they regained the sand. Huy found that he rather enjoyed the rough feel of the natron against his skin, and besides, the rubbing was heating him. He returned to the river with a new confidence to rinse off the salt, dried himself competently, and managed to tie his kilt around his waist without any assistance. Suddenly the boat erupted in a chorus of cheers and, startled, Huy realized that the sailors had been watching his efforts. He grinned, embarrassed but pleased. Ker produced a short stick of dried rush, peeled it, and crushed the end so it was splayed. Huy knew what it was for. Taking it, he brushed his teeth vigorously.
Ker handed him a tiny green faience bottle. “Civilized people perfume the mouth every morning. This is lemongrass in a base of ben oil. When you have cleaned your teeth, put one drop of it on your tongue. I will bring you more when I visit you.” This was a hopeful prospect. I have learned to wash myself, dress myself, and clean my teeth, all in one morning , Huy thought proudly, and with the surge of pride came a moment of self-assurance. Perhaps school won’t be so bad after all .
But his first sight of Iunu would have daunted any stranger to it, child or not. Long before Ker’s barge slowed and began to angle towards the east bank, three obelisks came into view, towering above the massive brick double walls that surrounded the inner city, and the roofs and upper pylons of the temples could also be glimpsed through a curtain of palm trees. Buildings of every description sprawled between the walls and the wide sweep of watersteps running the whole length of the environs, where the river could hardly be seen for the press of craft of every size moored to the dozens of posts protruding from the water. The watersteps themselves, gleaming in the mid-morning sun, were alive with a steady stream of people coming and going in between those sitting on the warm stone, eating or gossiping or simply enjoying the activity. Many paths led from the steps to one wide road that disappeared into the tightly packed jumble of houses in the direction of the wall. All the paths were thick with the flow of humanity.
Huy, standing on a box that raised him above the level of the guardrail, stared at the colourful scene in utter confusion as the rowers shipped their oars and the helmsman expertly guided the barge towards one narrow opening. “It’s time to put on your sandals,” Ker told him, and Huy obeyed, sitting on the deck and struggling to tie them as the barge swayed and rocked. One of the rowers lowered himself into the water and secured the vessel to a mooring post and four others ran out the ramp, turning to bring forward Ker’s litter that had been stowed against the cabin.
Ker took Huy’s hand. “It will be quieter and less crowded once we pass through the wall,” he said as together they gained the steps and waited while Huy’s bags were placed in the litter. “The buildings you see are mostly storehouses, the homes of the poor, and the stalls of merchants displaying their wares for the attention of pilgrims and visitors. The nobles and the rich of Iunu live well away from these watersteps. Their estates stretch to either side amongst sheltering trees and walled enclosures. Up you get!” Huy pulled himself over the edge of the litter and onto the cushions. It was obvious that the gods were not going to destroy the city so that he could go home.
It was indeed a relief to leave the noisy maelstrom of the watersteps behind. Huy had expected the centre of Iunu to resemble Hut-herib, a muddle of narrow, crooked streets jammed with donkeys, dogs, and people in no particular hurry to get anywhere, but Iunu was vast and ancient, its atmosphere one of solemn purpose and worshipful disposition, its air often hazed with the columns of incense pouring from the temples, its lordly thoroughfares thronged with white-clad priests, its markets thick with the servants of gods and nobles drifting from one laden
Ker handed him a tiny green faience bottle. “Civilized people perfume the mouth every morning. This is lemongrass in a base of ben oil. When you have cleaned your teeth, put one drop of it on your tongue. I will bring you more when I visit you.” This was a hopeful prospect. I have learned to wash myself, dress myself, and clean my teeth, all in one morning , Huy thought proudly, and with the surge of pride came a moment of self-assurance. Perhaps school won’t be so bad after all .
But his first sight of Iunu would have daunted any stranger to it, child or not. Long before Ker’s barge slowed and began to angle towards the east bank, three obelisks came into view, towering above the massive brick double walls that surrounded the inner city, and the roofs and upper pylons of the temples could also be glimpsed through a curtain of palm trees. Buildings of every description sprawled between the walls and the wide sweep of watersteps running the whole length of the environs, where the river could hardly be seen for the press of craft of every size moored to the dozens of posts protruding from the water. The watersteps themselves, gleaming in the mid-morning sun, were alive with a steady stream of people coming and going in between those sitting on the warm stone, eating or gossiping or simply enjoying the activity. Many paths led from the steps to one wide road that disappeared into the tightly packed jumble of houses in the direction of the wall. All the paths were thick with the flow of humanity.
Huy, standing on a box that raised him above the level of the guardrail, stared at the colourful scene in utter confusion as the rowers shipped their oars and the helmsman expertly guided the barge towards one narrow opening. “It’s time to put on your sandals,” Ker told him, and Huy obeyed, sitting on the deck and struggling to tie them as the barge swayed and rocked. One of the rowers lowered himself into the water and secured the vessel to a mooring post and four others ran out the ramp, turning to bring forward Ker’s litter that had been stowed against the cabin.
Ker took Huy’s hand. “It will be quieter and less crowded once we pass through the wall,” he said as together they gained the steps and waited while Huy’s bags were placed in the litter. “The buildings you see are mostly storehouses, the homes of the poor, and the stalls of merchants displaying their wares for the attention of pilgrims and visitors. The nobles and the rich of Iunu live well away from these watersteps. Their estates stretch to either side amongst sheltering trees and walled enclosures. Up you get!” Huy pulled himself over the edge of the litter and onto the cushions. It was obvious that the gods were not going to destroy the city so that he could go home.
It was indeed a relief to leave the noisy maelstrom of the watersteps behind. Huy had expected the centre of Iunu to resemble Hut-herib, a muddle of narrow, crooked streets jammed with donkeys, dogs, and people in no particular hurry to get anywhere, but Iunu was vast and ancient, its atmosphere one of solemn purpose and worshipful disposition, its air often hazed with the columns of incense pouring from the temples, its lordly thoroughfares thronged with white-clad priests, its markets thick with the servants of gods and nobles drifting from one laden
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