Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 February 1890 — ALLAN QUATERMAIN. [ARTICLE]

ALLAN QUATERMAIN.

A Reoord of Remarkable Adventure* and Discoveries.

BY H. RIDER HAGGARD.

CHAPTER XrV—CoNTnru*D. As we stood gazing at this splendid sight, of which, more anon, there suddenly dashed up to the gateway four chariots, eaoh drawn by two white horses. These ohariots are two-wheel-ed, and made of wood. They are fitted with a stout pole, the weight of which is supported by leathern girths that form a portion of the harness. The wheels are made with four spokes only, are tired with iron, and quite innocent of springs. In the front of the chariot, and immediately over the pels, Is a small seat for the driver, railed round to prevent him from being jolted off. Inside the machine itself are three lev neats, one at each side, and cue with the back to the horses.

opposite to which last is the door-way. The whole vehicle is lightly and yet strongly made, and, owing to the k raoe of the curves, though primitive, not half so ugly as might be expected. But if the chariots left something to be desired, the horses did not. They were simply splendid, not very large, but strongly built, and well ribbed up, with small heads, remarkably large and round hoofs, and a great look of speed and blood. I have often and often wondered whence this breed, which presents many distinct characteristics, oame, but like that of its owners, its history is shrouded in mystery. Like the people the horses have always been there. The first and last of these chariots vas occupied by guards, but the center two were empty, except for the driver, and to these we were oonduoted. Alphonse and I got into the first, and Sir Henry, Good, and Urnslopogaas into the one behind, and then suddenly off we went, and we did go. Among the Zu Tend! It is not usual to trot horses either riding or driving especially when the journey to be made is a short one—they go at full gallop. As soon as we were seated the driver called out, the horses sprung forward, and we were whirled away at a speed sufficient to take one's breath,

and which, till I got accustomed to it, kept me in momentary fear of an up•ei As for the wretched Alphonse, he clung with a despairing face to the side of what he called this “devil of a fiacre," thinking that every moment was his last. Presently it occurred to him to ask where we were going, and I told him that, so far as I could ascertain, we were going to be sacrificed by burning. You should have seen his fame. “Monsieur,” he called out to the driver. “Monsieur le oocher. Have toe bounty to cease flying the stomach to the ground. I would withdraw. I am incommoded, and would descend. Arrest yourself I pray of you.” But the wild-looking charioteer only leaned forward over his flying steeds and shouted; and the air, as it went singing past, bore away the sound of Alphonse's lamentations. And now before us, in all its marvelous splendor and dazzling loneliness, shone out the Temple of the Sun —the peouliar pride of the Zu-Vendi, to whom it was what Solomon’s or rather Herod’s Temple was to the

Jews. The wealth, and skill, and labor of generations had been given to toe building of this wonderful place, which had been only finally completed within the but fifty years. Nothing was spared that the country could produce, and the result was indeed worthy of the effort, not, so much on acoount of its size—for there are larger Canes in the world—as because of its perfect proportions, the richness and beauty of its materials, and the wonderful workmanship. The building (which stands by itself on a space of acme eight acres of girdea ground on the hill top, around which are the dwelling plaoes of the priests) is built in the shape of a sunflower, with a dome-covered central hall, from which radiate twelve petal shaped courts, each dedicated to one of the twelve months, and serving as repositories of statues reared in memory of the illustrious dead. The width of the circle beneath the dome is three hundred leet, the height of the dome is four hundred feet, and the length of the rays Is one hundred and fifty feet, and the height of tlieir roofs three hundred feet, so that they run into the central dome exactly as the petals of the sunflower run into the great raised heart. Thus the exact measurement from the ®to>fcar pf the central altar to the extreme point Of aay one of the rounded rays would be three hundred feet, the width of the olrcle itself, or a total of six hundred feet from the rounded extremity of one ray or petal to the extremity of the opposite one.

The building Itself 1b of pure and polished white marble, which shows out in marvelous contrast to the red granite of the frowning city, on -whose brow it glistens indeed like an Imperial diadem upon the forehead of a dusky queen. The outer surface of tiie dome and of the twelve petal oourts is covered entirely with thin sheets of beaten gold; and from the extreme point of the roof of each of these petals a glorious golden form with a trumpet in its hand and widespread wings is figured in the very act of Boaring into space. 1 really must leave him who reads this Ito imagine the surpassing glory of these golden roofs flashing when the sun

strikes—flashing like a thousand fires j ble—so fiercely that the reflection may be clearly seen from the great peaks of the range a hundred miles away. | It is a marvelous sight—this golden flower upborne upon the fool white marble walls, and l doubt if the world

can show suoh another. What make! the whole effect even more gorgeous is that a belt of a hundred and fifty feet around the marble wall of the temple is planted with an indigenous species of sunflower, _whioh were at the time when we first saw them a sheet of golden bloom. The main entranoe to this wonderful place is between the two northernmost of the rays or petal courts, and is protected first by the usual bronze gates, and then by doors made of solid marble, beautifully carved with allegorical subjects and overlaid with gold. When these are passed there is only the thickness of the wall, which is, howevor, twenty-five feet (for the ZuVendi build for all time), and another slight door also of white marble, introduced in order to avoid causing a visible gap in the inner skin of the wall, and you atand in the circular hall under the great dome. Advancing to the central altar you look upon as beautiful a sight aS the imagination of man can oonoeive. You are in the middle of the holy plaoe, and above you the [groat white marble dome (for its inner skin, like the outer, is of polished marble) arches away in graceful curves something like that of St. Paul’s in London, only at a slighter angle, and from the fun-nel-like opening at the exact apex a a bright beam or light pours down upon the golden altar. At the east aad the west are other altars, and: other beams of light stab the sacred twilight to the heart In every direction, white, mystic, wonderful, open out the ray like courts, each pierced through by a single arrow of light that serves to illumine its lofty silence and dimly to reveal the monuments of the mighty dead. Overcome by so awe-inspiring a sight, the vast loveliness of which thrills the nerves like a glance from beauty’s eyes, you turn to the central golden altar, in the midst of which, though you cannot see it now, there burns a pale but steady flame crowned with curls of faint blue smoke. It is of marble overlaid with pure gold, in shape round like the sun, four feet in height, and thirty-six in circumference. Here also, hinged to the foundations of the altar, are twelve petals of beaten gold. All night and, except at one hour, all day also, these petals are closed over tho altar itself exactly as the petals of a water lily olose over the yellow crown in stormy weather, but when the sun at midday pierces through the funpel in the dome and lights upon the golden flower, the petals open and reveal the hidden mystery, only to close again when the ray has passed. • Nor is this all. Standing in semicircles at equal distances from each other on the North and south of the sacred place are ten golden angels, or female winged forms exquisitely formed and draped. These figures, which are slightly larger than lifesize, stand with bent heads in an attitude of adoration, their faces shadowed by their wings, and are most imposing and of exceeding beauty. There is but one thing further that calls for description in this altar, and that is to the east the flooring in front of it is not of pure white marble as elsewhere throughout the building, but of solid brass, and this is also the case in front of the other two altars.

The eastern and western altars, which are semicircular in shape, and placed against the wall of the building, are much less imposing, and are not infolded in golden petals. They are, however, also of gold, the sacred fire tHirns on each, and a golden-winged figure stands on either side of them. Two great golden rays rqn up the wall behind them, but where the third or middle one should be is an opening in the wall, wide on the outside but narrow within, like a loophole turned inward. Through the eastern loophole stream the first beams of the rising sun, and strike right across the circle, touching the folded petals of the great gold flower as they pass till they impinge upon the western altar. In the same way at night the last rays of the sinking sun rest for a while on the eastern altar before they die away into darkness. It is the promise of the dawn to the evening and the evening to the dawn.

With the exception of these three altars and the winged figures about them, the whole space beneath the vast white dome is utterly empty and devoid of ornamentation- -a circumstance that to my fancy adds greatly to its grandeur. Such is a brief description of this wonderful and lovely building, to the glories of which, to my mind so much enhanced by their complete simplicity, I only wish I had the power to do justice. But I can not, so it is useless talking more about it. But when I compare this great work of genius to some of the tawdry buildings and tinsel ornamentation produced in these latter days by European ecclesiastical architects, I feel that even highly civilized art might learn something from the Zu-Vendi masterpieces. I can only say that the exclamation which sprung to my Ups as soon as my eyes first became accustomed to tire dlm itght or

that glorious building, and its white and curving beauties, perfect and thrilling as those of a naked goddess, grew upon me one by one, was, “We 1! a dog would feel religious here. 1 ' It is vulgarly put, but perhaps it conveys my meaning more clearly than any polished utterance. At the temple gates our party was received by a guard of soldiers, who appeared to be under the orders of a priest; and by them we were conducted Into one of tne ray or ••petal’’ oourts, las the priests call them, and there left i fnr Hi. least half an. hour- Eero wo, conferred together, and realizing that we stood in great danger of our 1 lives, determined that If any attempt should be made upon us, to sell them as dearly as we could—Umslopogaas announcing his fixed Intention of

i committing sacrilege oh the person of Agon, the high priest, by splitting his venerable head with Inkosi-kaas. From where we stood we eould perceive that an immense multitude were pouring into the temple, evidently in expectation of some unusual event, and I could not help fearing that we had to do with it. And here I may explain that every day, when the sunlight falls upon the central altar, and the trumpets sound, a burned sacrifice is offered to the Sun, consisting generally of the carcass of a sheep .or an ox, or sometimes of fruit or corn. This event comes off. about midday; of course, not always exaotly at that hour but as Zu-Yendis is situated not far from the line, although—being so high above the sea it iB very temperate—midday and the falling of the sunlight on the altar were generally simultaneous. To-day the sacrifice was to take plaoe at about eight minutes past twelve.

Just at twelve o'clock a priest appeared, and made a sign, and the offloer of the guard signified to us that we were expeoted to advance, which we did with the best grace that we could muster, all except Alphonse, whose irrepressible teeth instantly began to chatter. In a few seconds we were out of the. court and looking at a vast sea of human faces Btretching away to the furthest limits of the great circle, all straining to catch a glimpse of the mysterious strangers who had committed racrilege; the first strangers, mind yo»L who, to the knowledge of the multitude, had ever set foot in ZuYendis since such time that the memory of man runneth not to the contrary. As we appeared there was a murmur throughout the vast crowd that went eohoing away up the great dome, and we saw a visible blush of excitement grow on the thousands of faces, like a pink light on a stretch of pale cloud, and a very curious effect it was. On we passed down a lane cut through the heart of the human mass, till present-

we stood upon the brazen patch of flooring to the east of the central altar and immediately facing it. For some thirty feet around the golden-winged figures the space was roped off, and the multitudes stood outside the ropes. Withip were a circle of white-robed gold-cincturod priests bolding long golden trumpets in their hands, and immediately in front of us was our friend Agon, the high priest, with his curious cap upon his head. His was the only covered head in that vast assemblage. We took our stand upon the brazen, little knowing what was prepared for us beneath, but I noticed a curious hissing sound proceeding apparently from the floor for which I could not acoount. Then oame a pause and I looked round to see- if there was any sign of the two queens, Nyleptha and Sorais, but they were not there. To the right of us, howover, was a bare space that I guessed was reserved for them. We waited, and presently a far-off trumpet blew, apparently high up in the dome. Then came another murmur from the multitude, and up a long lane, leading to the open space to our right, we saw the two queens walking side by side. Behind them were some nobles of the court, among whom ! recognized the great lord Nasta, and behind them again a body of about fifty guards. These last I was very glad to see. Presently they had all arrived and taken their stand, the two queens in front, the nobles to the right and left, and the guards in a double semicircle behind them.

Then came another silence, and Nyleptha looked up and caught my eye; it seemed to me that there was meaning in her glance, and I watched it narrowly. Prom my eye it traveled down to the brazen flooring, on the outer edge of vhich we stood. Then followed a slight and almost imperceptible sidelong movement of the head. I did not understand it, and it wa9 repeated. Then I guessed that she me ant us to move back of the brazen floor. One more glance and I was sure of it—there was danger in standing on the floor. Sir Henry was placed on one side of me, Umslopogaas on the other. Keeping my eyes fixed straight before me, I whispered to them, first in Zulu and then in Engligh, to draw slowly back incb by inch till half their feet were resting on the marble flooring where the brass ceased. Sir Henry whispered on to Good and Alphonse, and slowly, very, very slowly, we shifted backward; so slowly indeed that nobody, except Nylepitha and Sorais, who saw everything, seemed to notice the movement Then I glanced again at Nyleptha, and saw that, by an almost imperceptible nod, she indicated approval. All the while Agon’s eyes were fixed upon the altar before him apparently in an ecstasy of contemplation, and mine were fixed upon the small of his back in another sort of ecstasy. Then suddenly he flung up his long arms, and in a solemn and reeounding voice commenced a chant. It was an invocation to the Sun. He finally ceased this solemn chant, which was really beautiful and impressive; and then, after a moment’s pause, he glanced up toward- the fun-nel-sloped opening in the dome and I added—

“Oh, Sun, denend upon thins altar!” As he spoke a wonderful and a beautiful thing happened. Down from on high there flashed a splendid living ray of light that clove the twilight like a sword of fire. Full upon the closed petals it fell and ran shimmering down their golden sides, and then the glorious flower opened as though beneath the bright influence. Slowly it opened and as the great petals fell wide and revealed the golden altar on which the blast upon the trumpets, and from all the people there rose a shout of .praise that beat against the domed roof and 1 came echoing dawn the marble walls. ’Aad now the flower altar was open, and the sunlight fell full upon t'' n

tongue of ssored flame and beat it down, so that it wavered, sunk, and vanished into the hollow recesses whenee it rose. As it vanished, the mellow notes of the trumpets rolled out once more. Again the old priest flung up his hands and called aloud—“We sacrifice to thee, oh, Sun 1” Once more I caught Nyleptha’s eye; it was fixed upon the brazen flooring, ‘‘Look out,” I said, aloud; and as I said it, I saw Agon bend forward and touch something on the altar. As he did so, the great white sea of faces around us turned red and then white again, and a deep breath went up like a universal sigh. Nyleptha leaned forward and with an in voluntary movement covered her eyes with her hand. Sorais turned and whispered to the officer of the royal body-guard, and then with a reading sound the whole of the brazen flooring slid from beneath our feet, and there in its place was suddenly revealed a smooth marble shaft terminating in a most awful raging furnance beneath the altar, big enough to heat the iron stern-post of a man of war.

With, a yell of terror we sprung backward, all except the wretched Alphonse, who was paralyzed with fear, and would have fallen into the firey furnance which had been prepared for us, had not Sir Henry caught him in his strong hand as he was vanishing and dragged him hack. Instantly there arose the most fearful hubbub, and we four got back to back, Alphonse dodging frantically round our little circle in an attempt to take shelter under our legs. We all had our revolvers on—fpr though we had been politely disarmed 0(5 our guns on leaving the palr.ee, of course these people did not know what a revolver was. Umslopogaas, too, had his ax, of which no effort had been made to deprive him. and now he whirled it round his head and sent his pierceing Zolu war-shout echoing up the marble walls, in fine defiant fashion. Next second, the priests, baffled of their prey, had drawn swords from beneath their white robes and were leaping on us like hounds upon a stag at bay. I saw that, dangerous as action might be, we must act or be lost, so as the first man came bounding along—and a great tall fellow he was - I sent a heavy revolver ball through him, and down he fell at the mouth of thb shaft, and slid shrieking frantically into the firey gulf that had been prepared for us.

Whether it was his yells, or the, to' them, awful sound and effect of the pistol shot, or what, I know not, but the other priests halted, paralyzed and dismayed, and before they could come on again Sorais had called out something, and we, together with the two queens and most of the courtiers, were being surrounded with a wall of armed men. In a moment it Was done, and still the priests hesitated, and the people hung in the balance like a head of startled buck as it were, making no sign one way or the other. The last yell of the burning priest had died away, the fire had finished him, and a great silence fell upon the place. Then the High Priest Agon turned, and his face was as the face of a devil. - ~**Let the sacrifice be sacrificed,” he said to the queens. “Has not sacrilege enough been done by these strangers, and would ye, as queens, throw the cloak of your majesty over evildoers? Are not the creatures sacred to the Sun dead? and is not a priest of the Sun also dead, but now slain by the magic of these strangers, who oome as the winds out of heaven, whence we know not, and who are what we know not? Beware, oh queens, how ye tamper with the great majesty of the God, even before His High altar. There is a power that is more than your power; there is a justice that is a justice. Beware how ye lift an impious hand against it. Let the sacrifice be sacrificed, oh queens!” The Sorais made answer in her deep, quiet tones, that always seemed to me to have a suspicion of mookery about them, however serious the theme:” “Oh. Agon, thou hast spoken truth. But it is thou who wouldst lift an impious hand against the justice of thy God. Bethink thee the midday sacrifice is accomplished; the Sun hath claimed his priest as a sacrifice.” • This was a novel idea, and the people applauded it.

“Bethink thee what are these men? They are strangers found floating on the bosom of a lake. Who sent then: here? How came they there? Ho., know ye that they also are not servant j of the Sun? Is this the hospitality that ye would have our nation show A) those whom chance brings to them, to throw them to the flames? Shame on ye! shame on ye! What is hospitality? To receive the strangers and show him favor. To bind up his wounds, and And a pillow for his head and food for him to eat. But thy pillow is the flrey furnace, and thy food the hot savor of the flame. Shame on thee, 1 say!" She paused a little to wateh the effect of her speech upon the multitude, and seeing ..that it was favorable, changed her tone from one of remonstrance to one of command. ~**“ “Ho! place there,” she cried, “place I say; make way for the queens, and those whom the queens cover with their ‘kaP [mantle].” “And if 1 refuse, oh queen?” said Agon, between his teeth. ••Then I will out a pathway with my guards,” was the proud answer; “ay, even in the presence of the sanctuary, and through the bodies of thy priests.” ... To ss Continued 1