s it a Mehrikan?
I confess to a lively excitement at the prospect of meeting one. How
many were they? and how would they treat us?

Looking down upon my little band to see that all were there, I boldly
marched up the remaining steps and stood before him.

He was reclining upon a curious little four-legged seat, with his feet
upon the balustrade, about on a level with his head. Clad in skins and
rough cloth he looked much like a hunter, and he gazed quietly upon
me, as though a Persian noble were a daily guest. Such a reception was
not gratifying, especially as he remained in the same position, not
even withdrawing his feet. He nodded his curious head down once and up
again, deeming it apparently a sufficient salutation.

[Illustration: "He remained in the same position, not even withdrawing
his feet."]

The maintenance of my own dignity before my followers forbade my
standing thus before a seated barbarian, and I made a gesture for him
to rise. This he answered in an unseemly manner by ejecting from his
mouth a brownish fluid, projecting it over and beyond the balustrade
in front of him. Then looking upon me as if about to laugh, and yet
with a grave face, he uttered something in an unmusical voice which I
failed to understand.

[Illustration: The Feet upon the Portico.]

Upon this Nofuhl, who had caught the meaning of one or two words,
stepped hastily forward and addressed him in his own language. But the
barbarian understood with difficulty and they had much trouble in
conversing, chiefly from reason of Nofuhl's pronunciation. He
afterward told me that this man's language differed but little from
that of the Mehrikans, as they wrote it eleven centuries ago.

When he finally arose in talking with Nofuhl I could better observe
him. He was tall and bony, with an awkward neck, and appeared at first
glance to be a man of forty years. We decided later he was under
thirty. His yellow skin and want of hair made him seem much older than
he was. I was also much puzzled by the expression of his face. It was
one of deep sadness, yet his eyes were full of mirth, and a corner of
his mouth was ever drawing up as if in mockery. For myself I liked not
his manner. He appeared little impressed by so many strangers, and
bore himself as though it were of small importance whether we
understood him or not. But Nofuhl since informed me that he asked a
multitude of questions concerning us.

[Illustration: The Man]

What Nofuhl gat