We Enter Kukuanaland

           Allthatafternoonwetravelledalongthemagnificentroadway,whichtrendedsteadilyinanorth-westerlydirection. InfadoosandScraggawalkedwithus,buttheirfollowersmarchedaboutonehundredpacesahead. 

           "Infadoos,"Isaidatlength,"whomadethisroad?" 

           "Itwasmade,mylord,ofoldtime, noneknowhoworwhen,noteventhewisewomanGagool,whohaslivedforgenerations. Wearenotoldenoughtorememberitsmaking. Nonecanfashionsuchroadsnow,butthekingsuffersnograsstogrowuponit." 

           "Andwhosearethewritingsonthewallofthecavesthroughwhichwehavepassedontheroad?"Iasked,referringtotheEgyptian-likesculpturesthatwehadseen. 

           "Mylord,thehandsthatmadetheroadwrotethewonderfulwritings. Weknownotwhowrotethem." 

           "WhendidtheKukuanapeoplecomeintothiscountry?" 

           "Mylord,theracecamedownherelikethebreathofastormtenthousandthousandmoonsago,fromthegreatlandswhichlietherebeyond,"andhepointedtothenorth. "Theycouldtravelnofurtherbecauseofthehighmountainswhichringintheland,sosaytheoldvoicesofourfathersthathavedescendedtousthechildren,andsosaysGagool,thewisewoman,thesmelleroutofwitches,"andagainhepointedtothesnow-cladpeaks. "Thecountry,too,wasgood,sotheysettledhereandgrewstrongandpowerful,andnowournumbersareliketheseasand, andwhenTwalathekingcallsuphisregimentstheirplumescovertheplainsofarastheeyeofmancanreach."