g retorts.

Miriam had talked with her brothers and shared the heavy anxieties that
oppressed them. Why had the desert wind so speedily destroyed the courage
of the people during their brief pilgrimage? How impatient, how weak in
faith, how rebellious they had showed themselves at the first obstacle
they had encountered, how uncontrollable they had been in following their
fierce impulses. When summoned to prayer just before sunrise during their
journey, some had turned toward the day-star rising in the east, others
had taken out a small idol they had brought with them, and others still
had uplifted their eyes to the Nile acacia, which in some provinces of
Egypt was regarded as a sacred tree. What did they know of the God who
had commanded them to cast so much behind them and take upon themselves
such heavy burdens? Even now many were despairing, though they had
confronted no serious dangers; for Moses had intended to lead the Hebrews
in Succoth over the road to Philistia direct to the Promised Land in
Palestine, but the conduct of the people forced him to resign this plan
and form another.

To reach the great highway connecting Asia and Africa it was necessary to
cross the isthmus, which rather divided than united the two continents;
for it was most thoroughly guarded from intruders and, partly by natural,
partly by artificial obstacles, barred the path of every fugitive; a
series of deep lakes rolled their waves upon its soil, and where these
did not stay the march of the travelers strong fortifications, garrisoned
by trained Egyptian troops, rose before them.

This chain of forts was called Chetam--or in the Hebrew tongue--Etham,
and wayfarers leaving Succoth would reach the nearest and strongest of
these forts in a few hours.

When the tribes, full of enthusiasm for their God, and ready for the most
arduous enterprises, shook off their chains and, exulting in their new
liberty, rushed forward to the Promised Land Moses, and with him the
majority of the elders, had believed that, like a mountain torrent,
bursting dams and sluices, they would destroy and overthrow everything
that ventured to oppose their progress. With these enthusiastic masses,
to whom bold advance would secure the highest good, and timid hesitation
could bring nothing save death and ruin, they had expected to rush over
the Etham line as if it were a pile of faggots. But now since a short
chain of difficulties and suffering had stifled the fire of