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But alas! the Mehrikan warded off his stroke with one yet quicker, and brought his stick so swiftly against my comrade's head that it laid him with the others. When Lev-el-Hedyd fell I saw the Mehrikan had many wounds, for my comrades had made a savage onslaught.
"Then let thy grief be of short life," responded Nofuhl, "for Mehrikan damsels were not of that description. Blush-ing was an art they practised little. The shyness thou so lovest in a Persian maiden was to them an unknown thing. Our shrinking daughters bear no resemblance to these Western products.
Was it a Mehrikan? I confess to a lively excitement at the prospect of meeting one. How many were they? and how would they treat us? Looking down upon my little band to see that all were there, I boldly marched up the remaining steps and stood before him. He was reclining upon a curious little four-legged seat, with his feet upon the balustrade, about on a level with his head.
Nofli-zon-mee, a little craft with a pointed prow, jammed holes in nearly a score of monster ships, and the waters closed over them. There figured also a long and narrow boat of Mehrikan devising, the Yankyd-Oodl. This astonishing machine sailed to and fro among the foreign ships upsetting all traditions. Much glory befell her commander, the Captain Hoorai-boiz. Grip-til-lah.
My followers drew their arms and rushed upon the Mehrikan. The girl ran forward either from terror or to shield her spouse, I know not which, when a flying arrow from a sailor's cross-bow pierced her to the heart. This gave the Mehrikan the energy of twenty men. He knocked brave Kuzundam senseless with a blow that would have killed an ox. Such fury I had not conceived.
Ad-el-pate, a mighty wrestler, and of powerful build, rushed furiously upon the Mehrikan for whom I trembled. But his arm again went out before him, and Ad-el-pate likewise sat. A mournful spectacle, and every Persian felt his heart beat fast within him. By this time Ja-khaz was on his feet again, purple with rage. With uplifted scimitar he sprang toward our host. The old man stepped between.
"No Egyptian ever heard of Mehrika," said Nofuhl. "This obelisk was finished twenty centuries before the first Mehrikan was weaned. In all probability it was brought here as a curiosity, just as we take to Persia the bronze head of George-wash-yn-tun." We spent much time over the monument, and I think Nofuhl was disappointed that he could not bring it away with him.
We all saluted her, and the Mehrikan spoke a few words which we interpreted as a presentation. He filled the cups from the stone vase, and then saying something which Nofuhl failed to catch, he held his cup before his face with a peculiar movement and put it to his lips. As he did this Lev-el-Hedyd clutched my arm and exclaimed: "The very gesture of the ghost!"
The astounding discoveries of Khan-li of Dimph-yoo-chur have thrown floods of light upon the domestic life of the Mehrikan people. He little realized when he landed upon that sleeping continent what a service he was about to render history, or what enthusiasm his discoveries would arouse among Persian archaeologists. Every student of antiquity is familiar with these facts.
For myself I liked not his manner. He appeared little impressed by so many strangers, and bore himself as though it were of small importance whether we understood him or not. But Nofuhl since informed me that he asked a multitude of questions concerning us. What Nofuhl gathered was this: This Mehrikan with his wife and one old man were all that remained of his race.
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