In its sharp contrast with the arid deserts and fearful mountains
amongst which we had wandered for so many years, this country struck us
as most charming, and indeed, seen by the red light of the sinking sun
on that spring day, even as beautiful with the same kind of beauty
which is to be found in Holland. One could understand too that these
landowners and peasant-farmers would by choice be men of peace, and what
a temptation their wealth must offer to the hungry, half-savage tribes
of the mountains.
Also it was easy to guess when the survivors of Alexander's legions
under their Egyptian general burst through the iron band of snow-clad
hills and saw this sweet country, with its homes, its herds, and its
ripening grass, that they must have cried with one voice, "We will march
and fight and toil no more. Here we will sit us down to live and die."
Thus doubtless they did, taking them wives from among the women of the
people of the land which they had conquered--perhaps after a single
battle.
Now as the light faded the wreaths of smoke which hung over the distant
Fire-mountain began to glow luridly. Redder and more angry did they
become while the darkness gathered, till at length they seemed to be
charged with pulsing sheets of flame propelled from the womb of the
volcano, which threw piercing beams of light through the eye of the
giant loop that crowned its brow.
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