The Seventh Scroll - Smith Wilbur - Страница 27

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It was a relatively short haul from Nairobi up to Addis Ababa, and the

landscape below them unfolded in fascinating sequences that kept her

glued to the cabin window of the Air Kenya flight. The hoary summit of

Mount Kenya was for once free of cloud, and the snow-clad double peaks

glistened in the high sunlight.

The bleak brown deserts of the Northern Frontier District were relieved

only by the green hills that surrounded the oasis of Marsabit and, far

out on the port side, the dashing waters of Lake Turkana, formerly Lake

Rudolf.

The desert finally gave way to the highlands of the great central

plateau of the ancient land of Ethiopia.

"In Africa only the Egyptians go back further than this civilization,'

Nicholas remarked as they watched it together. "They were a cultured

race when we peoples of northern climes were still dressing in untanned

skins and living in caves. They were Christians when Europeans were

still pagans, worshipping the old gods, Pan and Diana."

"They were a civilized people when Taita passed this way nearly four

thousand years ago," she agreed. "In his Scrolls he writes of them as

almost his cultural equals which was rare for him. He disparaged all the

other nations of the old world as his inferiors in every way."

From the air Addis was like so many other African cities, a mixture of

the old and the new, of traditional and exotic architectural styles,

thatched roofs alongside galvanized iron and baked tiles. The rounded

walls of the old tukuls built with mud and wattle contrasted with the

rectangular shapes and geometrical planes of the brick built

multi-storeyed buildings, the blocks of flats and the villas of the

affluent, the government buildings and the grandiose, flag-bedecked

headquarters of the Organization of African Unity.

The distinguishing features of the surrounding countryside were the

plantations of tall eucalyptus trees, the ubiquitous blue gums that

provided firewood. It was the only fuel available to so many in this

poor and war-torn land, which over the centuries had been ravaged by

marauding armies and, more recently, by alien political doctrines.

After Nairobi the high-altitude air was cool and sweet when Royan and

Nicholas left the aircraft and walked across the tarmac to the terminal

building. As they entered, before they had even approached the row of

waiting immigration officers someone called his name.

"Sir Nicholas!" They both turned to the tall young woman who glided

towards them with all the grace of a features lit by a welcoming dancer,

her dark and delicate smile. She wore full'length tradition al skirts

which enhanced her movements.

"Welcome to my country of Ethiopia. I am Woizero Tessay." She looked at

Royan with interest, "And you must be Woizero Royan." She held out her

hand to her and liked each other Nicholas saw that the two women

immediately.

I will see to the "If you will let me have your passports. There is a

formalities while you relax in the VIP lounge.

from your British Embassy waiting there to greet you, man Sir Nicholas.

I don't know how he knew that you were arriving."

 the VIP lounge.

There was only one person waiting i He was dressed in a well-cut

tropical suit and wore the orange, yellow and blue diagonally striped

old Sandhurst tie. He stood up and came to greet Nicholas immediately,

Nor, ? it's good to see you again Must be all

"Nicky, how are yo of twelve years, isn't it?"

"Hello, Geoffrey. I had no idea they had stuck you out here."

"Military attache. His Excellency sent me down to meet you as soon as he

heard that you and I had been at Sandhurst together." Geoffrey looked at

Royan with marked interest, and with a resigned air Nicholas introduced

them.

"Geoffrey Tennant. Be careful of him. Biggest ram I safe within half a

mile of north of the equator. No girl him."

"I say,. steady on,, Geoffrey protested, looking pleased with the

reference that Nicholas had given him. "Please don't believe a word the

man says, Dr Al Simma. Notorious prevaricator."

Geoffrey drew Nicholas aside and quickly gave him a r6sum6 of conditions

in the country, particularly in the outlying areas. "HE is a little

worried. He doesn't like the idea of you swarming around out there on

your own. Lots of nasty men down there in the Goiam. I told him that you

knew how to look after yourself.)

In a remarkably short time Woizero Tessay was back.

"I have cleared all your luggage, including the firearm and ammunition.

This is your temporary permit. You must keep it with you at all times

whilst you are in Ethiopia. Here are your passports - the visas are

stamped and in order. Our flight to Lake Tana leaves in an hour, so we

have plenty of time to check in."

"Any time you need a job, come and see me,'Nicholas commended her

efficiency.

Geoffrey Tennant walked with them as far as the departures gate, where

he shook hands, "Anything I can do, it goes without saying. "Serve to

Lead", Nicky."

"'Serve to lead"T Royan asked, as they walked out to the waiting

aircraft.

"Sandhurst's motto the explained.

"How nice, Nicky, she murmered.

"I have always considered Nicholas to be more dignified and

appropriate he said.

"Yes, but Nicky is so sweet."

 the high, thin air the Twin Otter aircraft that took them on the last,

northern, leg pitched and yawed in the updraughts; from the mountains

below.

Although they were at fifteen thousand feet above sea level, the ground

was close enough for them to make out  the, villages and the sparse areas

of cultivation around them. Subjected for so many centuries to primitive

agricultural methods and to the uncontrolled grazing of domestic herds,

the land had a thin, impoverished look, and the bones of rock showed

through the thin red fleshing of earth.

Abruptly ahead of them the plateau over which they were flying was rent

through by a monstrous chasm. It was as though the earth had received a

mighty sword-stroke that struck through to her very bowels.

"The Abbay river!" Tessay leaned forward in her seat to tap Royan's

shoulder.

The rim of the gorge was Clear-cut, and then the slope dropped away at

an angle of over thirty degrees. The bare plains of the plateau gave way

immediately to the heavily forested walls of the gorge. They could make

out the candelabra shapes of giant euphorbia rising above the dense

jungle. In places the walls had collapsed in scree slopes of loose rock,

and in others they were up-thrust into bluffs and needles that erosion

had sculpted with a monstrous artistry into the figures of towering

humanoids and other fantastic creatures of stone.

Down and down it plunged, and they winged out over the void until they

could look directly down, a mile and more, on to the glittering snake of

the river in the depths.

The funnel shape of the upper walls formed a secondary rim as they

reached the sheer cliffs of the sub-gorge five hundred feet above the

Nile water. Deep down there between its terrible cliffs the river gouged

dark pools and long slithering runs through the red sandstone. In places

the gorge was forty miles across, in others it narrowed to under ten,

but through all its length the grandeur and the desolation were infinite

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