CHAPTER IV.
KING DAVID.
After crossing the fertile corn-fields of the low-lying plains,thickly studded with groves of figs and dates, and with clumps of thestunted trees which abound in Judæa, expanding their parasol-likefoliage, we began to ascend the mountain by narrow pathways, borderedby forests of terebinths, alternating with vineyards and plantationsof olives. This route, delightful in its shade, brought us to thelittle town of Timnah, on the ridge of the hill, where Chamaiintroduced us to a man who found us lodging, and provided shelterfor our beasts. Timnah is not only small, but it is most irregularlybuilt; it is encircled by an embattled wall, with two gateways andtwelve circular towers; the houses are only of one storey, beingdetached, and generally surrounded by gardens.
We were tormented by myriads of fleas, which appeared to beespecially remarkable for avidity. There were also countless swarmsof flies; and Hannibal, who had taken off his cuirass in order thathe might more effectually scratch himself, remarked, with some showof reason, that he thought the inhabitants of Judæa ought to imploreBeelzebub, as the god of flies, to relieve them of this plague ofvermin.
On the following morning, after traversing several ravines, andcrossing several ridges of the hilly but well-cultivated country,we came in sight of a deep valley, sterile and deserted. The rocksthat formed alike its bottom and its sides were scattered over withhuman bones, that were bleaching in the air. Towards the east someeminences could be discerned, surmounted by a fort, whilst thevalley again sloped upwards towards the ridges that bounded it on thesouth.
"This is the Valley of Giants," said Bichri, as he turned over askull with the end of a staff he carried.
"Well enough I know it," broke in Chamai. "When I was young I wasBenaiah's armour-bearer. Benaiah was one of King David's mighty men,a captain of a hundred; one snowy day he killed a lion in a pit; andonce in single fight he slew an Egyptian giant; and here in thisvery vale of Rephaim, when I was serving under him, we routed thePhilistines so utterly, that the men of Ashdod have been tributary tous ever since."
"And I, too, can recall it well," said Hannibal. "The Philistineswere up there to the right, designing to storm the fortress in ourfront; half-way down the valley the King encountered them and drovethem to their heights again. The heat of the battle was in thevalley, but the greatest carnage was on the flight up yonder ridge."
As we proceeded, Hannibal pointed out to us on the further side ofthe valley the thirty stakes to which the King had had the chiefs ofthe Philistines bound after the battle; fragments of the skeletonswere still attached to them.
"Ours is a good King," exclaimed Chamai; "Absalom, his son, rebelledagainst him, but I stood fast by David."
"And I, too," said Bichri; "and a battle followed in which I killedOthniel, the son of Ziba: I sent a javelin clean through his temples;this girdle of purple linen, which I am wearing now, was his."
All along, as we proceeded, Chamai, Hannibal and Bichri continuedin this way to point out the sites, and to recall the history ofplaces and events to which any interest attached. Whenever wepassed a village or a town, the inhabitants, recognising us asPhœnicians, came flocking towards us with offerings of milk,dried grapes, figs, wine, or other refreshment, but were alwayseager in their inquiries whether we had any commodities of ourown to sell. Bichri invariably told them that if they wished toinspect our merchandise, they must either come to Jerusalem, whitherwe were going, or go down to Joppa, where we had left our ships.Occasionally the goat-herds, who were in charge of fine flocks uponthe hill-sides, accosted us, but we bought nothing of them except acouple of the excellent cheeses of the country, for which we paidonly a few zeraas. As we were eating the cheeses under the shade ofa terebinth, some girls brought us cool water from a neighbouringspring, and in acknowledgment of their attention, Hanno gave them anumber of glass beads, with which they seemed highly delighted.
SHORTLY BEFORE SUNSET WE REACHED JERUSALEM. _To face page 63._]
Shortly before sunset, on the evening of the second day we reachedJerusalem, a city very strongly built upon a steep and elevatedplateau. The distant view of the city is extremely striking; the soilon which it is built is undulating and irregular, so as to producean effect of the whole place being literally studded with domes andterraces; the whiteness of the walls, and the numerous roofs thatare imbedded in the foliage of the olive-yards that skirt the walls,all combine to make up a picture that cannot fail most favourably toimpress the traveller with its beauty.
After crossing a road that was bounded on one side by the torrentof Kedron, and which was lost to view as it deflected towards thedeserts, we had surmounted the last of the olive-covered hills, andpassed the last of the ravines, and soon began ascending a pavedstreet, wide enough to admit three horsemen abreast, of which thehouses were of brick, their gardens being enclosed by low clay walls.Night was coming on, and Chamai, who had galloped on ahead (leavingus to the guidance of Bichri), was now awaiting us at the gate of alarge garden attached to a handsome brick house of two storeys. Thishouse was the residence of Ira, one of the King's officers, to whomthe duty was specially entrusted of providing for the entertainmentsof foreign ambassadors. Immediately on our arrival, some slavescame to take charge of our beasts, and to carry our baggage into thedwelling, where we were first conducted into a long low room, andwater was brought us for our feet. It was not long before Ira himselfappeared to bid us welcome, and to offer us refreshment. I informedhim of my name and errand, and showed him the letter I bore fromKing Hiram to King David. He raised it to his head in token of hisrespect, and promised to give his sovereign an immediate notice of myarrival.
When we had completed our repast, I began to prepare my presentsfor King David. First of all I chose a hyacinth-coloured undertunic, made of the finest Egyptian linen, and a purple upper tunicembroidered round the neck and sleeves with flowers, and borderedwith silver fringe; to these I added a girdle wrought in gold andsilver, with a lion's head in gold for a clasp, the eyes being ofbright enamel. This girdle was a most elaborate specimen of Egyptianworkmanship, being one of four that I had purchased of a nativeartist, intending them for presents to any monarchs to whose presenceI might be admitted in the course of my progress. Another gift thatI selected was a drinking-cup of silver with two handles; it wasraised upon a stem, and embossed with ornaments, worked in gold,representing fruit and flowers. The whole of these I deposited ina box of the sandal-wood of Ophir, curiously inlaid with gold andmother-of-pearl. Remembering that the King was not only fond ofmusic, but was himself a skilful performer, I further looked out forhim a three-stringed harp of sandal-wood, ornamented with colouredtufts, and surmounted by the figure in solid gold of a bird with openbeak and outstretched wings. This instrument could not be matchedout of Phœnicia, and the wood of which it was made, like that ofthe box, had been brought from Ophir. I had procured the harp fromKhelesh-baal, a Sidonian, to whom it had been given by the Queen ofOphir as an acknowledgment of his having designed some ships for herwhich could brave the open sea.
Early next morning when Ira came to inform me that he had announcedmy arrival to the King, he expressed his astonishment at the presentswhich I showed him I was about to make; he told me that they would bemost acceptable to the King, who was very desirous of seeing me.
About two hours afterwards some of the royal slaves arrived, bringinga calf, some bread, several cheeses, a basket of cakes and figs,a large jar of olives, and a still larger jar of the good wine ofHelbon; one of them, saluting me as an ambassador from King Hiram,said:
"I am instructed by King David to conduct you and your companions tothe palace: come at once."
I gave the box containing the presents to my two sailors to carry,and collected my people together. Hannibal donned his helmet andcuirass, Hanno put his official inkhorn in his girdle, and we lostno time in setting off. Chamai and Bichri both accompanied us: theywere in high glee, the latter especially, as, although he was one ofDavid's subjects, he had never hitherto seen his King. On
our way heremarked:
"David wronged our tribe of Benjamin; but he made amends by hiskindness to Saul's kindred. He is truly the glory of the tribes: Ishall be rejoiced to see him; I have never seen him yet."
"And after all," said Chamai, "he did not want to be hard upon thetribe of Benjamin; it went against his heart. Think, too, of his lovefor Jonathan, and of his marrying Michal; and Jonathan and Michalwere both Saul's children. And how he avenged the death of Saulhimself! He has no ill-will against you children of Benjamin."
"He is a valiant King," said Hannibal; "and valiant, too, is hisgeneral, his sister Zeruiah's son. He and Joab, both are warriorsworthy of their renown."
While this conversation had been going on, we had been making ourway through a succession of steep, narrow streets, with houses, oneor two storeys high, and gardens on either hand. Seeing that we wereushered along by the royal servants, easily recognised as these wereby the purple borders of their white garments, all the people salutedus respectfully as we passed, an evidence of the high esteem in whichthe King is held by his subjects.
We crossed a quarter of the city known by the name of Millo, andcame to a canal which runs out in the direction of the open country,and which is overhung by an eminence called Sion, the entire spacebetween Sion and Millo being occupied by houses recently erected atthe King's own cost. In the surrounding wall there still remained thebreach which had been opened by David, when he took the city from theJebusites. On the summit of Sion stands a fortress, in the interiorcourt of which the royal palace has been built. Designed by Tyrianarchitects, this is three storeys high, with a central dome, and issurrounded by magnificent gardens, the edifice for the most partbeing constructed of hewn stone and sandal-wood. On either side ofthe gateway are two stately pillars of bronze, and against the wall,to the right of one of these pillars, is placed the seat where theKing sits to administer justice; the gallows for the execution ofcapital sentences being close at hand. In the rear are other gardens,and the buildings set apart for the women of the household.
Ira was at the palace-gate to meet us, and conducted us by a windingstaircase into a square apartment, well lighted, and hung withtapestries figured with birds and flowers. At one end was a raisedsandal-wood dais, three steps above the level of the floor; upon thisstood the throne, which was likewise of sandal-wood, but perfectlyplain and unadorned either with carving or gilding, a lion's skinstretched out at its foot. On the right hand stood Joab, the King'sgeneral, in helmet and cuirass; at a little distance behind was theroyal armour-bearer holding the King's sword, while his lance restedagainst the wall; several officers were stationed upon the steps;and in front four of the King's body-guard of mighty men, with theirswords drawn.
Seated upon the throne was the monarch himself, a man of moderatestature and slight build, advanced in years, but neverthelessretaining unimpaired every symptom of agility and vigour. Hisstraight, uncurled beard was perfectly white, but his hair wasdressed in the ordinary fashion of his countrymen. His costume wasvery simple; neither frontlet nor coronet adorned his brow; nobracelets encircled his wrists; no rings were upon his toes; hewore a plain white tunic with a purple border, and instead of thehigh-heeled shoes usually worn by kings, he had on his feet a pair ofmountaineer's sandals. There was nothing in his attire to distinguishhim from ordinary men; only by the penetrating glance of his clearblue eye could he be marked out as one that was born to reign.
WAITING FOR THE KING TO SPEAK. _To face page 67._]
My people having ranged themselves in a line behind me, I steppedforward and prostrated myself at the foot of the dais; then rising, Istood with folded hands, waiting for the King to speak. He began bybidding me welcome, and proceeded to ask whether our voyage hitherhad been prosperous, and made numerous inquiries after the welfareof the kings of Tyre and Sidon and their subjects. Expressing hissatisfaction at the tenor of my answers, he called for King Hiram'sletters to himself. I handed the sealed papyrus to one of theofficers, who presented it open to the King. The King perused itdeliberately, and turning to me with a kindly smile, said:
"Mago, son of Maherbaal, I rejoice to see you. Who are these that youbring with you?"
One by one, I introduced my companions.
The King expressed his approval at seeing Chamai and Bichri amongstmy followers, and said:
"I like my younger people to travel; it gives them courage, as wellas wisdom and experience. I am glad, too, that your soldiers areunder the command of Hannibal; he is an able leader; I remember himwell. And now," he continued, "Jehoshaphat the recorder shall prepareyou a catalogue of the materials which I require you to procure and Ileave it to your own discretion to purchase, in addition, whateverelse you may meet with that is curious or rare. It remains for me toinquire what are the supplies you need before you start."
I explained that I was anxious that forty experienced men should beadded as recruits to Chamai's force, and that a sufficient store ofcorn and wine and oil, and other things that would not be the worsefor keeping, might be provided to maintain us on our voyage.
"Just and fair are your demands," replied the King. "Joab shallchoose you out forty men, whom Chamai and Hannibal may command, andmy treasurer shall hand you over the money needed for their pay. Irashall take you to the storehouses, and you shall be at liberty toselect what stores you please; he will provide you also with asses toconvey them to the ships. You have only to say what you require, andit is yours."
Again I prostrated myself before the King in token of my gratitude,and requested him graciously to accept the presents that I had beencommissioned to deliver. He seemed highly gratified, and inquiredwith the liveliest interest about the history of each gift, as it wasshown him; he then rose, and bade us follow him into an adjoiningroom, where wine was prepared for us. He insisted upon drinkingfrom the cup which I had just given him, and when he had taken hisseat again upon his throne, which had been brought in after him, hehonoured me still further by asking me about the various countries Ihad visited. His curiosity seemed wakened by my replies, and amongstother things, he asked me whether peacocks and asses were not foundin the West. I informed him that they came from Ophir, whither,subject to his permission, I contemplated making a voyage upon myreturn.
"You are a dauntless man," he said, "to talk about a second voyagebefore you have accomplished a first. I admire your courage,and confess that Hiram has done well in choosing you for thisundertaking. I want now to show you the site of the temple that it isin my heart to rear."
With a tread elastic as a young man's, the King conducted us from thepalace to an adjacent hill upon which was a threshing-floor. The nameof the hill was Moriah.
"I have just bought this threshing-floor and some oxen, for fiftyshekels of silver, of Araunah the Jebusite," he said; adding, "to mymind, the spot is adapted equally for a temple or for a fortress."
Hanno remarked, "I have heard it said that the King has takenmore fortresses than he has built, and that his sword is the beststronghold of his people."
"You are a flatterer, scribe," said the King, smiling; "nevertheless,I believe that bold hearts do more to defend their country than anymasses of piled-up stone."
"Then I am no flatterer," rejoined the scribe; "I do but echo theKing's own sentiments. Happy the people whose pride and confidenceare in their King!"
"If you use such silvery speech to women," replied the King, "youmust ultimately marry a princess."
Hanno coloured: the King laughed, and turning to me said that I hadan excellent scribe.
"Ah, my lord and King," said Hanno, "we are going where eloquencecan avail us nothing. The winds and waves of the Great Sea will notlisten to the smooth speech of Canaan. The barbarians of the Westwill demand a language of a rougher, sterner sort. Compliments willnot move the men of Tarshish."
The King was evidently much pleased with Hanno, and told him that heshould be gratified if he would bring him back a written descriptionof whatever he might see in the course of his voyage; he furtherinquired whether
he had any of his own compositions with him. Uponthis, Hanno handed him a little scroll inscribed with some verses hehad written in praise of a lady. After the King, himself a poet ofthe highest order, had admired the flow of the lines, and commendedthe beauty of the handwriting, he presented Hanno with a copy of someof his own poetry.
"There is another poetry," said Hanno, "of a severer style, whichthe King has written in the valley of Rephaim, and on many anotherbattle-field: I fear he cannot give us that."
In an instant David took the sword from his armour-bearer's hand."Here," he said, "is the pen that wrote it. Take it; it may give youthe power to write verses of the character that, in the valley of thegiants, I have made to the honour of my God."
"The King's word is a prophecy," said Hanno, kissing the blade; "beit my care that it comes to pass!"
We had now to take our leave of the kind and courteous King, and Iwent with Ira direct to the storehouses, whilst Hannibal, Chamai, andBichri followed Joab.
The chief storehouse is a long brick building approached by a pavedpathway lined with sycamines; it is built in the Phœnician styleover a water-tank, and is flanked by the stables for the royalchariots and the meadows for the horses and other cattle. Hanno hadprepared a list, of which a duplicate copy was written for the King:the items were a hundred measures of grain, fifty measures of oil,fifty measures of wine, equal quantities of cheese, figs, and driedgrapes, and two thousand shekels of dry salt meat: to these wereadded salt, beans, lentils, and dates, Ira undertaking that asses,with drivers, should be ready to convey them all to the ships on thefollowing morning.
King David is renowned for generosity; and on our return to Ira'shouse we found that several of the royal servants had arrived beforeus, bringing various presents for us all. For myself there was ashield, a lance, a dagger, and an Egyptian battle-axe; for Hannibal,a sword and a mace of Chaldean manufacture; for Bichri, a bow andquiver and an archer's belt; while for Hanno there was another sword,in addition to the one he had already received.
Towards evening Hannibal returned, bringing word that he hadcompleted his number of men; Jehoshaphat also came to bring me theKing's final letters of instruction.
On rising the next morning I found the street outside the housecrowded with asses and their drivers, the beasts being laden withthe heavy packs containing our supplies; we had therefore nothingfurther to do than to take leave of our host. I gave him two phialsof royal perfume for his wives, and without further delay we took ourdeparture for Joppa.
Our return journey was unmarked by any special incident. From timeto time Bichri gave us proof of his dexterity by using his new bowto shoot partridges and other birds while they were on the wing, andHanno (with his sword passed through his girdle in Jewish fashion)was as gay as ever, beguiling the time with cheerful songs.
"Every one owns King David as a prophet," he repeated more than once;"and as I have David's sword, I should think I might conquer theworld."
"I hope you do not intend to kill King Pharaoh," said I, ratherstartled at his martial enthusiasm.
"Pshaw!" he replied; "my mistress is Ashtoreth, queen of sea and sky!She can laugh to scorn Pharaoh and Bodmilcar, both alike!"
Bichri interrupted us by bringing a partridge he had just broughtdown. "Can you tell me, captain," he asked, "whether there are anyvines in Tarshish?"
"To the great regret of our Phœnician colonists," I answered,"there are no vines at all."
"It may be a good thing then," he rejoined, "that I have brought somecuttings with me. The climate is warm, even as our own, and who cantell whether ere long they shall not be producing wine as good asours?"
"An excellent venture of yours, archer," I replied; "I wish yourforesight all success."
The tower of Joppa and the masts of our vessels were hardly visiblein the distance before we espied Abigail advancing towards us. Chamaialighted from his horse, and received her with a warm embrace.
"What news?" said I, hurrying forward.
Learning that all was well, I left the young people together, andmade my own way down immediately to the beach. The first person thatI saw was Barzillai, who informed me that the eunuch had not beeninto the village since my departure, and that no one had attempted tohold any communication with the Ionian lady. Very shortly afterwards,Hamilcar and all the rest, including Bodmilcar, came to greet me onmy return, and we proceeded at once to embark the supplies that wehad brought. I put all the fresh recruits on board my own galley,thus making up my full complement of 210 men; namely, 50 rowers, 70sailors, 80 soldiers, and 10 officers.
While the drivers were assisting my own people to unlade the asses,one of them, a man of gigantic size and stature, stalked up tome, swinging his arms, and stood looking at me with a fixed andsteady gaze. His appearance was remarkable; his short bull-neck wasimbedded, as it were, between his immense broad shoulders, and he hadlong shaggy hair that hung close over his brow and was met by a thickbeard that grew almost up to his eyes.
"Do you want me?" I asked.
In a stentorian voice he answered, "I am Jonah, of the village ofEltekeh, in the tribe of Dan."
"Well, what of that?" I said.
"I want to go with you: I want to go where the wild beasts are."
"But what for; what can you do if you get there?"
"I want to go," again he growled.
"But you can do nothing; what is the use of taking you?"
"I want to go," he still persisted.
Puzzled in my mind, I asked him whether he could in any way makehimself of use on board a ship.
"I am strong," he said; "I am a descendant of Samson; I can carry anox upon my shoulders, and I can blow a trumpet;" and as he spoke hestruck himself heavily in the chest.
Hannibal, who all this while had been scanning the man with the eyeof a connoisseur, observed: "I don't think we shall find a cuirassbig enough to fit the fellow; but he looks as if he mightn't be a badtrumpeter;" and turning towards him, he said: "Now look here, man; Ihave a good trumpeter already; but if Captain Mago will allow it, Ishould like to have a trumpet-match, and see which of you can blowthe best."
Of course I had no objection to allege, and Hannibal's trumpeter wassummoned to the spot. A huge clarion was fetched from the stores andhanded to Jonah, and thus the rivals were brought face to face in themiddle of a circle of curious listeners.
"Blow away, my men," said Hannibal, "as hard as you like!"
Both raised their instruments to their lips, and simultaneously gaveforth a series of strong, clear notes, which waxed louder and louder,as the performers, with necks outstretched and inflated cheeks,seemed to grow warm to the work. After a considerable time, duringwhich neither appeared to have much superior power, the eyes ofHannibal's trumpeter began to start painfully from their sockets, andhe showed symptoms of evident fatigue; whilst Jonah, although theveins of his neck were swollen as large as one's finger, continuedto give forth notes that almost split our ears, and which seemedstill louder in contrast to the enfeebled strain of his competitor.At last, when full fifteen minutes had elapsed, Hannibal's heraldgave one prolonged and plaintive note, and sunk down upon a stone,breathless and exhausted. Jonah, without exhibiting any sign ofdistress, stood with his hand upon his hip, and raising his trumpethigh into the air, gave vent to a loud triumphal flourish.
"Enough, enough!" we shouted one and all.
"Bring out the very largest scarlet tunic that we have on board,"said Hannibal; "the fellow has gained his day."
"Then may I go?" asked Jonah.
Hannibal made him understand that I had given my consent, and toldhim to put on the tunic. While he was endeavouring to fasten thegarment, which seemed ready to burst out at every seam, Himilcowalked round him, and surveyed him with a puzzled air.
"I should like to see inside the rascal," he said; "I have neverheard such lungs."
"I am thirsty," roared the giant.
A great cup of wine was handed to him; he drained it at a gulp.
&nbs
p; "Do you call that a draught?" he asked. "I should give as much to mylittle children; can't you let me drink from a pitcher or a cask?"
Himilco refilled the cup, and handed it back to Jonah. With an air ofwonder, that almost amounted to terror, he muttered to himself, "Anextraordinary fellow, but it will cost us something to keep him!"
When we had embarked all our goods, we took leave of Barzillai andhis wife. The Ionian bade a most affectionate farewell to Milcah,who had treated her with the greatest kindness and hospitality.Abigail was the last to leave the shore, and when she did so, it waswith a look, long and lingering, towards her native mountains.
By the following evening we had rounded the point of Pelusium, easilydistinguished from the surrounding lowland by its rising groveof palms. The sea was rough, and to many on board the consequentsickness was very trying. Towards noon next day we came in sight ofthe troubled waters caused by the outflow of the Nile.
Les aventures du Capitaine Magon. English Page 6