Traffics and discoveries Author:Rudyard Kipling Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE RUNNERS News' What is the word that they tell now—now—now The Httle drums beating in the bazaars ? They beat (among the buyers and sellers) "Nimrud... more »—ah Nimrud I God sends a gnat against Nimrud!'' Watchers, O Watchers a thousand! News? At the edge of the crops—-now—now—where the well-wheels are haltc, One prepares to loose the bullocks and one scrapes his hoe, They beat (among the sowers and the reapers) "Nimrud—an Nimrud I God prepares an ill day for Nimrud!" Watchers, O Watchers ten thousand. News! By the fires of the camps—now—now—where the travellers meet Where the camels come in and the horses: their men conferring, They beat (among the packmen and the drivers) "Nimrud—an Nimrud! Thus it befell last noon to Nimrud!' Watchers, O Watchers an hundred thousand! News ! Under the shadow of the border-peels—now—now—now! In the rocks of the passes where the expectant shoe their horses, They beat (among the rifles and the riders) "Nimrud—an Nimrud.' Shall we go up against Nimrudf" Watchers, O Watchers a thousand thousand I News/ Bring out the heaps of grain—open the account-books again! Drive forward the well-bullocks against the taxable harvest I Eat and lie under the trees—pitch the police-guarded fair-grounds Q dancers! Hide away the rifles and let down the ladders from the watch-tower I They beat (among all the peoples) '' Now—now—now I God has reserved the Sword for Nimrud t God has given Victory to Nimrud t" Let us abide under Nimrud !'' O Well-disposed and Heedful, an hundred thousand thoucand A SAHIBS' WAR PASS ? Pass ? Pass ? I have one pass already, allowing me to go by the rel from Kroonstadt to Eshtellenbosch, where the horses are, where I am to be paid off, and whence I return to India. I am a—trooper of the Gurga...« less