n attempt to cross this unsafe region many men have
lost their lives, for once upon its surface escape is impossible. See!"
And he cast his staff away upon the sand. In an instant it had sunk out
of sight.

"Then how shall we gain the land beyond?" I asked in fear at the soft
nature of the earth's surface.

"There is but one way. It is known only to the Naya and to myself, and is
called the Way of the Thousand Steps. Its existence is preserved as a
royal secret in case my family are compelled at any time to fly from our
country, in which case they could escape safely, while all their pursuers
would assuredly be overwhelmed and perish. For that reason the knowledge
has been for centuries solely in the keeping of the reigning Naya or
Naba. It was by this secret path that I left Mo and came to you in
England; by the same path I return."

"Lead the way. We will follow," I said.

"Come, men," he exclaimed, lifting his hand as he addressed them. "Fear
not, but follow so closely in my footprints that your feet obliterate
them, and I will bridge the great gulf that lieth between Mo and the
outer world."

The mishap to the advance guard had evoked the wildest speculations among
the natives, and all were eagerly pressing forward, when, in a few
moments, Omar took up his position before them, and urging the utmost
caution held up the staff he took from my hand, taking what appeared to
be the bearings between his own eye and the summit of a low mound far
away on the horizon. The preparations did not take long, and very soon,
with his staff held in the same position before him, he began to venture
forward upon the unsafe sand.

Carefully he trod the great treeless plain, being followed by all in
single file. With such caution did we tread, and so excited were we all,
that at first scarcely was a word spoken. Very soon, however, with
confidence in Omar's leadership the natives grew hilarious again, and
keeping straight behind the young prince they found the way, about a foot
in width, hard, although dry, and extremely unpleasant to tread.
Nevertheless we all were ready to encounter and overcome every obstacle
providing that we could enter the forbidden land, and thus we went
forward. Now and then one of the natives, in speaking to the man next
behind him, would turn and thus deviate from the path over which Omar had
passed, and he would quickly pay for this carelessness, suddenly finding
himself floundering helplessly up to th