5. Zaemon’s Curse

           NowIcansayitwithalltruththat,tilltherivalnavymetusinthemouthofthegulf,IhadthoughtlittleenoughofmyimportanceasarecruitfortheEmpress.Butthelayinginwaitforusofthoseships,andthewildferocitywithwhichtheyfoughtsothatImightfallintotheirhands,wereomenswhichtheblindestcouldnotfailtoread.ItwasclearthatIwasexpectedtoplayalustypartinthefortunesofthenation.

           ButifourcominghadbeenwatchedforbyenemiesitseemedthatPhorenicealsohadherscouts;andthesesawusfromthemountains,andcarriednewstothecapital.ThearmoftheseaattheheadofwhichthevastcityofAtlantisstands,variesgreatlyinwidth.Inplaceswherethemountainshaveover-boiled,andsenttheirliquidcontentsdowntoformhardstonebelow,thechannelhasbarelyariver’swideness,andthenbeyond,forthenexthalf-day’ssailitwillwidenoutintoalake,withthesidesbarelyvisible.Moreover,itscourseiswinding,andsoarunnerwhoknowshiswayacrosstheflats,andtheswamps,andbetweenthesmokinghillswhichliealongtheshore,anddidnotgetovercomebyfire-streams,orwater,orwanderingbeasts,couldcarrynewsoverlandfromseacoasttocapitalfarspeedierthaneventhemostshrewdlywhippedofgalleyscouldferryitalongthewater.

           Ofcoursetherewereheavyrisksthatalonetravellerwouldnotmakeasafepassagebythislandroute,ifhewerebiddentosacrificeallprecautionstospeed.ButPhorenicewasnoniggardwithhercouriers.