ay being thatched or covered with shingles
of wood. As Felix afterwards learnt, this had been effected during the
reign of the present king, whose object was to protect his city from
being set on fire by burning arrows. The encircling wall had become a
dull red hue from the long exposure to the weather, but the roofs were a
brighter red. There was no ensign flying on either of the towers, from
which he concluded that the king at that moment was absent.

CHAPTER XVI

THE CITY

Slowly descending towards the city, Felix looked in vain for any means
of crossing the channel or creek, which extended upon the side of it,
and in which he counted twenty-two merchant vessels at anchor, or moored
to the bank, besides a number of smaller craft and boats. The ship of
war, which had arrived before him, was beached close up by a gate of the
city, which opened on the creek or port, and her crew were busily
engaged discharging her stores. As he walked beside the creek trying to
call the attention of some boatman to take him across, he was impressed
by the silence, for though the city wall was not much more than a
stone's throw distant, there was none of the usual hum which arises from
the movements of people. On looking closer he noticed, too, that there
were few persons on the merchant vessels, and not one gang at work
loading or unloading. Except the warder stalking to and fro on the wall,
and the crew of the war-ship, there was no one visible. As the warder
paced to and fro the blade of his partisan gleamed in the sunshine. He
must have seen Felix, but with military indifference did not pay the
slightest heed to the latter's efforts to attract his attention.

He now passed the war-ship, and shouted to the men at work, who were, he
could see, carrying sheaves of arrows and bundles of javelins from the
vessel and placing them on carts; but they did not trouble to reply. His
common dress and ordinary appearance did not inspire them with any hope
of payment from him if they obliged him with a boat. The utter
indifference with which his approach was seen showed him the contempt in
which he was held.

Looking round to see if there were no bridge or ferry, he caught sight
of the grey church tower which he had observed from afar while sailing.
It was quite a mile from the city, and isolated outside the walls. It
stood on the slope of the hill, over whose summit the tower was visible.
He wandered up towards it, as there were usua