188

You hand over your money to the ferryman and take a place at the bow. As you wait for the vessel to cast off, you look around at your fellow travellers and notice that most are merchants with wagons and handcarts loaded with goods destined for the markets of Tiklu. It is a short voyage of 20 miles across the strait. When the ferry approaches the landing jetty, your fellow passengers get ready to leave. As they disembark, one merchant’s small cart is overturned and his cargo is spilled onto the shore. The other merchants push past him, but you feel sorry for his plight and you help to calm his carthorse and retrieve his goods. He is very grateful for your assistance and he offers you a ride to Tiklu aboard his cart which you willingly accept.

Turn to 197.