f me you
should find but bones for never will I fall living into the hands
of the Great King. We are sore pressed and although Amada has been
made very strong, it can stand but a little while against such a
countless multitude armed with all the engines of war."

For Karema, too, there were messages from the holy Tanofir of the same
meaning, saying that unless we appeared within a moon of their receipt,
all was lost.

We read and took counsel. Then we pressed forward by double marches,
sending swift runners forward to bid Pharaoh and his army hold on to the
last spear and arrow.

On the twenty-fifth day from the receipt of this news we came to the
great frontier city which we found in tumult for its citizens were
mad with fear. Here we rested one night and ate of the food that was
gathered there in plenty. Then leaving a small rear-guard of five
thousand men who were tired out, to hold the place, we pressed onwards,
for Amada was still four days' march away. On the morning of the fourth
day we were told that it was falling, or had fallen, and when at length
we came in sight of the place we saw that it was beleaguered by an
innumerable host of Easterns, while on the Nile was a great fleet of
Grecian and Cyprian mercenaries. Moreover, heralds from the King of
kings reached us, saying:

"Surrender, Barbarians, or before the second day dawns you shall sleep
sound, every one of you."

To these we answered that we would take counsel on the matter and that
perhaps on the morrow we would surrender, since when we had marched from
Ethiopia, we did not know how great was the King's strength, having been
deceived as to it by the letters of the Pharaoh. Meanwhile that the
King of kings would do well to let us alone, since we were brave men and
meant to die hard, and it would be better for him to leave us to march
back to Ethiopia, rather than lose an army in trying to kill us.

With these words which were spoken by Bes himself, the messengers
departed. One of them however, who seemed to be a great lord, called in
a loud voice to his companions, saying it was hard that nobles should
have to do the errands, not of a man but of an ape who would look better
hanging to a pole. Bes made no answer, only rolled his yellow eyes and
said when the lord was out of hearing,

"Now by the Grasshopper and all the gods of Egypt I swear that in
payment for this insult I will choke the Nile with the army of the Great
King, and hang