Now，thoughheknewitnot，thegatesofhisownworldwereclosingbehindtheWandererforever。TotheNorth，whencehecame，laytheclearsky，andthesunnycapesandisles，andtheairymountainsoftheArgivelands，whitewiththetemplesoffamiliarGods。Butinfaceofhim，totheSouth，whitherhewent，wasacloudofdarknessandalandofdarknessitself。Therewerethingstobefallmoremarvellousthanaretoldinanytale；therewastobeawarofthepeoples，andoftheGods，theTrueGodsandtheFalse，andthereheshouldfindthelastembracesofLove，theFalseLoveandtheTrue。
Forebodingsomewhatoftheperilsthatlayinfront，theWandererwastemptedtoshifthiscourseandsailbacktothesunlight。Buthewasonethathadneverturnedhishandfromtheplough，norhisfootfromthepath，andhethoughtthatnowhispathwasfore-ordained。Sohelashedthetillerwitharope，andgropedhiswaywithhishandsalongthedecktillhereachedthealtarofthedwarf-gods，wheretheembersofthesacrificestillwereglowingfaintly。Thenwithhisswordhecutsomespear-shaftsandbrokenarrowsintowhitechips，andwiththemhefilledalittlebrazier，andtakingtheseedoffirefromthealtarsetlighttoitfrombeneath。Presentlythewoodblazedupthroughthenoondaynight，andthefireflickeredandflaredonthefacesofthedeadmenthatlayaboutthedeck，rollingtolarboardandtostarboard，asthevessellurched，andtheflameshoneredonthegoldenarmouroftheWanderer。
Ofallhisvoyagesthiswasthestrangestseafaring，hecruisingalone，withacompanyofthedead，deepintoadarknesswithoutmeasureorbound，toalandthatmightnotbedescried。Strangegustsofsuddenwindblewhimhitherandthither。Thebreezewouldriseinamomentfromanyquarter，anddieassuddenlyasitrose，andanotherwindwouldchaseitoverthechoppingseas。HeknewnotifhesailedSouthorNorth，heknewnothowtimepassed，fortherewasnosightofthesun。Itwasnightwithoutadawn。Yethisheartwasglad，asifhehadbeenaboyagain，fortheoldsorrowswereforgotten，sopotentwasthedraughtofthechaliceoftheGoddess，andsokeenwasthedelightofbattle。
“Endure，myheart，“hecried，asoftenhehadcriedbefore，“aworsethingthanthisthouhastendured，“andhecaughtupalyreofthedeadSidonians，andsang:——
Thoughthelightofthesunbehidden，Thoughhisraceberun，ThoughwesailinaseaforbiddenTothegoldensun:
Thoughwewanderalone，unknowing，——
Oh，heartofmine，——
Thepathofthestrangesea-going，Oftheblood-redbrine；
Yetendure！WeshallnotbeshakenBythingsworsethanthese；
Wehave’scaped，whenourfriendsweretaken，Ontheunsailedseas；
Worsedeathshavewefacedandfledfrom，IntheCyclops’den，WhenthefloorofhiscaveranredfromThebloodofmen；
Worsegriefshaveweknownundaunted，Worsefateshavefled；
WhentheIslethatourlonglovehauntedLaywasteanddead！
Sohewaschantingwhenhedescried，faintandfaroff，aredglowcastupalongthedarknesslikesunsetontheskyoftheUnder-world。
Forthislighthesteered，andsoonhesawtwotallpillarsofflameblazingbesideeachother，withanarrowspaceofnightbetweenthem。
Hehelmedtheshiptowardsthese，andwhenhecamenearthemtheywereliketwomightymountainsofwoodburningfarintoheaven，andeachwasloftyasthepyrethatblazesovermenslaininsomeredwar，andeachpileroaredandflaredaboveasteepcragofsmoothblackbasalt，andbetweentheburningmoundsoffirelaytheflame-fleckedwaterofahaven。
TheshipnearedthehavenandtheWanderersaw，movinglikefirefliesthroughthenight，thelanternsintheprowsofboats，andfromoneoftheboatsasailorhailedhiminthespeechofthepeopleofEgypt，askinghimifhedesiredapilot。
“Yea，“heshouted。Theboatdrewnear，andthepilotcameaboard，atorchinhishand；butwhenhiseyesfellonthedeadmenintheship，andthehorrorhangingfromtheyard，andthecaptainboundtotheironbar，andaboveall，onthegoldenarmourofthehero，andonthespear-pointfastinhishelm，andonhisterribleface，heshrankbackindread，asiftheGodOsirishimself，intheShipofDeath，hadreachedtheharbour。ButtheWandererbadehimhavenofear，tellinghimthathecamewithmuchwealthandwithagreatgiftforthePharaoh。Thepilot，therefore，pluckedupheart，andtookthehelm，andbetweenthetwogreathillsofblazingfirethevesselglidedintothesmoothwatersoftheRiverofEgypt，theflamesglitteringontheWanderer’smailashestoodbythemastandchantedtheSongoftheBow。
Then，bythecounselofthepilot，thevesselwassteereduptherivertowardstheTempleofHeraclesinTanis，wherethereisasanctuaryforstrangers，andwherenomanmayharmthem。Butfirst，thedeadSidonianswerecastoverboardintothegreatriver，forthedeadbodiesofmenareanabominationtotheEgyptians。AndaseachbodystruckthewatertheWanderersawahatefulsight，forthefaceoftheriverwaslashedintofoambythesuddenleapingandrushingofhugefour-footedfish，orsotheWandererdeemedthem。Thesoundoftheheavyplungingofthegreatwater-beasts，astheydartedforthontheprey，smitingateachotherwiththeirtails，andthegnashingoftheirjawswhentheybittooeagerly，andonlyharmedtheair，andtheleapofagreedysharpsnoutfromthewaves，evenbeforethedeadmancastfromtheshiphadquitetouchedthewater——thesethingswerehorribletoseeandhearthroughtheblacknessandbythefirelight。A
RiverofDeathitseemed，hauntedbythehorrorsthataresaidtopreyuponthesoulsandbodiesoftheDead。ForthefirsttimetheheartoftheWandererdiedwithinhim，atthehorrorofthedarknessandofthisdreadriverandofthewater-beaststhatdweltwithinit。Thenherememberedhowthebirdshadfledinterrorfromthisplace，andhebethoughthimoftheblood-redsea。
Whenthedeadmenwereallcastoverboardandtheriverwasoncemorestill，theWandererspoke，sickatheart，andinquiredofthepilotwhytheseahadrunsored，andwhetherwarwasintheland，andwhytherewasnightoverallthatcountry。Thefellowansweredthattherewasnowar，butpeace，yetthelandwasstrangelyplaguedwithfrogsandlocustsandliceinalltheircoasts，thesacredriverSihorrunningredforthreewholedays，andnow，atlast，forthisthethirdday，darknessoveralltheworld。Butastothecauseofthesecursesthepilotknewnothing，beingaplainman。OnlythestorywentamongthepeoplethattheGodswereangrywithKhemastheycallEgypt，whichindeedwaseasytosee，forthosethingscouldcomeonlyfromtheGods。Butwhytheywereangeredthepilotknewnot，stillitwascommonlythoughtthattheDivineHathor，theGoddessofLove，waswrothbecauseoftheworshipgiveninTanistoonetheycalledTHE
STRANGEHATHOR，agoddessorawomanofwonderfulbeauty，whoseTemplewasinTanis。Concerningherthepilotsaidthatmanyyearsago，somethirtyyears，shehadfirstappearedinthecountry，comingnoneknewwhence，andhadbeenworshippedinTanis，andhadagaindepartedasmysteriouslyasshecame。Butnowshehadoncemorechosentoappearvisibletomen，strangely，andtodwellinhertemple；andthemenwhobeheldhercoulddonothingbutworshipherforherbeauty。Whethershewasamortalwomanoragoddessthepilotdidnotknow，onlyhethoughtthatshewhodwellsinAtarhechis，HathorofKhem，theQueenofLove，wasangrywiththestrangeHathor，andhadsentthedarknessandtheplaguestopunishthemwhoworshippedher。ThepeopleoftheseaboardalsomurmuredthatitwouldbewelltopraytheStrangeHathortodepartoutoftheircoasts，ifshewereagoddess；andifshewereawomantostoneherwithstones。ButthepeopleofTanisvowedthattheywouldratherdie，oneandall，thandoaughtbutadoretheincomparablebeautyoftheirstrangeGoddess。Othersagain，heldthattwowizards，leadersofcertainslavesofastrangerace，wanderersfromthedesert，settledinTanis，whomtheycalledtheApura，causedallthesesorrowsbyart-magic。Asif，forsooth，saidthepilot，thosebarbarianslavesweremorepowerfulthanallthepriestsofEgypt。Butforhispart，thepilotknewnothing，onlythatiftheDivineHathorwereangrywiththepeopleofTanisitwashardthatshemustplagueallthelandofKhem。
Sothepilotmurmured，andhistalewasnoneoftheshortest；butevenashespokethedarknessgrewlessdarkandthecloudliftedalittlesothattheshoresoftherivermightbeseeninagreenlightlikethelightofHades，andpresentlythenightwasrolleduplikeaveil，anditwaslivingnoondayinthelandofKhem。Thenallthenoiseoflifebrokeforthinonemoment，thekinelowing，thewindswayingthefeatherypalms，thefishsplashinginthestream，mencryingtoeachotherfromtheriverbanks，andthevoiceofmultitudesofpeopleineveryredtemplepraisingRa，theirgreatGod，whosedwellingistheSun。TheWanderer，too，praisedhisownGods，andgavethankstoApollo，andtoHeliosHyperion，andtoAphrodite。Andintheendthepilotbroughttheshiptothequayofagreatcity，andthereacrewofoarsmenwashired，andtheyspedrejoicinginthesunlight，throughacanaldugbythehandsofmen，toTanisandtheSanctuaryofHeracles，theSafetyofStrangers。Theretheshipwasmoored，theretheWandererrested，havingagoodwelcomefromtheshavenpriestsofthetemple。
Strangenewsfliesfast。ItwasnotlongbeforethePharaoh，whothenwaswithhisCourtinTanis，thenewlyrebuildedcity，heardhowtherehadcometoKhemamanlikeagod，wearinggoldenarmour，andcruisingaloneinashipofthedead。IntheseyearsthewhitebarbariansoftheseaandoftheisleswerewonttolandinEgypt，toravagethefields，carrywomencaptive，andflyagainintheirships。ButnotoneofthemhaddaredtosailinthearmouroftheAquaiusha，astheEgyptiansnamedtheAch？ans，rightuptherivertothecityofPharaoh。TheKing，therefore，wasamazedatthestory，andwhenheheardthatthestrangerhadtakensanctuaryintheTempleofHeracles，hesentinstantlyforhischiefcounsellor。ThiswashisMasterBuilder，whoboreahightitleintheland，anancientpriestnamedRei。HehadservedthroughthelongreignoftheKing’sfather，thedivineRamesestheSecond，andhewasbelovedbothofMeneptahandofMeriamunhisQueen。HimtheKingchargedtovisittheSanctuaryandbringthestrangerbeforehim。SoReicalledforhismule，androdedowntotheTempleofHeraclesbeyondthewalls。
WhenReicamethither，apriestwentbeforehimandledhimtothechamberwherethewarriorchancedtobeeatingthelilybreadoftheland，anddrinkingthewineoftheDelta。HeroseasReientered，andhewasstillcladinhisgoldenarmour，forasyethehadnotanychangeofraiment。Besidehim，onabronzetripod，layhishelmet，theAch？anhelmet，withitstwohornsandwiththebronzespear-pointstillfastinthegold。
TheeyesofReithePriestfellonthehelmet，andhegazedsostrangelyatitthathescarcelyheardtheWanderer’ssalutation。Atlengthheanswered，courteously，butalwayshiseyeswanderedbacktothebrokenspear-point。
“Isthisthine，myson？“heasked，takingitinhishand，whilehisvoicetrembled。
“Itismyown，“saidtheWanderer，“thoughthespear-pointinitwaslentmeoflate，inreturnforarrowsnotafewandcertainsword-