"Phoenicians, I suppose. In Africa one puts everything down to Phoenicians. In the Mediterranean it used to be some other fellows; now it's Iberians. Aryans had a great vogue forty years ago; but they're dead, now. Then there were those sloppy Celts. It'll be the Hittites when we get back."
"Did you see Great Zimbabwe?"
"Yes. But they're all called Zimbabwe. It's a native name for ruins. It's an uncanny place. It lies all open. There's no roof to it. None of them have any roof. Nothing but great high walls, and two hideous cones of stone, and a lot of corpses under the floors. There are ancient gold workings all around it. It is said to be an astronomical temple, as well as the site of a great mining town. Do you know much about astronomy?"
"No. I know Sirius."
"I know Sirius. Can you see him?"
"I can't see it from here. Perhaps it isn't visible."
"It seems to me to be clouding up. Listen."
"Is that a lion roaring?"
"Jump out a minute." Lionel was turned out, standing at the door of the tent.
"What's the matter?" Roger asked.