r
arrival here the escort was dismissed, each man receiving a present in
addition to the stipulated rate of pay that they were to draw upon
their return to AElana.

Moab was a settled country. It contained no large towns; but the
population, which was considerable, was gathered in small villages of
low stone-built houses, similar to those in Petra. The inhabitants
were ready to trade. Their language was strange to Jethro and Amuba;
but it was closely related to that spoken by Ruth, and she generally
acted as interpreter between Jethro and the natives. After traveling
through Moab, they took the caravan road across the desert to the
northeast, passed through the oasis of Palmyra, a large and
flourishing city, and then journeyed on the Euphrates. They were now
in the country of the Assyrians, and not wishing to attract attention
or questions, they avoided Nineveh and the other great cities, and
kept on their way north until they reached the mountainous country
lying between Assyria and the Caspian.

They met with many delays upon the way, and it was six months after
leaving AElana before, after passing through a portion of Persia, they
reached the country inhabited by the scattered tribes known by the
general name of Medes, and to whom the Rebu were related. Through
this country Thotmes had carried his arms, and most of the tribes
acknowledged the dominion of Egypt and paid a tribute to that country,
Egyptian garrisons being scattered here and there among them.

Jethro and Amuba now felt at home, but as they determined that when
they reached their own country they would, until they found how
matters were going on there, disguise their identity, they now
traveled as Persian traders. Long before reaching Persia they had
disposed of the stock of goods with which they started, and had now
supplied themselves with articles of Persian manufacture. They thus
passed on unquestioned from village to village, as the trade in those
regions was entirely carried on by Persian merchants, that country
having already attained a comparatively high amount of civilization;
while the Median tribes, although settled down into fixed communities,
had as yet but little knowledge of the arts of peace. The party
journeyed in company with some Persian traders, and gradually worked
their way north until they arrived at the first Rebu village.

They had many times debated the question of the part they should here
play, and had agreed that it woul