And now I found myself on a narrow path
which followed a small watercourse. I was too glad to have an easy
track for my flight, to lay hold of the full significance of its
existence. The thought, however, soon presented itself to me that
I must be in an inhabited country, but one which was yet unknown.
What, then, was to be my fate at the hands of its inhabitants? Should
I be taken and offered up as a burnt-offering to those hideous guardians
of the pass? It might be so. I shuddered at the thought, yet the
horrors of solitude had now fairly possessed me; and so dazed was
I, and chilled, and woebegone, that I could lay hold of no idea
firmly amid the crowd of fancies that kept wandering in upon my
brain.
I hurried onward—down, down, down. More
streams came in; then there was a bridge, a few pine logs thrown
over the water; but they gave me comfort, for savages do not make
bridges. Then I had a treat such as I can never convey on paper—a
moment, perhaps, the most striking and unexpected in my whole life—the
one I think that, with some three or four exceptions, I would most
gladly have again, were I able to recall it. I got below the level
of the clouds, into a burst of brilliant evening sunshine, I was
facing the north-west, and the sun was full upon me. Oh, how its
light cheered me! But what I saw! It was such an expanse as was
revealed to Moses when he stood upon the summit of Mount Sinai,
and beheld that promised land which it was not to be his to enter.
The beautiful sunset sky was crimson and gold; blue, silver, and
purple; exquisite and tranquillising; fading away therein were plains,
on which I could see many a town and city, with buildings that had
lofty steeples and rounded domes. Nearer beneath me lay ridge behind
ridge, outline behind outline, sunlight behind shadow, and shadow
behind sunlight, gully and serrated ravine. I saw large pine forests,
and the glitter of a noble river winding its way upon the plains;
also many villages and hamlets, some of them quite near at hand;
and it was on these that I pondered most. I sank upon the ground
at the foot of a large tree and thought what I had best do; but
I could not collect myself. I was quite tired out; and presently,
feeling warmed by the sun, and quieted, I fell off into a profound
sleep.
I was awoke by the sound of tinkling
bells, and looking up, I saw four or five goats feeding near me.
As soon as I moved, the creatures turned their heads towards me
with an expression of infinite wonder. They did not run away, but
stood stock still, and looked at me from every side, as I at them.
Then came the sound of chattering and laughter, and there approached
two lovely girls, of about seventeen or eighteen years old, dressed
each in a sort of linen gaberdine, with a girdle round the waist.
They saw me. I sat quite still and looked at them, dazzled with
their extreme beauty. For a moment they looked at me and at each
other in great amazement; then they gave a little frightened cry
and ran off as hard as they could.
"So that's that," said I to myself, as
I watched them scampering. I knew that I had better stay where I
was and meet my fate, whatever it was to be, and even if there were
a better course, I had no strength left to take it. I must come
into contact with the inhabitants sooner or later, and it might
as well be sooner. Better not to seem afraid of them, as I should
do by running away and being caught with a hue and cry to-morrow
or next day. So I remained quite still and waited. In about an hour
I heard distant voices talking excitedly, and in a few minutes I
saw the two girls bringing up a party of six or seven men, well
armed with bows and arrows and pikes. There was nothing for it,
so I remained sitting quite still, even after they had seen me,
until they came close up. Then we all had a good look at one another.
Both the girls and the men were very
dark in colour, but not more so than the South Italians or Spaniards.
The men wore no trousers, but were dressed nearly the same as the
Arabs whom I have seen in Algeria. They were of the most magnificent
presence, being no less strong and handsome than the women were
beautiful; and not only this, but their expression was courteous
and benign. I think they would have killed me at once if I had made
the slightest show of violence; but they gave me no impression of
their being likely to hurt me so long as I was quiet. I am not much
given to liking anybody at first sight, but these people impressed
me much more favourably than I should have thought possible, so
that I could not fear them as I scanned their faces one after another.
They were all powerful men. I might have been a match for any one
of them singly, for I have been told that I have more to glory in
the flesh than in any other respect, being over six feet and proportionately
strong; but any two could have soon mastered me, even were I not
so bereft of energy by my recent adventures. My colour seemed to
surprise them most, for I have light hair, blue eyes, and a fresh
complexion. They could not understand how these things could be;
my clothes also seemed quite beyond them. Their eyes kept wandering
all over me, and the more they looked the less they seemed able
to make me out.
At last I raised myself upon my feet,
and leaning upon my stick, I spoke whatever came into my head to
the man who seemed foremost among them. I spoke in English, though
I was very sure that he would not understand. I said that I had
no idea what country I was in; that I had stumbled upon it almost
by accident, after a series of hairbreadth escapes; and that I trusted
they would not allow any evil to overtake me now that I was completely
at their mercy. All this I said quietly and firmly, with hardly
any change of expression. They could not understand me, but they
looked approvingly to one another, and seemed pleased (so I thought)
that I showed no fear nor acknowledgment of inferiority—the fact
being that I was exhausted beyond the sense of fear. Then one of
them pointed to the mountain, in the direction of the statues, and
made a grimace in imitation of one of them. I laughed and shuddered
expressively, whereon they all burst out laughing too, and chattered
hard to one another. I could make out nothing of what they said,
but I think they thought it rather a good joke that I had come past
the statues. Then one among them came forward and motioned me to
follow, which I did without hesitation, for I dared not thwart them;
moreover, I liked them well enough, and felt tolerably sure that
they had no intention of hurting me.
In about a quarter of an hour we got
to a small Hamlet built on the side of a hill, with a narrow street
and houses huddled up together. The roofs were large and overhanging.
Some few windows were glazed, but not many. Altogether the village
was exceedingly like one of those that one comes upon in descending
the less known passes over the Alps on to Lombardy. I will pass
over the excitement which my arrival caused. Suffice it, that though
there was abundance of curiosity, there was no rudeness. I was taken
to the principal house, which seemed to belong to the people who
had captured me. There I was hospitably entertained, and a supper
of milk and goat's flesh with a kind of oatcake was set before me,
of which I ate heartily. But all the time I was eating I could not
help turning my eyes upon the two beautiful girls whom I had first
seen, and who seemed to consider me as their lawful prize—which
indeed I was, for I would have gone through fire and water for either
of them.
Then came the inevitable surprise at
seeing me smoke, which I will spare the reader; but I noticed that
when they saw me strike a match, there was a hubbub of excitement
which, it struck me, was not altogether unmixed with disapproval:
why, I could not guess. Then the women retired, and I was left alone
with the men, who tried to talk to me in every conceivable way;
but we could come to no understanding, except that I was quite alone,
and had come from a long way over the mountains. In the course of
time they grew tired, and I very sleepy. I made signs as though
I would sleep on the floor in my blankets, but they gave me one
of their bunks with plenty of dried fern and grass, on to which
I had no sooner laid myself than I fell fast asleep; nor did I awake
till well into the following day, when I found myself in the hut
with two men keeping guard over me and an old woman cooking. When
I woke the men seemed pleased, and spoke to me as though bidding
me good morning in a pleasant tone.
I went out of doors to wash in a creek
which ran a few yards from the house. My hosts were as engrossed
with me as ever; they never took their eyes off me, following every
action that I did, no matter how trifling, and each looking towards
the other for his opinion at every touch and turn. They took great
interest in my ablutions, for they seemed to have doubted whether
I was in all respects human like themselves. They even laid hold
of my arms and overhauled them, and expressed approval when they
saw that they were strong and muscular. They now examined my legs,
and especially my feet. When they desisted they nodded approvingly
to each other; and when I had combed and brushed my hair, and generally
made myself as neat and well arranged as circumstances would allow,
I could see that their respect for me increased greatly, and that
they were by no means sure that they had treated me with sufficient
deference—a matter on which I am not competent to decide. All I
know is that they were very good to me, for which I thanked them
heartily, as it might well have been otherwise.
For my own part, I liked them and admired
them, for their quiet self-possession and dignified ease impressed
me pleasurably at once. Neither did their manner make me feel as
though I were personally distasteful to them—only that I was a thing
utterly new and unlooked for, which they could not comprehend. Their
type was more that of the most robust Italians than any other; their
manners also were eminently Italian, in their entire unconsciousness
of self. Having travelled a good deal in Italy, I was struck with
little gestures of the hand and shoulders, which constantly reminded
me of that country. My feeling was that my wisest plan would be
to go on as I had begun, and be simply myself for better or worse,
such as I was, and take my chance accordingly.
I thought of these things while they
were waiting for me to have done washing, and on my way back. Then
they gave me breakfast—hot bread and milk, and fried flesh of something
between mutton and venison. Their ways of cooking and eating were
European, though they had only a skewer for a fork, and a sort of
butcher's knife to cut with. The more I looked at everything in
the house, the more I was struck with its quasi-European character;
and had the walls only been pasted over with extracts from the Illustrated
London News and Punch, I could have almost fancied myself in a shepherd's
hut upon my master's sheep-run. And yet everything was slightly
different. It was much the same with the birds and flowers on the
other side, as compared with the English ones. On my arrival I had
been pleased at noticing that nearly all the plants and birds were
very like common English ones: thus, there was a robin, and a lark,
and a wren, and daisies, and dandelions; not quite the same as the
English, but still very like them—quite like enough to be called
by the same name; so now, here, the ways of these two men, and the
things they had in the house, were all very nearly the same as in
Europe. It was not at all like going to China or Japan, where everything
that one sees is strange. I was, indeed, at once struck with the
primitive character of their appliances, for they seemed to be some
five or six hundred years behind Europe in their inventions; but
this is the case in many an Italian village.
All the time that I was eating my breakfast
I kept speculating as to what family of mankind they could belong
to; and shortly there came an idea into my head, which brought the
blood into my cheeks with excitement as I thought of it. Was it
possible that they might be the lost ten tribes of Israel, of whom
I had heard both my grandfather and my father make mention as existing
in an unknown country, and awaiting a final return to Palestine?
Was it possible that I might have been designed by Providence as
the instrument of their conversion? Oh, what a thought was this!
I laid down my skewer and gave them a hasty survey. There was nothing
of a Jewish type about them: their noses were distinctly Grecian,
and their lips, though full, were not Jewish.
How could I settle this question? I knew
neither Greek nor Hebrew, and even if I should get to understand
the language here spoken, I should be unable to detect the roots
of either of these tongues. I had not been long enough among them
to ascertain their habits, but they did not give me the impression
of being a religious people. This too was natural: the ten tribes
had been always lamentably irreligious. But could I not make them
change? To restore the lost ten tribes of Israel to a knowledge
of the only truth: here would be indeed an immortal crown of glory!
My heart beat fast and furious as I entertained the thought. What
a position would it not ensure me in the next world; or perhaps
even in this! What folly it would be to throw such a chance away!
I should rank next to the Apostles, if not as high as they—certainly
above the minor prophets, and possibly above any Old Testament writer
except Moses and Isaiah. For such a future as this I would sacrifice
all that I have without a moment's hesitation, could I be reasonably
assured of it. I had always cordially approved of missionary efforts,
and had at times contributed my mite towards their support and extension;
but I had never hitherto felt drawn towards becoming a missionary
myself; and indeed had always admired, and envied, and respected
them, more than I had exactly liked them. But if these people were
the lost ten tribes of Israel, the case would be widely different:
the opening was too excellent to be lost, and I resolved that should
I see indications which appeared to confirm my impression that I
had indeed come upon the missing tribes, I would certainly convert
them.
I may here mention that this discovery
is the one to which I alluded in the opening pages of my story.
Time strengthened the impression made upon me at first; and, though
I remained in doubt for several months, I feel now no longer uncertain.
When I had done eating, my hosts approached,
and pointed down the valley leading to their own country, as though
wanting to show that I must go with them; at the same time they
laid hold of my arms, and made as though they would take me, but
used no violence. I laughed, and motioned my hand across my throat,
pointing down the valley as though I was afraid lest I should be
killed when I got there. But they divined me at once, and shook
their heads with much decision, to show that I was in no danger.
Their manner quite reassured me; and in half an hour or so I had
packed up my swag, and was eager for the forward journey, feeling
wonderfully strengthened and refreshed by good food and sleep, while
my hope and curiosity were aroused to their very utmost by the extraordinary
position in which I found myself.
But already my excitement had begun to
cool and I reflected that these people might not be the ten tribes
after all; in which case I could not but regret that my hopes of
making money, which had led me into so much trouble and danger,
were almost annihilated by the fact that the country was full to
overflowing, with a people who had probably already developed its
more available resources. Moreover, how was I to get back? For there
was something about my hosts which told me that they had got me,
and meant to keep me, in spite of all their goodness.
