and places this, whether
meat, fish, eggs, or delicacy, upon the rice,
partaking of both together. Bread was not
offered.

While at table Hakkouki made the
acquaintance of a French gentleman, M.

THE GARDEN OF THE EAST. 225

Belivier, who volunteered much information
about the country, and later gave Hakkouki
a letter introducing him to the manager of
his estate at Sinagar. He told Hakkouki
that it was necessary for him first to get
a government permit to remain upon the
island ; and advised him to hire a native
servant. Through the kind offices of his
new friend, Hakkouki secured an intelli-
gent Javanese "boy" by the name of
Ah-Gap, who, having previously been the
servant of a French geologist, could speak
French.

A few days later Hakkouki and Ah-Gap
set out for Sinagar, which is some distance
inland. It is impossible to describe the
beautiful scenery of Java in any way to do
it justice. The climate is so mild and
moist that the foliage and vegetation is
luxuriant beyond compare. The variety of
trees which are indigenous and not to be
found elsewhere is greater than in any other
part of the world.

226 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

Hakkouki was going to Sinagar chiefly
to see the trees from which the perfumes
ylang-ylang and frangipanni are produced.
In this locality both trees flourish in great
abundance ; although they grow in many
other parts of the island, as well as the
Philippines, and are cultivated in India and
the tropics generally.

The trees grow wild, and the blossoms are
gathered as they fall from the tree; but upon
the large coffee and sugar estates the trees
are under the control of the wodena, a native
who is the local head of the estate.

Hakkouki stayed at the house of the
woflena and was taken out by him and a
good half-dozen followers in uniform, to view
the estate. The natives on the place bowed
low before him, and if they did not promptly
go to earth, were reminded by occasional shouts
from the followers, or their movements were
hurried by prods from the poles of office.
Ah-Gap, having once been told by his master
to stand up, stretched himself to his full

THE GARDEN OF THE EAST. 227

height, and followed with a dignity almost
worthy of Hakkouki himself. The wodena
did not like this manner; nor did he enjoy
the childish glee with which Ah-Gap ran
beneath the first cananga tree he saw, hold-
ing his great bamboo hat, and filling it with
the huge brilliant yellow flowers from which
oil of ylang-ylang is obtained.

The oil of ylang-ylang and frangipanni
is prepared in much the same way as that of
the rose, but the flowers of both these trees
are sold in the markets all over Java, for per-
fume.

The petals of the cananga dry easily, even
in the moist climate of Java, and when sewed
up into small bags, they retain their spicy
fragrance for years. The frangipanni flowers
are very different from the great yellow
flowers of the cananga. They remind one in
shape and cluster of the mayflower (trailing
arbutus) of New England. In color they are
an exquisite white and gold, and are some-
times called "bo-flowers."

228 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

" Why do not the people wear these lovely
blossoms in their hair as they do the large
cananga?" asked Hakkouki of the wodena.

"Frangipanni is the flower of the dead,"
answered he, solemnly.

And not only is this sweet flower associated
with funeral rites and graves, but it is the
religious flower, and is a symbol of faith. It
is sticky and unpleasant to the touch when
pulled from the tree, and the stem exudes a
thick milk ; but after the flowers have fallen
to the ground, they may be handled more
easily, and the small flowers retain their spot-
less waxen perfection and thick, fleshy petals
even for two days. We call them frangipanni ;
but although this name is known to the
natives, they will not use it. They consider
that an Italian marquis had no right to give it
his name in preference to their beautiful name,
which signifies " flowers of the golden heart."

Hakkouki gathered some of these flowers
to dry, as he had the others, and put them
into small bags. As they returned, the

THE GARDEN OF THE EAST. 229

wodena explained to Hakkouki the system
of forced labor which the Dutch exercise
over the natives, and later on gave him a
very delightful surprise.

After supper he was led forth to a has-
tily improvised apartment to witness the
" Bedaya," or dancing girls. This, Ah-Gap
said, was a mark of great respect, as these
girls are summoned to dance only in the
presence of royalty or persons of high rank.
They were dressed in the brightest of col-
ors, adorned with many jewels, and had
their arms and legs dusted with brilliant
yellow powder. They were fourteen or fif-
teen years of age, and danced with the ut-
most grace and decorum of behavior to slow
and solemn music.

The following day, as Hakkouki was leav-
ing, he presented the wodena with a purse
in recognition of his courtesy. To his sur-
prise, the wodena deliberately opened it
and counted the coins.

"It is not enough," said he, coolly.

230 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

" I am sorry," said Hakkouki. " If it
is not sufficient, you may return it to me,
and I will send you a larger amount when
I get back to Batavia."

But the wily native, fearing he might
receive nothing, suddenly changed his mind.

" It is quite enough," he said ; " it is more
than I thought. I did not count it rightly."
Whereupon he bowed with profound respect.
His last look at Ah-Gap, however, whose
expansive stories of Hakkouki's wealth had
led him to expect more, was one of hatred.

Hakkouki, who had intended to visit the
Malay Peninsula to study the growth of
patchouli, learned from the wodena that it
was to be found growing under cultivation
not far from Sinagar, and that Java, in fact,
was the principal land of its production.
The wodena had also offered his services
as guide, but this attention Hakkouki po-
litely declined. Hearing that he could go
from Sinagar down one of the small rivers
in a canoe to a patchouli plantation, he

THE GARDEN OF THE EAST. 231

was delighted at the opportunity for so
agreeable a mode of travel. The canoe
was of the peculiar model of the natives,
rising high at each end, and settling deep
into the water in the centre. If the sun
be powerful, the passenger may lie in com-
fort, unable to see anything but the awning
of light bamboo above ; but as Hakkouki
chose to travel after sundown, he had the
awning removed and lay in blissful serenity,
gazing into the starry heavens and think-
ing of his beloved Princess. When they
arrived at the small landing which was to
be their destination, Hakkouki preferred to
finish the night in his pleasant quarters,
while Ah-Gap and the two native canoe-
men stretched themselves upon the ground
near by.

The next morning they visited the Dutch
wodena of the estate, and were shown a
small bed of patchouli growing. Only
about one-twentieth part of an acre was
under cultivation, the plants being placed

232 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

about three feet apart. They must be re-
produced by cutting entirely, as plants from
seeds are said to have no odor. Mr. Cantly,
an Englishman, familiar with the growth of
patchouli, said :

" I have never been able to verify this
statement, but it is well known that plants
do sometimes play tricks of this kind."

As the natives claim that it never blos-
soms and one man who had grown and
bought it for thirty years had never seen a
flower or fruit, it would seem that Nature
herself reproduced the plant from stems of
fallen leaves or from the roots. It is not in-
digenous in either Java or India, but seems
to have been a native of China. No skill
is required in cultivation, nor machinery in
preparation.

" The crop from this piece of land is
about one ton a year," said the wodena.
" We mow it, stalk and all, and get about
twice as much good leaf as refuse."

"The odor of patchouli first became

THE GARDEN OF THE EAST. 233

known in the West," said Hakkouki, "as a
characteristic scent of Indian shawls, while
here it has been used for ages in the pow-
dered form for perfuming clothing."

" Look ! " said Ah-Gap, u how the women
decorate themselves."

Those working in the fields had garlands
about their waists and bunches of the leaf
stuck in their bamboo ear-rings.

The wodena explained that though they
cultivated such a small piece of land, the
profit realized was greater in proportion
than that of any other product of the
estate.

" The scent," he said, " is more powerful
than that from any other flower, and we
not only sell it as dried leaf to advantage,
but also distil it."

The oil was of a dark brown color, ex-
tremely persistent in odor, and of great
strength.

" In Holland," he continued, " they some-
times ascribe loss of appetite and nervous

234 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

attacks to the excessive use of patchouli,
but as one of its greatest uses here and in
India is to mix it with the stuffing of beds
and pillows to keep out vermin, this can
scarcely be the case."

" It was probably this quality," said Hak-
kouki, " which caused it to be used to pack
Indian shawls, and so led to its introduction
to the West."

The wodena was profusive in his invita-
tions for entertainment and desire to show
Hakkouki over the coffee plantation; but
Hakkouki, knowing that the passage back
to Sinagar was up-stream, and that it would
therefore take longer to paddle, decided to
start immediately after tiffin.

As they paddled up-stream to Sinagar
again, Hakkouki, lulled by the swish of the
paddles, and the even, peculiar chant of the
boatmen, felt his soul rise in joy and
thanksgiving that his journeys were so
nearly at an end.

" There is yet the sandalwood and kuskus

THE GARDEN OF THE EAST. 235

grass, which I shall see in the Mysore country,"
he said to himself. "From Batavia I must
go directly to Madras. Then there will be
but one important scent remaining; that is,
musk."

Hakkouki had for a long time planned to
take musk, which was the most dangerous, as
his last journey; for should he survive this
adventure, he should be within what seemed
to him now a short distance of Kaffiristan.

Upon returning to Batavia, Hakkouki vis-
ited the courteous M. Belivier to thank him
for his kindly entertainment upon his estate,
and also to say good-by ; for it was his inten-
tion to cross to Madras on his way to the
Mysore country.

"Well," said M. Belivier, "then I shall
have the pleasure of presenting you to my old
friend, General Magadari, who can give you
all the help you will need in your travels
through India."

This was indeed a great kindness to Hak-
kouki, for time was precious to him, and he

236 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

realized how valuable a friend who is a resi-
dent of a place can be, in preventing delays.

With much gratitude he bade his friend
" Slamat Jalan " and took his leave.

" Ah, Tuan ! Thou wilt not leave me be-
hind," begged Ah-Gap ; and Hakkouki, ever
ready to grant the wishes of those about him,
answered, " No, my boy ; you shall go."

They boarded the steamer Godavery for
Madras, and turned their backs on the beau-
tiful days and brilliant skies of Java.

After a voyage of three days, Hakkouki
reached Madras. As soon as he got ashore,
he seated himself in a gharry, a close carriage
on four wheels, while Ah-Gap packed himself
and their small amount of luggage beside the
dirty-looking driver. He seated himself on
the very edge of the seat, for fear his clean
sarong should come in contact with the driver's
ill-smelling clothing. The tiny pony conveyed,
or rather set forth to convey, Hakkouki to the
house of General Magadari, whom M. Belevier
had wished him to visit. It is not difficult to

THE GARDEN OF THE EAST. 237

find one's way about in Madras, as the roads
are excellent and the people obliging. In
spite of this, however, they could not find
General Magadari. No one had ever heard
of him. Hakkouki continued to inquire, how-
ever, and at last met a gentleman in a car-
riage, who said :

" General Magadari ? Isn't he the com-
mander of the forces?"

" He is," answered the driver.

" Then it is the second house on the right."

Delighted to have succeeded at last, Hak-
kouki descended from his carriage and entered
the house. Passing the sentry and a throng
of salaaming menials, he found himself in the
spacious hall, and upon presenting his letter
of introduction, received a kindly welcome
from his host. Followed by Ah-Gap, he was
shown an apartment, where he was able to
remove the traces of his journey. He was
entertained most cordially, and the next day,
equipped with a letter to the military com-
mander of Mysore, where the sandal is largely

238 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

grown and exported, Hakkouki left Madras,
much impressed by the gayety of the place
and the affability of its citizens.

Upon arriving at Mysore, he went immedi-
ately to the house of the commander, but
upon looking for the letter which had been
given him, he was unable to find it.

" I had a letter of introduction to you,"
said Hakkouki. " It was from General
Magadari."

" Never heard of such a person," answered
the commander.

"He is the commander of the forces at
Madras," said Hakkouki.

" Magadari ! " said the commander; " that's
not his name. You are an impostor, sir ! "

Thus Hakkouki was not entertained in
Mysore, nor did he find the missing letter,
nor did he ever know the name of his amia-
ble host in Madras. Of one thing only was
he certain, that the gentleman who had
entertained him so kindly was not General
Magadari.

CHAPTER XI.

THE FRIENDSHIP OF CHAN FOU.

LJAKKOUKI found a place of residence

r
just outside the town of Mysore in a

bamboo hut, raised on poles five or six feet
from the ground. The floor was of rattan
woven strongly in and out across the sticks
of bamboo. Certainly peace and contentment
went hand and hand with Mysorean life. As
Hakkouki sat at the top of the ladder at the
entrance of his temporary home, and watched
the red light of the sun fade away over the
jungle, here and there flecking the leaves
upon the ground with a spot of fire, and
heard the soft rippling sound of the stream
at the foot of the ladder, he felt himself
cradled in the lap of Mother Nature.

Ah-Gap had gone to the village for food ;

240 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

and Hakkouki sat waiting with the same
quiet patience with which the natives of this
country have waited for generations and cen-
turies.

" Here I come, Tuan ! " cried the voice of
his servant, up the ladder.

Though Hakkouki had been listening for
him, no sound of the native's footsteps could
be heard in the soft jungle grass.

" I have brought all the food in Mysore,"
continued Ah-Gap, "and now you will see,
my master, how good a cook I am."

And Hakkouki admitted later that he had
never eaten more delicious dishes than those
which his Java " boy " cooked for him.

In this delightful land Hakkouki was able
to make his journeys by the streams which
intersect the whole country. Shortly after
his arrival, he hired two natives with their
boat, to punt him to the nearest sandalwood
plantation. These are all in the control of
the government. No one is allowed to fell a
tree but a government official. One planter,

THE FRIENDSHIP OF CHAN FOU. 241

who found two trees in the way of his build-
ing a road on his estate, was obliged to write
to the government to have the proper officials
take possession of them.

Sandal is no doubt the most important of
all odorous woods. The best wood is ob-
tained from trees twenty to thirty feet high,
which Hakkouki found growing in Mysore
within a few miles of his bamboo home.

Could Hakkouki have found his letter from
his amiable French friend in Madras, or have
found any clew regarding General Magadari
(for he felt sure this unknown person existed,
else why had he been offered a letter to him ?)
his stay in Mysore might have been shorter ;
but British officials were loath to give much
help to this unassuming gentleman of a
southern clime, who dressed simply in a sa-
rong, and was accompanied by a " thieving "
Malayan servant. These English gentlemen
considered a suit of pyjamas ample clothing.

Nevertheless, Hakkouki learned more of the
sandal tree by being dependent upon himself

242 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

than if he had been attentively shown about.
He lived in the woods and found the tree
growing wild. He was somewhat surprised
to find it an evergreen, which flowered and
fruited all the year round.

Ah-Gap, with his friendly nature, soon
made native acquaintances. Among them
was a girl named Selema, who lived in a hut
near, and whose parents had selected as a
husband for her a Chinaman who had a high
position on the nearest plantation. Selema,
having thus permission to roam at will over
the plantation, often became the guide of
Hakkouki and his follower.

" This is the best tree," said she, pointing
to a graceful sandal. " Chan Fou said they
would cut it soon. It is thirty years old."
The trunk was about a foot in diameter.

To make the best wood, the trees are
pulled up by the roots and left upon the
ground for several months, so that the sap-
wood may be destroyed by the white ants.
When this is accomplished they are cut into

THE FRIENDSHIP OF CHAN FOU. 243

sticks three feet long and three to eight
inches in diameter. Seleraa told them that
the natives used the powdered wood for fevers
and other sicknesses ; and that they made a
paste of it to mark the line of caste upon
their foreheads. The seeds of the tree are
planted together with a capsicum seed; for
the latter, producing a quick-growing seed-
ling, shades the tender, young sandal. The
capsicum plant also affords sustenance for it.
It has lately been found that sandal has
parasitic roots which attach themselves by
tuber-like processes to those of many other
plants, and it thrives best when grass is
allowed to grow in the seed-beds, and where
the seeds are planted only an inch below the
surface.

As Selema was to be married in about a
month, she was left at home all day to make
her preparations, while the rest of her family
went to the plantation to work. She was
but fourteen, and seemed to Hakkouki still a
child. He often sat and watched herAmaking

244 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

pretty baskets and other small articles for
her new home, out of the fragrant kuskus
grass, which grew so plentifully all about.
She made screens to be placed in the windows
and doors ; for Chan Fou was building a very
beautiful nest for her. The screens would be
wetted, and as the breeze drew through them,
would diffuse an agreeable odor and cool-
ness. Hakkouki went with her to gather the
kuskus grass (sometimes called vertiver) and
to draw out of the ground the long, fibrous
roots.

One day as Hakkouki, with Ah-Gap in at-
tendance, walked with Selema in the jungle,
he saw almost upon her shoulder, as she
stood beneath a sandal tree, the great hand
and arm of an orang-outang. With a quick
movement Hakkouki drew the girl away, and
the next moment sent a rifle bullet through
the ferocious animal's brain. So quickly did
it all happen, that Selema stood looking on,
not even frightened.

The next morning as Chan Fou in his

THE FRIENDSHIP OF CHAN FOU. 245

boat passed near the hut on his way to the
plantation, he stopped to speak with Hak-
kouki. Now Chan Fou was no ordinary man.
He had come from his home in Shanghai in
the interest of the sandalwood industry.
He was an owner in the steamship line
which plied between Shanghai and Madras,
and had been a commissioner sent from
Shanghai to the exposition at Paris to dis-
play the perfumes of the East, particularly
the sandalwood. He greeted Hakkouki in
fairly good French, for he had heard him
speaking with his servant in that language,
and supposed him to be a Frenchman. Chan
Fou's gratitude was unbounded. When he
learned that Hakkouki was in Mysore to
study the growth of the sandalwood, he was
delighted to be able to assist him.

" It gives me pleasure to know you, and
regret that I have not known you before,"
he said politely.

Chan Fou was a learned man, although he
was not more than twenty-five.

246 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

"You know," he said, " sandal is probably
the oldest perfume known. It is spoken of
in the writings of Yaska, a Hindoo who
wrote in the fifth century before Christ, and
it is also referred to in epic poems of the
ancient Sanskrit of about the same date.
In Ceylon the essential oil was used as early
as the ninth century in embalming the
corpses of princes. At the present time the
greatest quantity is shipped to Shanghai, for
it is used in our temples as incense. We
distil the oil here from the wood and export
it in that form. But much wood goes to
China to be used in carving, for we have
small pagodas built entirely of it."

During this conversation, Chan Fou and
his guest were moving slowly down-stream ;
the two native paddlers singing a monoto-
nous chant, by which means they keep
stroke.

"We used to raise more of it ourselves,
but since the privilege has been conferred
upon the East India Company by a treaty

THE FRIENDSHIP OF CHAN FOU. 247

with Hyder All, the Hindoo prince, in 1770,
they have been able, by cultivation, to raise
it and ship it to us at a lower price than
we can get it in China."

Arriving at the plantation, Chan Fou,
learning from Hakkouki his desire to fully
understand the growth of the wood with
the intention of reproducing it in his " own
country," was most interested, and showed
him and explained to him all which could
be of importance.

He then led Hakkouki to a summer-house
which was built like something between a
pagoda and a mosque. Here they partook
of a drink called sandal sherbet, which is
made from powdered wood, and is very cool-
ing and sedative. Hakkouki felt much re-
freshed, for the heat of the day was intense.
Later, Chan Fou offered Hakkouki a long
tobacco pipe with a tiny bowl, and thus they
whiled away the time of day when the heat
is greatest.

" Yes, sandal is produced hi India in enor-

248 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

mous quantities since the control of the Brit-
ish here," continued the Chinaman. "At
least thirteen thousand tons are cut every
year, and still it retains its value. Here,
in Mysore, it sells for a quarter its weight
in silver."

Hakkouki enjoyed every moment spent
with this interesting, intelligent, and cour-
teous man. He told him that he was
going to China to journey up the Yang-tse-
Kiang River for musk. At this news Chan
Fou's joy was great.

" Ah ! Now I can assist you indeed," he
said. " You must go to Shanghai, to my
home. I have friends who deal in musk in
Shanghai, and to them I will send you."

And so it was decided. Chan Fou wrote
letters for Hakkouki to take, and sent a
native to Madras to make all necessary ar-
rangements for Hakkouki's earliest depar-
ture.

As soon as his preparations were com-
plete, Hakkouki was taken to Madras by

THE FRIENDSHIP OF CHAN FOU. 249

Chan Fou himself, where, following his
friend's advice, he dressed himself in Chi-
nese costume.

Just before touching at Singapore, Ah-Gap
expressed a desire to leave Hakkouki's ser-
vice, and return to Java.

" I wish not to go into a country which
is peopled by heathens and savages," said
he.

Hakkouki therefore paid Ah-Gap what
was due him, and regretfully bade him
good-by, for the Javanese had been a faith-
ful and willing servant.

CHAPTER XII.

INTO THE FORBIDDEN COUNTRY.

the voyage to Shanghai, Hakkouki
felt very lonely and found it hard ' to
pass the time. He looked over his letters and
papers which Chan Fou had so kindly given
him, but found every word unintelligible.
He then counted his money to see how
much he had left from his life in Mysore.
He was surprised to find two bags which
he had filled with silver, now contained
only copper coins.

"Ah-Gap," he said sadly to himself.
"Well, I suppose a Malay is a born thief,
so I must forgive him. But I would rather
not have known."

Hakkouki sat for a long time brooding
over this, and feeling very lonely. A

250

INTO THE FORBIDDEN COUNTRY. 251

gentleman paced the deck near him, evi-
dently intent on his own thoughts. After
a time he appeared to take notice of Hak-
kouki, and approaching, he spoke a few
words in Chinese. Hakkouki was not able
to answer, and felt somewhat chagrined
that he should be wearing the clothing of
a nation whose language he was unable to
understand. The gentleman than tried Hin-
doostanee, and at last Spanish. The last
Hakkouki was able to speak.

"Yes," he replied, "I am going to Shang-
hai, and I was advised by a Chinese friend
to wear the dress, as I am to go imme-
diately to his home."

The conversation once started proved a
cure for Hakkouki' s loneliness, and when he
went on deck next morning, he again ad-
dressed his new-found friend.

During the day the stranger informed
Hakkouki that his home was in Calcutta,
but that he was going to Shanghai, and
from there proceed up the river to a place

252 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

called Sui Fu, where he had business. This
acquaintance proved of the utmost value to
Hakkouki. The gentleman proved to be
none other than Kishen Singh, a native of
Krishna in British Thibet, and a man well
and favorably known by reason of his
wonderful survey of Eastern Thibet.

Chan Fou's family rendered Hakkouki
every assistance, but as he had the oppor-
tunity to ascend the river in company with
Kishen Singh, he was unable to make an
extended visit and receive all the attentions
which these hospitable people wished to
show him. They supplied him with a faith-
ful escort of six Mongols, who were ac-
quainted with the country, and of sworn
allegiance to the family.

At Ichang they left the steamer, as from
this point the ascent of the river is diffi-
cult. The Wu-Shan Rapids are said to be
as formidable as the Lachine Rapids of the
St. Lawrence, and no steamboat is capable
of stemming the force of the current. At

INTO THE FORBIDDEN COUNTRY. 253

this place Hakkouki and Kishen Singh
were able to continue their journey on a
junk, this being the conveyance by which
the products of Thibet, tea and musk being
among the principal ones, are conveyed
over this difficult part of the river to
China. Amidst the noise of firecrackers
and the burning of joss-paper, they started,
two or three lifeboats with crews, ready for
an emergency, accompanying them.

This journey up the river, still the only
mode of travelling in that part of the
country, was a remarkable trip, and took
them thirty-three days to accomplish. The
junk was heavily laden with Chinese goods
for the interior, and worked its way up-
stream amidst apparently insurmountable
difficulties. The "trackers," who towed
the junk from a tow-path at the side of the
river, were directed by the beating of a
drum upon the junk's bow. Every little
while a man especially appointed for the
work would calmly leap into the river and

254 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

clamber on to some rock and clear the
tow-line, which had got foul. In this way
they at last reached Sui Fu.

Hakkouki had described his intended
journey into Thibet most graphically and
temptingly to Kishen Singh, and begged
his company; but on each occasion he had
received the answer, " It would give me
the greatest pleasure, but I did not come
to China for pleasure."

They had been in Sui Fu a week, during
which time Hakkouki had been busy mak-
ing his preparations and had seen little of
Kishen Singh. As he sat drinking his tea
one morning, planning for his trip, and
thinking of the coolies whom he would
engage, and how they should be packed,
the entrance to his room was darkened by
the now familiar figure of his friend. He
sprang forward at once to meet him, but
drew back when he noticed the dark,
threatening expression on the face of his
guest.

INTO THE FORBIDDEN COUNTRY. 255

" What has gone wrong ? " he asked.

" Oh, everything," was the answer.
" Oh, these barbarous Chinese ! What can
one do with them? My patience is at an
end. ' Come again in three years,' they
say to me. ' We will then have a new
Amban in Ta Chien-lu, and you may then
be successful.' "

Kishen Singh threw himself upon a roll
of blankets, utterly discouraged. It had
been the one desire- of his life to make a
complete survey of Thibet. He had ac-
complished much already, but was continu-
ally balked by the objection which the
Chinese had to opening up their interior
to foreigners. He never lost hope, how-
ever. In three years' time, or six years,
or whatever they required, he should come
again. But oh ! the time was so precious,
for one cannot live always.

Kishen Singh was a man of small stature,
but of great dignity, erect and strong, with
a remarkably deep and powerful voice,

256 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

although accustomed to speak in a soft and
subdued tone. He wore his hair short, was
beardless, seemingly by nature, and therefore
had no need to shave. His features were
regular, his face rather broad. His black
eyes were very intelligent, his mouth deli-
cate, and eyebrows clearly defined. Having
thrown himself upon the roll of blankets,
he instantly assumed a position of perfect
comfort, and though irritated and annoyed,
showed no suggestion of it in his manner.

"Perhaps you will be able to obtain per-
mission from the mandarin to enter, which
will give you power over the head of the
Amban," said Hakkouki.

" Yes, I am trying ; but even that means
delay. Ah ! it is always delay here in China,"
he answered.

" But during that time can you not go with
me and enjoy the pleasure which you did
not come to China for?" said Hakkouki,
seductively.

Kishen Singh's expression changed, and a

INTO THE FORBIDDEN COUNTRY. 257

ray of joy lighted up his countenance. But
for several moments he did not speak.

" When do you go ? " he asked, at last.

" Whenever it is your royal wish," said
Hakkouki, overjoyed.

Kishen Singh smiled, and realizing how
ardently Hakkouki wished his company, he
then and there agreed. This was of the
greatest advantage to Hakkouki, on account
of Kishen Singh's knowledge of the country,*
and experience as an explorer; but more
than that he had conceived for this remark-
able person a great liking. Hakkouki being
himself of a noble type, distinguished and
superior to his fellows, was also possessed of
a heart so warm and sympathetic that it
responded quickly to the call for affection
which exists in all human beings, and he had
been attracted by this man when first he
spoke to him.

As the days of their acquaintance length-
ened into weeks, the affection between them
had deepened. Though Hakkouki was accus-

258 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

tomed to find the best in every human being,
and to be satisfied with that, he was con-
tinually surprised as the greatness of this
man's soul was further comprehended by him.
To have the companionship of a man like
this, seemed to Hakkouki a stroke of good
fortune, such as he could never have antici-
pated. Little of this thought was he able
to put into words as he sat drinking his tea
that morning in Sui Fu. A smile told it all
to Kishen Singh. There is a comprehension
between those who live for high purposes
in life, who study and love their fellows,
which has no need of words.

But there was work to be done, for the
life in the mountains must be provided for.
The musk-deer is found only in the high
altitudes, never less than eight thousand feet
above sea-level. As its domicile borders on
the region of eternal snow, clothing and pro-
visions for a cold climate must be procured.

" Our first care must be for our passports,"
said Kishen Singh. " In this respect the

INTO THE FORBIDDEN COUNTRY. 259

Thibetans are more particular than any other
race."

Chan Fou's friendship had provided Hak-
kouki with this necessity, and Kishen Singh,
being himself a native of British Thibet, was
able to travel with British papers. This is
not so agreeable to the Thibetans, but Kishen
Singh, knowing their prejudices, had also
appealed to his Chinese friends of influence
in Shanghai.

" Then comes the matter of religion," said
he.

" I am a Mohammedan," said Hakkouki.

" That is good," said Kishen Singh. " I
am a Buddhist. The Christians are often ex-
posed to trouble in travelling, but a Buddhist,
even a British subject, is considered almost
one of them ; and as we shall have Moham-
medans among our coolies, your religion will
be a comfort to them. They are very de-
pendent upon their masters."

Since all the journey beyond the first hun-
dred miles was to be made on foot, and all the

260 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

baggage and provisions were to be carried by
men, it was necessary to have twenty-four
coolies, twelve for each hunter. Occasionally
the yak is made use of by the musk hunter
for transportation purposes, but no time is
gained by using it, for the speed of the cara-
van must be that of the men who walk.
Hakkouki, therefore, thought best to take
only men as porters. Moreover, when ani-
mals are made use of, whether ponies, camels,
or yaks, not only are they often led off in the
night by brigands, but they have a most ex-
asperating habit of disappearing on their own
account.

"I remember," said Kishen Singh, "when
I camped once on the hills only a few hun-
dred miles from Lassa, awaking one morn-
ing to the knowledge that twenty-four of our
animals, ponies and camels, had disappeared
in the night. As the country was full of
brigands, we thought we knew the cause,
but at the end of four days' delay the men
came in with the last of the strayed ponies.

INTO THE FORBIDDEN COUNTRY. 261

They will get off when hobbled in a way
that doesn't seem possible for them to go
ten feet."

" That isn't to be one of our troubles,"
said Hakkouki. " Coolies w r on't stray far
from the provision boxes."

Kishen Singh smiled. His face was now
as bright as a summer's morning. Once hav-
ing thrown off care, he was determined to
make the most of his pleasure.

They travelled south in single file, the
native guide taking the lead ; then Hak-
kouki and Kishen Singh ; behind them came
the water-carriers, the tent porters, the bed-
ding-carriers ; two men with fur clothing
for the cold weather in the high altitudes;
two with cooking pots, plates, canteens, and
so forth; two with tea, sugar, and other
stores ; two with ammunition ; the same num-
ber with guns and rifles ; and two men with
sundries.

All were dressed at the start in the ordi-
nary Chinese costume of the lowlands, very

262 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

light and cool ; but as the cold of the moun-
tain of Thibet is extreme, they were also pro-
vided with warm woollen suits, and fur
garments, to the ankles. These were to be
strapped in by a belt during the day, and
drawn to the height of the knees. At night
they would be dropped to their full length
and serve as bed clothing.

Kishen Singh was in the best of humor;
nothing could disturb his serenity. However,
all did not go smoothly, even while travelling
in true Chinese territory. The tramp of each
day was hard and long, and consequently
fatiguing to a man somewhat out of practice.
Then, one of the coolies died, and it was
insisted by the others that the death was
caused by a snake. As the man was a Mus-
sulman, Hakkouki was obliged to perform
the rites of burial, while all the other coolies,
in open-mouthed awe, stood by.

That night Akoun, the guide, came to Hak-
kouki, and said, " It is best to give up the
expedition."

INTO THE FORBIDDEN COUNTRY, 263

"Indeed; why?" asked Hakkouki.

" Ah, no good fortune can coine now after
this ill omen."

" It is sad that Dazi is dead, but I see no
ill omen in his death," said Hakkouki.

" It is not his death," was the reply, " but
because it was caused by a snake."

" How can that be ? There are no snakes
about," said Hakkouki.

" Agreed," said Akoun ; " we have not seen
them, but that is no proof. Nothing else
could have caused his death, for he was
blessed against death from every other
cause, but being a poor man he had not
the money required to be blessed against
snakes. So it is by a snake that he has
died, and nothing but ill luck can come to
us."

The men wept and groaned, and refused to
go on.

" They must be beaten," said the guide,
simply, who claimed to be a man of great
intelligence. Although he was sure that the

264 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

death had been caused by a snake, he was
willing, nevertheless, to proceed even in the
face of bad luck, and was ready to beat the
coolies into submission, provided his pay was
doubled.

Hakkouki was in despair, but Kishen Singh
went out where the men lay flat upon their
faces, grovelling upon the earth, in their
wretchedness, and praying for forgiveness.
They believed that this horror had been
brought upon them because of some past sin.
All night they had lain in abject misery.
The day was dawning ; a rosy hue pervaded
the sky, and reflected a soft pink coloring
upon the misty gray of the surrounding
country.

Kishen Singh raised his arms, and in his
deep voice said, " Rise, and look upon me ! "
The men obeyed. Silence for several mo-
ments reigned, while Kishen Singh looked
steadily at them. Then he continued sol-
emnly, " He who holds us in the palm of his
hand has forgiven you. See," he said, point-

INTO THE FORBIDDEN COUNTRY. 265

ing to the sun just showing above the far-
distant hills ; " He sends his messenger of
light to tell you."

The effect of this speech upon the coolies
was electrical. The men, children as they
truly are, needed but the assurance of their
master that all was well. They set to work
at once to rectify the condition of the camp,
to pack on their burdens, and when the
march was resumed, they travelled at a speed
much greater than any they had previously
accomplished.

The coolies of this region, who act as hill
porters, are people of a wandering nature
and unknown origin. They are a mixture
of Chinese, Thibetans, East Indians, and
various races, speak dialects of several lan-
guages, and have at the same time a remark-
able resemblance to each other in personal
appearance as well as character, all of which
shows that climatic and educational influ-
ences are more powerful with them than
inheritance.

266 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

The caravan soon reached a higher alti-
tude, and they felt the cold winds blowing
over the snow-capped mountains. One night,
having pitched their tents upon an eminence,
sheltered on the side from which the wind
came by the mountain rising still higher
above them, they looked off over the sur-
rounding country. In the distance, as the
night grew darker, they could distinctly see
the fires of another camp across the ravine
where the river flowed.

"They are hunters," said Kishen Singh,
after watching for some time. " And they
have had good luck."

" How do you know? " asked Hakkouki.

" They cook their meat," answered Kishen
Singh, simply.

" Then they are not musk hunters ? "

"Well, they might be. The flesh of the
musk-deer is remarkably good, and has no
flavor of musk; but I think they are hunting
larger game."

Again Hakkouki inquired how he knew.

INTO THE FORBIDDEN COUNTRY. 267

" Because they are English," answered
Kishen Singh.

" Tell me how you know that," persisted
Hakkouki.

" Because they have more than one fire."

CHAPTER XIII.

THE GRAND LAMA.

T^HE next day, after crossing the river,

they passed the Englishmen, and were

warned by them of the dangers in advance.

a We have suffered extortion in every
form," said the hunters. "These people
are most cruel and barbarous. They even
imprisoned our Indian servants, and caused
us much anxiety and delay. We advise you
to turn back before it is too late."

But Hakkouki, having undertaken a thing,
was hardly the man to turn back. Later
he said to Kishen Singh :

" Have you any desire to profit by the
warning of the Englishmen ? "

A pleasant smile from Kishen Singh was
his only answer.

THE GRAND LAMA. 269

As they kept to the regular trail, they met
other caravans going in the opposite direc-
tion. They noticed even in so short a time
a change in the people, especially in those
who were packing tea, from place to place.
One man carries his bricks of tea a certain
distance, where they are taken up by an-
other, while he returns for more, thereby
going over the same road each day. By
packing the bricks one above another high
over their heads, and in parallel lines the
width of their shoulders, they were able to
carry enormous quantities.

The average load is nine packages about
two hundred pounds ; but some men carry
as many as seventeen over three hundred
pounds. Women frequently carry seven or
eight, and even children were seen trudging
along behind their parents with a package
or two.

At the beginning of then* journey these
tea porters were Chinese, with the custo-
mary clothing and queue, but as Hakkouki's

270 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

caravan went onward into the mountains of
the Yunnan country in Eastern Thibet, the
passers-by presented a marked change, both of
feature and raiment. Although the govern-
ment is in the hands of the Chinese, who keep
in every village a representative known as
the Amban, the Thibetans are still very
independent, and often the Amban stands
more in fear of them than they of him, as
Hakkouki and Kishen Singh soon had reason
to learn.

As a spur to their enthusiasm they met
musk hunters returning, and although to
their inquiry, "Have you had good fortune?"
they invariably received the same answer,
" There are no longer any musk-deer in the
mountains," they continued to push on. " For,"
they reasoned, " had they not obtained their
usual load they would not return." But
musk, even in the hills, is so valuable, sell-
ing at the rate of five dollars for a good
pod weighing about an ounce, that competi-
tion cannot be encouraged.

THE GRAND LAMA. 271

One night they camped in close proximity
to a company of hunters, and here it was
decided to remain for a few days, at least,
and make a trial. The altitude was about
twelve thousand feet. During the day the
cold, dry wind had cut their skins into deep
fissures, which were so painful as to prevent
their sleeping. For protection they manu-
factured helmets of thick cloth, with a mask
to cover the face, in which were cut two
holes for the eyes. Both Hakkouki and
Kishen Singh were meat-hungry; for the
weather was cold, and they had depended
upon their skill in hunting to supply this
article.

"If we get no musk-deer, we may get a
stag or a goat, or at least something edible,"
said Hakkouki.

They were surprised, soon after supper,
by a visit from one of their neighbors.
He was a Chinaman, and a more uncanny
and unreliable-looking being Hakkouki, in
all his wanderings, had not come upon. He

272 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

was evidently clever, of an intriguing order,
with a suspicious gleam in his narrow, rest-
less eyes, and a coarse, cruel mouth, con-
stantly in motion, even when not speaking.
His queue was twisted about his head under
his headdress, and therefore made no show-
ing. Having been in the mountains a long
time, he had allowed his hair to grow over
his forehead to his eyebrows.

"Are you Chinamen?" he asked, bending
forward and spreading his arms in greeting,
at the same time letting his tongue drop
from his mouth to the end of his chin. This
is the greef ag of the Thibetans, and might
have been misleading had not Kishen Singh
been familiar with both races.

" No ; I am a Thibetan," answered Kishen
Singh, in good Chinese.

This, their visitor evidently did not be-
lieve, as, after a momentary look of surprise,
he said, " I thought so ; otherwise you
would not have dared enter the country at
such a time as this." Then, looking curi-

THE GRAND LAMA. 273

ously about, he added, " Perhaps you are
pilgrims who travel to the sacred city of
Lassa?"

" No," answered Kishen Singh. " We are
here to hunt the musk-deer."

" Then I must disappoint you," said the
Chinaman. " The Chinese government has
passed a law prohibiting the killing of the
deer. They are becoming almost unknown
in these parts, and time must be given for
their protection and increase."

" But," answered Kishen Singh, " as the
control by the government over these out-
lying districts is somewhat shadowy, the
value of musk, and the ease with which it
can be surreptitiously sent away, would cer-
tainly place a premium on poaching."

The Chinaman rose to his feet, and his
eyes became narrower as he spoke.

" I am here to prevent poaching, should
you attempt it."

" How ? " asked Kishen Singh, quietly.

" I have a guard. I can arrest you."

274 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

"What would that profit you?" asked
Kishen Singh.

Instantly this word quieted the Celestial,
and he seated himself on the left side of
the opening to the tent again, as is the
custom in Thibet.

" Perhaps you can make it more profit-
able to me not to arrest you," said he,
suavely.

"Perhaps," was the smiling rejoinder of
Kishen Singh.

" Now, what would you offer ? "

" Well, we can talk of that later, when
we have decided to poach."

At last, the Chinaman, unable to get a
settled statement of price, was forced to de-
part. But every evening during their stay
he paid them a visit and discussed the
matter of payment. By these visits Hak-
kouki and Kishen Singh obtained more in-
formation than they could have done in
any other way. The Chinaman told them
of the habits of the animal, and even the

THE GRAND LAMA. 275

most probable locations of its lair. But his
amazement would have been great had he
known that every evening after he took
his departure, they started out upon their
hunt. This they very cautiously kept to
themselves, while the Chinaman went home
chuckling.

" They hunt the deer in the daytime. A
precious pair of fools ! When the animal
never leaves its lair while the sun shines!"

Hakkouki and Kishen Singh, however,
knew this before they came to the hills.

Hakkouki had once before hunted at
night, and he was very forcibly reminded
of his experience with the civet in Abys-
sinia, which now seemed to him so long ago.

"They sleep, they sleep," laughed the
Chinaman. " They thank me for all that
I tell them, and go out in the daytime to
hunt the deer which sleeps, which sleeps."

And he stood off in the darkness of the
woods and watched the camp close up and
settle down to slumber. Then, shaking

276 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

with cold and laughter, he hurried on to
sleep himself.

He would not have slept so happily had he
dreamt of what really took place. With
their guns upon their shoulders, and four of
the coolies carrying ammunition and food,
they started off in the opposite direction from
their neighbor's camp. Rounding the hill,
they came up on the other side near a clump
of birch and juniper trees, thickly inter-
spersed by the low bushy rhododendrons, and
there quietly lay in waiting.

The animals are not gregarious, but go
about in couples. As the male only is pos-
sessed of the gland in which the musk is
secreted, Hakkouki was anxious to shoot only
the male. He had purposely separated him
self from the others, who were to stalk the
animal from a different direction. He had
already been told how the deer, upon observ-
ing any one, will generally stand perfectly
motionless for a long time, gazing at the in-
truder. As he lay upon the ground, he found

THE GRAND LAMA. 277

his long fur garment very comfortable. It
seemed hours that he lay thus. As his eyes
became accustomed to the darkness, he could
make out objects in the distance, which he
had not at first been able to see. Trees and
branches, hills and leaves, outlined themselves
gradually as he lay there ; but the clump of
thick shrubbery was the one thing upon
which his attention was riveted. Still noth-
ing moved within or without it. Hours
passed, and in time Hakkouki felt no comfort
in his fine fur garment, for certainly he could
not be colder had he been without it. His
teeth chattered, and he feared, should the
animal really show itself, his fingers would
be too numb to pull the trigger. A terrible
feeling of loneliness, moreover, came over
him. The complete isolation was terrible.
No sound or sight had he been able to catch
of Kishen Singh and the men since he had
left them. He had planned to lie there until
dawn, but it was so long in coming that Hak-
kouki felt that something must be wrong

278 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

with it, for certainly it was long past time
for daylight to appear. He had about given
up all hope, when suddenly a sound fell upon
his ear. It was the cracking of a twig.
Could it be a deer ? Later, he heard another
sound still farther off,, and was able to dis-
cern moving figures. They were men. His
impatience knew no bounds. It must be
Kishen Singh and the men returning to the
camp, he thought. But no ! they were
strange men. He could see plainly. They
were some of the Chinaman's coolies.

At that moment, within a few feet of his
left arm, another sound caught his ear and he
heard a soft breathing. He glanced in the
direction and there could see the head of a
deer thrust out among the leaves. The slen-
der tusks, two or three inches long, protruding
over the lower lip, pronounced it to be a
male. With his great, gentle eyes, the deer
watched the moving figures, who were now
too far away to see him. It stood perfectly
motionless, occasionally uttering a loud hiss.

THE GRAND LAMA. 279

Knowing the folly of haste, Hakkouki slowly
raised the rifle in position, pointed it just
below the shoulder, and drew the trigger.

The animal fell immediately, and Hakkouki
lay as still as before and patiently watched
his unknown stalkers going in the opposite
direction. When they had disappeared, he
rose and went to secure the game. The
animal was much smaller than he had sup-
posed it would be, standing not more than
twenty inches at the shoulder, and of a gen-
eral dark gray color, with almost black spots.
The hair was of a peculiar kind, long, rough,
and very brittle, though undoubtedly a good
protection against the cold. As he stood gaz-
ing, a noise behind attracted his attention,
and the mate appeared. Seeing Hakkouki,
with one long heartrending shriek, she took
to flight. Her immensely elongated heels
gave her a wonderfully firm hold as she sped
over the uneven rocky country, and, with the
swiftness of a chamois, she was soon out of
sight.

280 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

Hakkouki was anxious to find his party
as soon as possible, and he also wished to
wait long enough to give the strangers
time to get completely out of hearing. He
wondered they hadn't come to him upon
hearing the report of the rifle; but if Hak-
kouki had been able to see round the cliff,
he would have seen his stalkers taking to
their heels.

Kishen Singh happened to witness the
whole proceeding, and therefore lay quietly
until Hakkouki threw the animal over his
shoulder and turned toward the camp.
Then Kishen Singh joined him.

" Our neighbors," he said, " were examin-
ing their snares ; they do not shoot the ani-
mal, but set traps and go to them toward
morning."

"Did they know we "were here, do you
think?" asked Hakkouki.

" No ; they had not a suspicion of it. I
could hear them talk."

" But the report of the rifle," said Hakkouki.

THE GRAND LAMA. 281

"Ah, you should have seen them run,"
laughed Kishen Singh. " But we must
get back; it will soon be light."

The Chinaman changed the hour of his
call, and when he arrived next day at noon
he found his neighbors gone to hunt.

"That's good," he chuckled. "They
must work hard so they will sleep to-night."
His ugly face screwed itself into a most
painful expression, as he continued, "I'd
like to know who fired that shot. Can we
have other visitors in these parts?"

Next day the two hunters decided to pack
up and leave. There was, no doubt, plenty
of game in the locality, but they had rather
more of the Chinaman's company than they
desired ; moreover, their hunger having been
satisfied, they preferred to go farther on into
wilder country.

Akoun, the guide, obliged the men to
pack in the greatest haste, and during the
process he exhibited much pleasure. For,
to tell the truth, Akoun was very much

282 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

afraid of their neighbor. Although a man
of remarkable physical strength, he was
almost entirely devoid of moral courage,
and the expression of this Chinaman's face
took the "backbone" out of him terribly.

His haste, however, profited him nothing ;
for Hakkouki ordered the caravan to pass
the camp of their neighbor, who, having
been informed by his servants, stood wait-
ing to receive them. His face assumed a
pleasant expression, but he was neverthe-
less troubled. When Kishen Singh called
good-by without stopping, the Chinaman ran
along beside him. " The money, the money,"
he demanded.

" What money ? " asked Kishen Singh.

" That which should profit me more if I
did not arrest you."

" Oh, that wasn't money. See," and
Kishen Singh showed him Hakkouki's pass-
port.

It was merely a small paper with a few
characters in Chinese, unintelligible to Hak-

THE GRAND LAMA. 283

kouki. But it was effective. The man
prostrated himself at once, and the caravan
passed on unmolested.

"Do you think the government has put
restrictions upon the hunting of the deer?"
asked Hakkouki later, as they tramped
along.

"That I do not know," answered Kishen
Singh. " But certainly this man was not
here for that purpose ; moreover, his men
hunted the deer. So long as musk remains
one of the most prized perfumes, and com-
mands an almost fabulous price in the Eu-
ropean markets, the animal will be hunted
in spite of all restrictions, though probably,
like the beaver and the bird of paradise,
its entire extermination is only a question
of years."

" The pods are so small that they can be
easily shipped in great numbers," said Hak-
kouki, for he carried the one which had been
cut from the deer he had shot in his pocket.

"Yes," said Kishen Singh. "More than

284 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN,

fifty-three thousand deer are sacrificed to sup-
ply the Shanghai export trade alone, in one
year."

" It is said that several attempts have been
made to rear the musk-deer in captivity, as
was tried with the civet in Holland," said
Hakkouki, " but in no instance has the at-
tempt been successful."

" Its habits are altogether opposed to do-
mestication," said Kishen Singh. "This cli-
mate, wild life, and opportunity for long runs
and climbing cannot be reproduced in captive
life. The animal soon goes blind and dies.
I once saw one which had been caught young,
and brought home by a hunter. It was so
tame that it would play with the children and
their dog. The dog was equally fond of the
deer, and it was amusing to see him attack
any stranger who presumed to touch his timid
playmate. The usual food appears to be
leaves and flowers, although the natives say
that they eat snakes. These children fed it
on bread and milk and leaves, but it soon

THE GRAND LAMA. 285

went blind and died, and apparently suffered
much pain."

" How old do you think the deer was which
I shot?" asked Hakkouki.

" About five or six years. It was in the
very best condition. After three years the
pod is well filled with musk, but it increases
later."

At the end of a week they reached the part
of the country for which they had set out, but
at the base of the mountain which it was
their intention to climb, they came upon a
small village. The people of the village were
exceedingly troublesome, mobbing them in
regular Chinese fashion, and displaying a stub-
born sort of insolence. One who was asked
to step back drew a sword and threatened
to use it, when Akoun, who was unarmed,
promptly struck him with his fist. For a few
moments it looked as if there were going to
be a free fight ; stones and clods of earth were
thrown at the coolies. There was a pause,
however, when Kishen Singh and Hakkouki

286 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

unslung their rifles, and after a little hesita-
tion the caravan was allowed to move on in
peace.

Though the headman of the village was
present all the time, he appeared to have no
influence whatever, notwithstanding the fact
that his intentions were of the best. The
headman of the district was also in the vil-
lage, and sent a scarf of welcome and an
iron vessel full of chang (a sort of beer), with
an apology for not coming. It was rather
amusing a week later, when the caravan came
down the mountain, in passing through the
village, to find this same headman soliciting
a signed certificate, stating that Hakkouki
had been well treated in the district.

During the week upon the mountain, they
killed a stag and some smaller game, while
Hakkouki added eleven musk pods to his
store.

Having heard that a Grand Lama of Thibet
lived within four days' journey, Hakkouki
determined to visit him. By this time

THE GRAND LAMA. 287

Akoun was behaving in a strange manner,
and causing much annoyance by one peculiar
habit which he had of hiding things, and
some time after producing them and demand-
ing a reward.

"It seems probable that we shall have
more serious trouble with him on the return
journey to Sui Fu," said Hakkouki one
morning to Kishen Singh.

" I have thought of that," answered
Kishen Singh. " I think the visit to the
Grand Lama, which you suggested yesterday,
may do him good. He is a Buddhist."

So Hakkouki's answer to the headman's re-
quest for a certificate was that he had yet four
days longer to be in his district, and upon
reaching the boundary he should give him a
certificate according to the way he was treated.

When entering the village where the
Grand Lama lived they could see the mon-
astery, consisting of several tents, high up
on the hillside. Many Lamas who lived
there came out to meet them, and politely

288 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

asked to see their papers. Being satisfied
with the ones Kishen Singh showed them,
they led them with great courtesy toward
the large tent where sat the Grand Lama,
a man of intelligent appearance, and quiet
dignity. Without rising he offered his
hand and hoped they had had a pleasant
journey, and with the same smiling face seen
alike on Buddhas of statue and Buddhas of
flesh and blood, he bade them be seated.
They placed themselves, Eastern fashion, to
the left of the aperture in the tent and
partook of tea with butter in it. There
was nothing in the abode to indicate any
attempt at luxury or cleanliness. All the
furniture seemed to be equally neglected;
but an altar had been raised and there were
some sacred images enclosed in a sort of
tabernacle or movable chapel.

After a short time a great noise of drums
and cymbals was heard ; and this being a call
to prayer, Hakkouki and Kishen Singh took
their leave.

THE GRAND LAMA. 289

They had pitched their tents, on entering
the village, about ha ] f a mile below the
monastery. Imagine their surprise, then,
when they returned to find the tents gone.

" We must have come the wrong way,"
said Hakkouki.

" Why, surely this is the spot," answered
Kishen Singh.

" It must be," said Hakkouki ; " for you
can see where the stakes have been driven,
and also how the ground has been torn up
in the haste of packing."

The two friends looked at each other and
actually laughed. What could be said ?

"What can have prompted Akoun to do
it?" said Hakkouki.

"Fear," answered Kishen Singh. "Cer-
tainly he has lost much by it, for the goods
he has taken are not worth the w r ages he
was to receive when we returned to Sui Fu,
but he has our fur coats."

"But he'll have no need of them in Sui
Fu," answered Hakkouki.

290 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

" He can sell them," suggested Kishen
Singh. " Was there any money, anything
of value, in your pockets ? I changed my
papers, letter of credit, and passport, into
this pocket," he continued.

Hakkouki searched his own pockets, and
his face fell. " My passport ! " he gasped.
" It's gone ! "

"Ah, so Akoun will pass himself through
the country like a grandee," laughed Kishen
Singh. " So it was pride as well as fear."

Hakkouki seated himself on the ground.
u Not one thing do I possess but the clothes
I wear, and my eleven musk pods," he said.
" I must apply "to the Grand Lama for help
in overtaking this rascal."

And, indeed, this kindly man did prove a
friend. After a long discussion, wherein
Hakkouki and Kishen Singh told him of
their plans and wishes, he said : " Leave it all
to me. I will see that the fellow is quickly
stopped upon the road and justly punished.
But as you are both anxious to get to Cal-

THE GRAND LAMA. 291

cutta in the shortest possible time, why re-
turn to Sui Fu? We are not far from the
boundary line of British India. Once there,
I hear they have ways of travel much more
rapid than we have. You have only to
travel directly west."

" You are both wise and right," answered
Kislien Singh. " The country of Assam in
India lies directly west of this. We shall
be safe there."

" I will send an escort with you to the
boundary," said the Lama.

A few hours later Hakkouki and Kislien
Singh, with much gratitude, bade him fare-
well. Kishen Singh promised prompt ac-
knowledgment as soon as they should arrive
in a city where his letter of credit would
be of use, for these Lamas are very poor.

Mounted upon mules, to facilitate their
speed, they set forth; the smiling wooden
face of the Grand Lama haunting them for
many a day.

They had anticipated little trouble when

292 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

once in India; but it was a rough country,
very little opened up, and they rode on for
many miles before meeting any but natives.
The escort left them at the boundary, but
it had been agreed that they should take
two mules with them when leaving the men.
Having no maps and a very indefinite idea
of the country, they soon realized that the
provisions which they carried on their sad-
dles must be used very sparingly.

For two hundred miles they did not en-
counter a Avhite man. At last they unex-
pectedly came upon a tea plantation, and
were able to exchange two of the musk
pods for small money. This was very use-
ful in dealing with the natives. They were
also guided to the next tea plantation, and
there were entertained by a very agreeable
Englishman, who was as pleased to see them
as they were to see him, for he had been
months away from intelligent human be-
ings. After a few days' rest he journeyed
with them to the railroad, and there bought

THE GRAND LAMA. 293

their mules to enable them to purchase
tickets to Calcutta. They were also able
to learn the day of the week, and by the
calendar found they had been seven months
in China. Although they had found a much
shorter road from the musk country to a
seaport, it is still sent by the arduous over-
land route from Yunnan to Shanghai, a dis-
tance of fourteen hundred miles. And no
doubt many years will elapse before China
will be brought to see the advantage to be
gained by shipping her products from for-
eign ports.

CHAPTER XIV.

WINNING THE PRINCESS.

A A7HEN Hakkouki arrived at Calcutta,
* he realized that his travels were
practically at an end. He had visited the
lands wherein the most important and
delightful scents were produced, he had
learned how to care for the plants in their
growth, and knew how to prepare per-
fumes from them. With him he carried
patchouli cuttings, sandal and kuskus seeds,
also those of the lily from which ylang-
ylang is obtained.

While in Batavia he had written to Cam-
duatim at Scutari asking him to send him
cuttings or seeds of the Bulgarian rose, the
jasmine, heliotrope, violet, mignonette, lav-
ender, and other flowers of Southern France.

294

WINNING THE PRINCESS. 295

He was much gratified to find the package
awaiting him, together with a long letter
from his old friend, telling of his intended
return to Persia, and begging him to join
him there. But Hakkouki scarcely realized
the ardor of the old man's request in his
impatience to reach the one spot on earth
where, to him, the sun ever shone and
life was constant happiness.

Hakkouki had also in his possession a
few vanilla beans, which he had every
reason to believe would grow successfully
in Kamristan. As for the baser, animal
substances, such as musk, civet, and amber-
gris, Hakkouki decided that he would not
introduce them into his beloved country.
To that land without perfumes, he would
take only the scents of herbs, woods, and
flowers ; those which to his mind were
wholesome, natural, and alone intended to
gratify the sense of smell.

In Calcutta Hakkouki ordered clothing
of the most beautiful and regal style. He

296 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

had the garments cut after the manner of
those which he had worn while in Kaffir-
istan ; for he wished to appear before
Drusa looking as he did when she had first
bestowed her maiden love upon him.

During his long separation from the
Princess, Hakkouki had changed in some
ways. His travels and adventures had
brought him a great knowledge of men
and things ; his mind had become broad-
ened by contact with them. By being
thrown upon his own resources he had
learned self-reliance, patience, and the power
to do ; and because of a high ambition and
a pure mind he had grown much in manli-
ness and goodness.

In other ways, however, he had not
changed. Through all his wanderings he
had carried the image of his Princess in his
heart, and her spirit had been his life.
Night and day he had lived as completely
in her spiritual presence as he had lived in
her actual presence while at her court.

WINNING THE PRINCESS. 297

From Calcutta he went by train to Cabul
in Afghanistan, whence, after a few days'
ride, he was able to strike the trail with
which he was already familiar, the trail
which led to the mountain and pass into
Kaffir is tan.

Oh ! the joy which thrilled him as he
travelled that road. He remembered his
enthusiasm when, with his dear friend
Bokhatan, he first saw it ; then, later, his
wild exultation when he passed out into
the world to win honor, fame, and the
right to claim the fairest maiden of all the
earth. And now, success having crowned
his efforts, he rode back to make her his
bride, with triumph shining in his counte-
nance and love reigning in his heart.

At the entrance to the pass, a sentinel
perched upon a rocky spur recognized the
traveller and at once gave the welcome cry :

"Hakkouki!"

Lifting his trumpet, he blew one long blast,
which was taken up in the gorge below, and

298 THE GOLDEN TALISMAN.

passed from one guard to another, until it
reached the city, and the ears of Drusa.

' Hakkouki has returned ! " was the cry
that went throughout the kingdom. Even
the everlasting hills took up the joyful note,
and echoed it the length and breadth of the
plateau. Men, women, and children ran that
they might welcome this man who, though
of the outer world, had become their bene-
factor and idol.

With the guard following him, Hakkouki
rode on between the towering walls of the
pass. He went slowly in order that the
hurrying people might keep pace with him.
All along the route, crowds saluted him with
cries of "Peace be with thee, Hakkouki!
Joy to thee and thy beautiful Drusa ! "

But although the sounds of the greetings
fell upon Hakkouki's ears pleasantly, and
filled him with exultation, he hardly knew
it, for his heart was beating wildly at the
thought of meeting his beloved.

At last he reached the steps of the palace

WINNING THE PRINCESS. 299

and saw her. Beside her father, in a robe of
golden colored silk, she stood, like a radiant
angel, holding out her arms and smiling upon
him. Springing from the saddle, he bounded
up the steps, and, falling upon one knee,
kissed his adored one's hand.

"Nay; rise, most noble Hakkouki ! " said
the King. " We are happy that thou hast
returned to us in safety. We know that thou
hast not come back without having fulfilled
thy mission wisely and well. All honor to
thee, and all praise."

Hakkouki, rising to his full height, turned
toward the cheering populace. As he
stretched out his arms and raised them over
his head, a hush fell upon the multitude.
Then, in tones deep and sincere, he spoke :

" My people ! Oh, my people ! My heart
has yearned for you during these years of
absence, and now that I am with you again,
it is full of joy. I have brought back knowl-
edge and a new delight for this, my country.
Be Allah's all the praise!"

IV. A. Wilde Company, Publishers.

/I RE VOL UTIONAR Y MAID. A Story of the Mid-
-/j die Period of the War for Independence. BY AMY E. BLAN-

CHARD. 321 pp. Cloth, $1.50.

The stirring times in and around New York following the pulling down of the statue
of George the Third by the famous " Liberty Boys," brings to the surface the patriotism
of the young heroine of the story. This act of the New York patriots obliged Kitty
I)e Witt to decide whether she would be a Tory or a Revolutionary maid, and a patriot
good and true she became. Her many and various experiences are very interestingly
pictured, making this a happy companion book to " A Girl of "76." "

CTHE GOLDEN TALISMAN. BY H. PHELPS WHIT-

JL MARSH. 300 pp. Cloth, $1. 50.

The narrative is based upon the adventures of a young Persian noble, who, being
forced to leave his own country, leads an army against the mysterious mountain kingdom
f Kaffirias. Though defeated and taken prisoner by the enemy, the hero's talisman

saves his life and, later, leads him into kingly favor.

arding the
which furnish the world with perfume is happily interwoven into the story.

, , .

A valuable fund of information regarding the various plants, woods, and

TI/HEAT AND HUCKLEBERRIES; Dr. North-
rr morels Daughters. BY CHARLOTTE M. VAILE. 325 pp.
Cloth, $1.50.

Mrs. Vaile has drawn the characters for her new book from the Middle West. But
as the two girls spent their summer at their grandfather's in New England, a capital
groundwork is furnished for giving the local color of both sections of the country.
The story is bright and spirited and the two girls are sure to find their place among the
favorite characters in fiction. All those who have read the Orcutt stories will welcome
this new book by Mrs. Vaile.

'ITH PERR Y ON LAKE ERIE. A Tale of 1812.
BY JAMES OTIS. 325 pp. Cloth, $1.50.

The story carries the reader from March until October of 1813, being laid on Lake
Erie, detailing the work of the gallant Perry, who at the time of his famous naval victory
was but twenty-seven years of age. From the time the keels of the vessels which be-
came famous were laid until the victory was won which made Perry's name imperish-
able, the reader is kept in close touch with all that concerned Perry, and not only the
main facts but the minor details of the story are historically correct.
Just the kind of historical story that young people boys especially are intensely

ARBARA'S HERITAGE; or, Yottng Americans
Among the Old Italian Masters. BY D. L. HOYT. 325 pp.
Cloth, $1.50.

We welcome a book from the pen of Miss Hoyt, whose foreign travel and study
has made possible an exceedingly interesting story, into which has been interwoven
much instructive and valuable information.

With a desire to broaden the education of her son and daughter by the opportunities
afforded in foreign travel, an American mother takes them to Italy, and the author in a
very happy strain has given us their many experiences. Replete with numerous illus-
trations and half-tones, it makes a handsome and attractive volume.

W. A. Wilde Company, Boston and Chicago.

W. A. Wilde Company, Publishers.

CT'HE QUEEN'S RANGERS. BY CHARLES LED YARD

J. NORTON. 352 pp. Cloth, $1.50.

The thrilling period during the last years of our struggle for independence forms the
groundwork for Colonel Norton's latest work.

The intense patriotism which prompted our young men to do and dare anything for
their country is shown in the exploits of the three young heroes.

By enlisting for a time beneath His Majesty's flag they were able to give much valu-
able information to the colonial cause.

With historical truth the author in this, his latest book, has happily coupled an ex-
ceedingly interesting and instructive story.

rHE ROMANCE OF CONQUEST. The Story of
American Expansion through Arms and Diplomacy. BY WIL-
LIAM E. GRIFFIS. 298pp. Cloth, $1.50.

In concise form it is the story of American expansion from the birth of the nation to
the present day.

The reader will find details of every war. Anecdote enlivens the story from July 4,
1776, down to the days of Dewey, Sampson, and Schley, and of Miles, Merritt, Shaffer,
and Otis. It is a book as full of rapid movement as a novel.

JI7HEN BOSTON BRA VED THE KING. A Story
rr of Tea-Party Times. BY W. E. BARTON, D. D. 314 pp.

Cloth, $1.50.

One of the most absorbing stories ot the Colonial-Revolutionary period published.
The author is perfectly at home with his subject, and the story will be one of the popu-
lar books of the year.

" Though largely a story of boys and for boys.it has the liveliest interest for all
classes of readers, and makes a strong addition to Dr. Barton's already notable series
of historical tales." Christian Endeavor World.

" It is a pleasure to read and to recommend such a book as this. In fact, we must
say at the very beginning, that Dr. Barton is becoming one of the most skilful and enjoy-
able of American story-tellers." Boston Journal.

flADET STAND ISH OF THE ST. L O UIS. A Story
W of Our Naval Campaign .in Cuban Waters. BY WILLIAM
DRYSDALE. 352pp. Cloth, $1.50.

A strong, stirring story of brave deeds bravely done. A vivid picture of one of the
most interesting and eventful periods of the late Spanish War.

" It is what the boys are likely to call ' a rattling good story.' " Cleveland Plain
Dealer.

" Mr. Drysdale has drawn an effective picture of the recent war with Spain in his new
book. The story is full of dash and fire without being too sensational." Congre-
gationalist.

DAUGHTER OF THE WEST. The Story of an
American Princess. BY EVELYN RAYMOND. 347 pp. Cloth,

Interesting, wholesome, and admirable in every way is Mrs. Raymond's latest story
for girls. Descriptions of California life are one of the fascinations of the book.

" A well-written story of Western life and adventure, which has for its heroine a
brave, high-minded girl." Chronicle Telegraph, 1'ittsbiirg.

" Laid among the broad valleys and lofty mountains of California every chapter is
crowded full of most interesting experiences." Christian Endeavor World.

IV. A. Wilde Company, Boston and Chicago.
ii

W. A. Wilde Company, Publishers.

War of the Revolution Series.

By Everett T. Tomlinson.

<nrHREE COLONIAL BOYS. A Story of the Times
-Z of '76. 368pp. Cloth, $1.50.

It is a story of three hoys who were drawn into the events of the times, is patriotic,
exciting, clean, and healthful, and instructs without appearing to. The heroes are
manly boys, and no objectionable language or character is introduced. The lessons of
courage and patriotism especially will be appreciated in this day. Boston Transcript.

CfHREE YOUNG CONTINENTALS. A Story of
-/ the American Revolution. 364 pp. Cloth, $1.50.

This story is historically true. It is the best kind of a story either for boys or girls,
and is an attractive method of teaching history. Journal of Education, Boston.

TTfASmNGTON'S YOUNG AIDS. A Story of the
rr New Jersey Campaign, 1776-1777. 391 pp. Cloth, $1.50.

The book has enough history and description to give value to the story which ought
to captivate enterprising boys. Quarterly Book Review.

The historical details of the story are taken from old records. These include
accounts of the life on the prison ships and prison houses of New York, the raids of the
pine robbers, the tempting of the Hessians, the end of Fagan and his band, etc.
Publisher's Weekly.

Few boys' stories of this class show so close a study of history combined with such
genial story-telling power. The Outlook.

rWO \OUNG PATRIOTS. A Story of Burgoyne's
Invasion. 366pp. Cloth, $1.50.

The crucial campaign in the American struggle for independence came in the sum-
mer of 1777, when Gen. John Burgoyne marched from Canada to cut the rebellious
colonies asunder and join another British army which was to proceed up the valley of
the Hudson. The American forces were brave, hard fighters, and they worried and
harassed the British and finally defeated them. The history of this campaign is one
of great interest and is well brought out in the part which the " two young patriots"
took in the events which led up to the surrender of General Burgoyne and his army.

The set of four volumes in a box, $6.00.

SUCCESS. BY ORISON SWETT MARDEN. Author of
O "Pushing to the Front," "Architects of Fate," etc. 317 pp.

Cloth, 1.25.

It is doubtful whether any success books for the young have appeared in modern
times which are so thoroughly packed from lid to lid with stimulating, uplifting, and in-
spiring material as the self-help books written by Orison Swett Marden. There is not a
dry paragraph nor a single line of useless moralizing in any of his books.

To stimulate, inspire, and guide is the mission of his latest book, "Success," and
helpfulness is its keynote. Its object is to spur the perplexed youth to act the Columbus
to his own undiscovered possibilities ; to urge him not to wait for great opportunities,
but to seize common occasions and make them great, for he cannot tell when fate may
take his measure for a higher place.

IV. A. Wilde Company, Boston and Chicago.
iii

W. A. Wilde Company, Ptiblishers.

Brain and Brawn Series.

By William Drysdale.

rHE YOUNG REPORTER. A Story of Printing
House Square. 300 pp. Cloth, $1.50.

I commend the book unreservedly. Golden Rule.

" The Young Reporter " is a rattling book for boys. New York Recorder.

The best boys' book I ever read. Mr. Phillies, Critic far New York Times.

rHE FAST MAIL. A Story of a Train Boy. 328 pp.
Cloth, $1.50.

" The Fast Mail " is one of the very best American books for boys brought out this
season. Perhaps there could be no better confirmation of this assertion than the fact
that the little sons of the present writer have greedily devoured the contents of the vol-
ume, and are anxious to know how soon they are to get a sequel. The Art Amateur,
Neu, York.

CT'HE BEACH PATROL. A Story of the Life-Saving
J. Service. 318 pp. Cloth, #1.50.

The style of narrative is excellent, the lesson inculcated of the best, and, above all,
the boys and girls are real. New York Times.

A book of adventure and daring, which should delight as well as stimulate to higher
ideals of life every boy who is so happy as to possess it. Examiner.

It is a strong book for boys and young men. Buffalo Commercial.

rHE YOUNG SUPERCARGO. A Story of the
Merchant Marine. 352 pp. Cloth, $1.50.

Kit Silburn is a real " Brain and Brawn " boy, full of sense and grit and sound
good qualities. Determined to make his way in life, and with no influential friends to
give him a start, he does a deal of hard work between the evening when he first meets
the stanch Captain Griffith, and the proud day when he becomes purser of a great
ocean steamship. His sea adventures are mostly on shore; but whether he is cleaning
the cabin of the North Cape, or landing cargo in Yucatan, or hurrying the spongers
and fruitmen of Nassau, or exploring London, or sight seeing with a disguised prince
in Marseilles, he is always the same busy, thoroughgoing, manly Kit. Whether or nol
he has a father alive is a question of deep interest throughout the story ; but that he
has a loving and loyal sister is plain from the start.

The set of four volumes in a box, $6.00.

&ERAPH, THE LITTLE VIOLINISTE. BY MRS.
O C. V. JAMIESON. 300 pp. Cloth, fi. 50.

The scene of the story is the French quarter of New Orleans, and charming bits of
local color add to its attractiveness. The Bostonjmtrnal.

Perhaps the most charming story she has ever written is that which describes Seraph,
the little violiniste. Transcript, Boston.

W. A. Wilde Company, Boston and Chicago.
It

A 000 031 622 4