CHAPTER XIV.
IN WHICH KÉRABAN PROVES THAT HE IS STRONGER IN GEOGRAPHY THAN HIS NEPHEW AHMET BELIEVED.
The town of Kertsch is situated in the peninsula of that name at the eastern extremity of the Taurida. A hill on which formerly the Acropolis was situated dominates the town. This is Mount Mithridates, so called from the implacable enemy of the Romans, who failed to drive them from Asia. The polyglot ancient, audacious general and legendary poisoner has justly his place in the front of a city which was the capital of the kingdom of the Bosphorus. There that King of Pontus, that terrible Eupator, fell on the sword of a Gallic soldier, after having vainly tried to poison his iron frame which he had accustomed to poison.
This little historical summary Van Mitten gave his companions during a short halt. But the relation only called from Kéraban the remark,—
"Mithridates was a stupid blunderer."
"How so?" asked Van Mitten.
"If he had really desired to poison himself, all he had to do was to dine at that inn at Arabat."
After such a commentary as this Van Mitten could not proceed with his eulogy of Mithridates, but he made up his mind to visit the monarch's capital in the few hours left to him.
The chaise passed through the town and created considerable surprise amongst the inhabitants, in consequence of the pair of dromedaries. Ahmet's first care on arrival at the Hotel Constantine was to inquire whether horses could be had on the following morning, and to his great satisfaction ascertained that there was no lack of steeds in the stables of the post-house.
"It is fortunate," he said to his uncle, "that Seigneur Saffar has not taken all the relays."
