Before them reared a many-columned arch, with battlemented walls on either side, and an avenue of sphinxes leading up to it.
They rolled through these, and then they were within the city, with its huge buildings, pillars, obelisks, stairs, fountains, awnings, arches, crowded side streets, and varied bazaars and shops. Our heroes felt abashed before these sublime, living tokens of a civilisation supposed to have been for ages extinct.
Chapter Thirty.
In the City of Ra-bydus.
The rain-season had come and gone, which meant that seven months had elapsed since our heroes were driven into the city of Ra-bydus.
They understood a good deal, by this time, about the people and language of Karnadama, for so the land was named, as the city was called Ra-bydus.
During these months they had been treated as honoured visitors; yet it was plainly intimated to them that they would not be permitted to depart until her majesty Isori had seen them. No one else could treat with them, or decide what course to pursue respecting them, during the great queen’s absence; therefore they were held in a kind of honourable captivity.
They were lodged in princely quarters and all together. The regiment of young amazons who had discovered them were placed in charge of them—to attend upon them, escort them when they went abroad, and were made responsible for their safety and presence.