PTER 6

With incredible celerity Iskander and his cavalry dashed over the plains
of Roumelia, and never halted, except for short and hurried intervals
of rest and repose, until they had entered the mountainous borders of
Epirus, and were within fifty miles of its capital, Croia. On the eve
of entering the kingdom of his fathers, Iskander ordered his guards
to produce the chief secretary of Karam Bey. Exhausted with fatigue,
vexation, and terror, the disconsolate Mousa was led forward.

"Cheer up, worthy Mousa!" said Iskander, lying his length on the green
turf. "We have had a sharp ride; but I doubt not we shall soon find
ourselves, by the blessing of God, in good quarters. There is a city at
hand which they call Croia, and in which once, as the rumour runs, the
son of my father should not have had to go seek for an entrance. No
matter. Methinks, worthy Mousa, thou art the only man in our society
that can sign thy name. Come now, write me an order signed Karam Bey
to the governor of this said city, for its delivery up to the valiant
champion of the Crescent, Iskander, and thou shalt ride in future at a
pace more suitable to a secretary."

The worthy Mousa humbled himself to the ground, and then talking his
writing materials from his girdle, inscribed the desired order, and
delivered it to Iskander, who, glancing at the inscription, pushed it
into his vest.

"I shall proceed at once to Croia, with a few friends," said Iskander;
"do you, my bold companions, follow me this eve in various parties,
and in various routes. At dead of the second night, collect in silence
before the gates of Croia!"

Thus speaking, Iskander called for his now refreshed charger, and,
accompanied by two hundred horsemen, bade farewell for a brief period
to his troops, and soon having crossed the mountains, descended into the
fertile plains of Epirus.

When the sun rose in the morning, Iskander and his friends beheld at the
further end of the plain a very fine city shining in the light. It was
surrounded with lofty turreted walls flanked by square towers, and was
built upon a gentle eminence, which gave it a very majestic appearance.
Behind it rose a lofty range of purple mountains of very picturesque
form, and the highest peaks capped with snow. A noble lake, from which
troops of wild fowl occasionally rose, expanded like a sheet of silver
on one side of the city. The green breast of the contiguous hills
sparkled with white houses.

"Be