so light and contrary that it was not until the evening
of the third day that they were well in sight of the country that was to
be the scene of their journeyings for many months to come; and then, as
they neared Ansina, it was to see a scattered town that seemed as if of
marble beyond the purple sea, while beyond the town lay to right and
left a fairy-like realm of green and gold, beyond which again lay range
upon range of amethystine mountains, above which in turn were peaks of
dazzling white, save where the evening sun was gilding salient points of
a pure pale gold.

The run had been very pleasant in spite of the cramped accommodation,
for the little crew were a kindly simple people, whose countenances
invited trust, and though the fare on board had been scant, yet it was
wholesome and good, as the rest the travellers had found was grateful.

So satisfactory was this part of the trip that Mr Burne forgot about
his back, and as he stood gazing at the glorious panorama, indulging in
an occasional pinch of snuff, he suddenly whisked out his handkerchief
and blew a clarion blast which made the boatmen start.

"Hah!" he exclaimed suddenly; "this will do. I tell you what it is,
Preston; when I get back I shall start a company for the reclamation of
this country. It must be taken from the Turks, and we must have a new
English colony here."

"The first Roman who saw the place must have felt something like you do
about his native land," said the professor.

"Oh, the Romans had a colony here, had they?"

"Yes; and the Greeks before them."

"Humph!" ejaculated the old lawyer, as he let his eyes wander from spot
to spot glowing in the sinking sun, and growing more beautiful as they
advanced. "Well, I always had, as a boy, a most decided objection to
the Greeks and Romans, and I used to wish that, when they died out,
their tongues had been buried with them instead of being left behind to
pester schoolboys; but now I am beginning to respect them, for they must
have known what they were about to settle in such a land as this.
Lovely, eh, Lawrence?"

"Grand!" was the reply uttered in enraptured tones; "but don't talk to
me, please, I feel as if I could do nothing else but look."

The professor smiled and joined him in drinking in the beauty of the
scene, till the little felucca sailed in under the shelter of a large
stone wall that formed part of the ancient port. Here they found
themselves face to face with the handi