ed from tamer's heart
Night of death shall hardly part."

CHAPTER XII - ON THE RIVER.

The next morning saw our journey commenced. Eveena's wardrobe, with my
own and my books, portfolios, models, and specimens of Terrestrial art
and mechanism, were packed in light metallic cases adapted to the
larger form of carriage whereof I have made mention. I was fortunate
in escaping the actual parting scene between Eveena and her family,
and my own leave-taking was hurried. Esmo and his son accompanied us,
leading the way in one carriage, while Eveena and myself occupied that
which we had used on our memorable trip to the Astronaut. Half an hour
brought us to the road beside the river, and a few minutes more to the
point at which a boat awaited us. The road being some eight or ten
feet above the level of the water, a light ladder not three feet long
was ready to assist our descent to the deck. The difference of size
between the Martial race and my own was forcibly impressed upon me, in
seeing that Esmo and his son found this assistance needful, or at
least convenient, while I simply stepped rather than jumped to the
deck, and lifted Eveena straight from her carriage to her seat under
the canopy that covered the stern of the vessel. Intended only for
river navigation, propelled by a small screw like two fishtails set at
right angles, working horizontally; the vessel had but two cabins, one
on either side of the central part occupied by the machinery. The
stern apartment was appropriated to myself and my bride, the
forecastle, if I may so call it, to our companions, the boatmen having
berths in the corners of the machine-room. The vessel was
flat-bottomed, drawing about eighteen inches of water and rising about
five feet from the surface, leaving an interior height which obliged
me to be cautious in order not to strike my head against every
projection or support of the cabin roof. We spent the whole of the
day, however, on deck, and purposely slackened the speed of the boat,
which usually travels some thirty miles an hour, in order to enjoy the
effect and observe the details of the landscape. For the first few
miles our voyage lay through the open plain. Then we passed, on the
left as we ascended the stream, the mountain on whose summit I tried
with my binocular to discern the Astronaut, but unsuccessfully, the
trees on the lower slopes intercepting the view. Eveena, seeing my
eyes fixed on that point, extended her hand an