ovided with a depot for the use
of travellers.

Cleperelyum, the grand chamberlain, clad in white robes like an Arab
chief, received us in the name of the goddess with marked deference
and courtesy.

A guard of honor consisting of a thousand wayleals was drawn up around
the palace. The audience chamber was a rectangular court in the centre
of the building, whose ceiling was the roof of the palace itself,
surmounted by the dome peculiar to the palaces of Atvatabar.

The hall leading to the presence chamber was lined with the priests
and priestesses from Egyplosis in attendance on the goddess.

Led by the grand chamberlain, we arrived at the golden doors of the
audience chamber, which were opened by the servitors of the palace.
With trembling exultation I saw at the further end of the spacious
apartment a royal seat of violet velvet whereon sat Lyone, the supreme
goddess of Atvatabar.

As my eyes rested upon the goddess she appeared still more divine than
before. It seemed an unhallowed act that rough sailors should venture
into such spiritual precincts. We were awe-struck with the presence
before us. As the grand chamberlain called out our names, we bowed low
to that majestic spirit that seemed much more a deity than human
flesh.

[Illustration: HER HOLINESS OFFERED BOTH HIS MAJESTY THE KING AND
MYSELF HER HAND TO KISS.]

Her holiness greeted us with marked favor and offered both his majesty
the king and myself her hand to kiss. The high officials and my
officers and sailors were obliged to remain standing during the
audience, according to the etiquette of the holy palace. His majesty
the king and myself were allowed to seat ourselves on an elevated dais
before the goddess. When thus seated, I had leisure to observe that
she was arrayed in a single garment of quivering pale green silk, that
caressed every curve of her matchless figure and spread in myriad
folds about her limbs and feet. On her head she wore a model of the
jarcal, or bird of yearning, fashioned in precious terrelium. She wore
also a jewelled belt of gold. The breast was embroidered with a golden
emblem of the throne of the gods, the sacred ensign of Atvatabar. On
her neck were circles of rich rose pearls whose light gleamed soft on
the green lustre of her attire. On her head was the tiara of the
goddess, the triple crown of Harikar.

Her holiness had an air of girlish frankness combined with royal
dignity. She was so youthful that she could not