"I can only say this much to thee, worthiness," replied Pentuer, "that this divinity points with one hand at the star Eshmun. This hand leads Phoenician ships through the sea during night hours."
"Then the Phoenicians, too, have this god?"
"They do not even know of him. The god which points one hand always to the star Eshmun, [Polar Star] is known only to us and the priests of Chaldea. By the aid of this god every prophet night and day, in bad and good weather, can find his way on the sea or in the desert."
At command of the prince, who went with a lighted torch at the side of Pentuer, the retinue and the prisoners followed the priest, northeastward. The god depending from a string trembled, but indicated with outstretched hand, the sacred star, Eshmun, the guardian of travelers.
They went on foot at a good pace, leading the horses. The cold was so sharp, that even Asiatics blew on their hands, and the Libyans trembled.
With that, something began to crackle and break underfoot. Pentuer stopped, and bent down.
"In this place," said he, "rain has made a pool on the rock. And see, worthy lord, what has become of the water."
Thus speaking, he raised and showed the prince what seemed a plate of glass, but which melted in his hand.
"When there is great cold," said he, "water becomes a transparent stone."
The Asiatics confirmed the words of the priest, and added that far away in the north, water turned into stone very often, and fog turned into a white salt which is tasteless, but breaks in the hands and causes pain in the teeth.