Now at the king's command the bearers bore him across the sere plateau
towards a stone that lay almost in its centre. Presently they halted,
and, pointing to this mass, the king said:--

"Behold the god!"

Owen advanced and examined the object. A glance told him that this god
of the Amasuka was a meteoric stone of unusual size. Most of such stones
are mere shapeless lumps, but this one bore a peculiar resemblance to
a seated human being holding up one arm towards the sky. So strange was
this likeness that, other reasons apart, it seemed not wonderful that
savages should regard the thing with awe and veneration. Rather would it
have been wonderful had they not done so.

"Say now," said Owen to the king when he had inspected the stone, "what
is the history of this dumb god of yours, and why do you worship him?"

"Follow me across the stream and I will tell you, Messenger," answered
the king, again glancing at the sky. "The storm gathers, and when it
breaks none are safe upon this plain except the heaven doctors such as
Hokosa and his companions who can bind the lightning."

So they went and when they reached the further side of the stream Umsuka
descended from his litter.

"Messenger," he said, "this is the story of the god as it has come down
to us. From the beginning our land has been scourged with lightning
above all other lands, and with the floods of rain that accompany the
lightning. In the old days the Great Place of the king was out yonder
among the mountains, but every year fire from heaven fell upon it,