the pencil excited still greater admiration. I signed to
her to write in the book. She did so, but the characters were quite
unlike anything that I had ever seen. They were not joined like our
writing and like Arabic letters, but were separate like our printed
type, and were formed in an irregular manner. She then showed me a
book made of a strange substance. It was filled with characters like
those which she had just written. The leaves were not at all like
paper, but seemed like some vegetable product, such as the leaves of
a plant or the bark of a tree. They were very thin, very smooth, all
cut into regular size, and fastened together by means of rings. This
manuscript is written upon the same material. I afterward found that
it was universally used here, and was made of a reed that grows in
marshes.

Here in these vast caverns there was no way by which I could tell the
progress of time, but Almah had her own way of finding out when the
hours of wakeful life were over. She arose and said, "Salonla." This I
afterward found out to be common salutation of the country. I said it
after her. She then left me. Shortly afterward a servant appeared,
who took me to a room, which I understood to be mine. Here I found
everything that I could wish, either for comfort or luxury; and as I
felt fatigue, I flung myself upon the soft bed of down, and soon was
sound asleep.

I slept for a long time. When I awoke I heard sounds in the distance,
and knew that people were moving. Here in these caverns there was no
difference between day and night, but, by modes of which I was
ignorant, a regular succession was observed of waking times and
sleeping times.

CHAPTER IX

THE CAVERN OF THE DEAD

On going forth into the outer grotto I saw the table spread with a
sumptuous repast, and the apartment in a blaze of light. Almah was not
here; and though some servants made signs for me to eat, yet I could
not until I should see whether she was coming or not. I had to wait
for a long time, however; and while I was waiting the chief entered,
shading his eyes with his hand from the painful light. He bowed
low with the most profound courtesy, saying, "Salonla," to which I
responded in the same way. He seemed much pleased at this, and made a
few remarks, which I did not understand; whereupon, anxious to lose no
time in learning the language, I repeated to him all the words I knew,
and asked after others. I pointed to him and asked his name.