d disabled by keener swords than their
own, while many seemed literally riddled by bullets which could never
have been fired by ordinary guns, or if so, at such close quarters that
in nearly every case the balls had passed clean through their bodies.

The number of corpses lying in the grass were too numerous to count, but
at a rough estimate there must have been several thousands. The air of
that beautiful valley was suffocating on account of the stench they
emitted, and the river was poisoned by the heaps of bodies that had been
hurled into it.

This valley, that had appeared a veritable paradise from the summit of
the rock, was in reality a Valley of Death.

So nauseating was the smell that Omar decided upon pitching the camp at a
point lower down, for so exhausted were we all and so dark was it growing
that it became imperative we should remain there for the night. So we
bivouacked half a mile away from the spot where the Thousand Steps
descended, our fire was lit, and after a little food had been served out,
we threw ourselves upon the grass, and, worn out by fatigue, slept
heavily and well.

The valley was filled with a thick mist that rose from the river,
overspreading everything and saturating our scanty clothing with
moisture, causing us to be chilly and uncomfortable. It was this fact,
perhaps, that awakened me during the night, when all my companions lying
around were snoring soundly, dreaming most probably, of their triumphant
entry into the land of the great Naya. Becoming fully awake, I heard the
swish of a footstep through the grass, and, raising my head, saw at a
little distance from me Omar, standing alone. With his back turned to me
he was gazing up at the summit of the rock we had yet to gain, bearing in
his hand a fire-brand that had apparently been lit at the dying embers of
our fire. The brand, blazing and crackling, threw his lithe figure into
relief, and I saw that his face wore an eager, anxious look. His gaze
seemed rivetted upon the highest pinnacle of the great rock, as if he had
noticed some unusual aspect.

During several minutes he remained motionless, his eyes fixed in that
direction. At first I was impelled to rise and join him, but not knowing
why, I remained there motionless watching. Presently I heard a loud cry
of joy escape his lips, and with frantic gesture he waved the fire-brand
quickly from left to right, sometimes with a sharp motion, and at others
slowly.

He was signal