The Dragon of the Ishtar Gate

Bessas told of his mission. Puerma drummed on the arm of his chair, then said:

"I do not know about this dragon. Is said that in the mountains east of the River of Darkness, in country of the Asachae, race of serpent kings rules the people. But your animal is something else, eh? Let me think." After a long silence, the general said: "You plan do anything else? Like catch slaves or hunt treasure?"

"Nay, my lord." Bessas grinned. "Though of course if I stumbled across a treasure I would not turn my back upon it."

The general smiled back. Myron felt that Puerma was an intelligent and forceful man who could be helpful if he chose. But it still behooved them to tread warily. Puerma said:

"You ever hear of the treasure of Takarta?"

"Aye." Bessas repeated what he had heard from Yehosha in Yeb. "But, as you see, sir, your servant cannot take time to search Africa for this box of baubles—even supposing that it exists—with my mother's life in the balance."

Puerma, his fat face suddenly grim, leaned forward. "You know, without permission from me, you not get up the river. Even if you get up, you never get through Kush on way back. You understand?"

"I understand. But what are you coming to?"

"This. If you want go up the river, you make pledge with me to bring back treasure of Takarta—"

"But General! We cannot spend years hunting the length and breadth of Africa—"

"You not hunt far. I make it easy for you to find this hoard."

"Know you where it is?"

"More or less. I tell you some things that make it easy to find. Otherwise, go back to Persia!"

"Why ask you me to fetch your treasure? Why not one of your own folk?"

Puerma twiddled his fingers. "I think you have better chance of getting to source of the river. We Kushites have raid the savage tribes of the south for slaves until now these dirty dogs attack us on sight. With your pale skins, they maybe take you for gods and let you pass. Besides, you find it harder to run away with treasure than one of my own people. Everybody notice foreigners and talk about them."

"If you have known where the stuff is, why have you waited until now to seek it?"

"Have been busy fighting Persians and wild tribes. Also, you are the first foreigner I see in Meroê who I think is strong enough to get treasure and honest enough not to try to cheat me afterwards."

"I thank Your Excellency." Bessas stroked his beard. "Of course, my lord, you mean for us to share the treasure equally, do you not?"

Puerma raised his eyebrows. "I not mean that at all. But I suppose you deserve some pay for work. You take one quarter, me three quarter."

"Nay, sir; half or nought ..."

After a haggle, Puerma said: "Tell you what. Is one valuable gem in the treasure: big red stone, call—how you say—"

"The True Anthrax?" asked Kothar.

"That is it. You give me the True Anthrax; then we divide rest of the treasure half and half."

"Agreed," said Bessas. Puerma clapped his hands and said: "Fetch Akinazaz the rain maker."

Akinazaz was a skinny old Kushite, naked but for a loin-cloth and a leopard skin hung around his neck. His body was covered with powdered ash, giving him a ghostly look.

"Now," said Puerma, "we swear great oaths, by my gods and your gods ..."

As there was no written contract, Myron suspected that Puerma could not read. When the oaths had been sworn and the rain maker had uttered hideous curses on him who should break them, Puerma said:

"Now I tell you how to find this treasure. Listen well. The kings of Kush rule from Napata from time of the great Kashta down to the reign of King Karkamon, in days of your King Darius.

"The royal line of King Kashta had two branches. The old branch rule in Napata, and the young branch rule the southern provinces as viceroys from Meroê. King Karkamon had son, Takarta. At that time, the senior member of the younger family, in Meroê, was Astabarqamon. When King Karkamon die, his son, Takarta, become king. But then he get message from King Darius, saying bow down to the king of the world and send him earth and water, for the god Auramazda choose him king over you and all other men. King Takarta say, ha-ha! And he cut off the messengers' hands and send these men back to say to King Darius: that is what happen to you if you come to my country. We beat King Cambyses, so we can beat you, too.

"So the Persians come and defeat King Takarta in one great battle. They seize Napata. King Takarta escape with treasure. But then he hear that his cousin Astabarqamon, in Meroê, has declare himself king, because now he has army and Takarta does not. Takarta know that if he go to Meroê as he is, his cousin kill him. So he and few faithful friends dress like poor peasants, all cover with lice and dirt. They walk right through Meroê, with treasure on back of ass, and nobody stop them.

"Then Takarta and his men go up the River of Darkness—far, far—three months' journey—"

"Mithra!" burst out Bessas. "Do you mean that after all our striving, we are only halfway to our goal?"

Puerma laughed and spread his hands. "I not know the exact distance. Maybe is only-half as far as to Persia; but is much harder going, with no roads and many wild men. Besides, your animals die of nagana, and then you have to walk."