greatest, but is also considered to be the most beautiful city in Neuroomia."
I wondered why it was not the capital. She said this was principally owing to a legend of Atazatlan, and also to the fact that the latter had been the first and only capital of the continent, and on this account the people were reluctant to make a change. I felt curious concerning the legend, and inquired if it were true. She answered, that was a difficult matter to determine, but whether true or false (believed in the main to be true), it had a powerful influence, and for the better, over the people of Neuroomia for countless generations, even up to the present time.
I now felt more interested than ever, and begged her to relate it. She said it was long; however, that she would endeavour to give me an outline of it. She began in a soft, musical voice and suppressed tone, appearing as if some slight effort were required to control her emotions,—
"Very long, long ago, when the periods of sunshine and twilight were longer than now, Neuroomia was peopled by tribes who wandered by the great rivers and lakes, or made temporary camps near the sea-shore. It was then that the tribe of the Reni came and occupied a small clear-
