Soft spring verdure lay everywhere, and he drew courage and inspiration from the fact that the lower forms of creation neither sulked nor held back because the elements had been remorselessly cruel to them. Wherever there was enough soil to support plantlife, flowers and grasses put forth, and all nature was making a brave effort to swing back into harmony. Gautama walked with him, and so did an unseen host led by Akaza and Kerœcia. The Dorado wore all the insignia of his office. He had a cloth-of-gold robe, and a pale violet mantle. On his head was a high cap of the same color crested with jewels. There were jeweled sandals on his feet, and he carried a caduceus of silver running through a circle, which was a gold serpent with its tail in its mouth. At the foot of the pyramid Yermah found Alcyesta and her infant son waiting for his blessing. Beside her was Ildiko, in the white robes of a high-priestess, surrounded by the few vestals possible to the depleted numbers. Ben Hu Barabe, Hanabusa and Cezardis were ready to accompany him. Taking a handful of salt and holding the baby up to the sun with the left hand, Yermah spake: “By right of initiation, I name thee Gautamozin, and by the power of adeptship endow thee with Brotherhood inheritance. Thou shalt have a long line; but the last of thy name shall be as I am, a sacrifice to another order of being.” As Yermah ceased speaking, he sprinkled salt over the child’s face, and at this juncture a tamane approached leading Cibolo. With his disengaged arm Yermah drew the horse’s head down until its nose touched the baby’s soft cheek, and when Cibolo had tasted a morsel of the salt his master laid his face close to the horse’s jaw, and said softly: “Thou wilt be a good and faithful friend to Gautamozin, as thou hast been to me? Thine shalt be a name to conjure with—as thy love and obedience hath been worthy of example. Farewell, my comrade! Thy days shall be as the sunny hours.” From his breast Yermah drew the locket containing Kerœcia’s ring. Taking Alcyesta’s hand, he silently slipped it on her finger, while unchecked tears coursed down her cheeks. Turning to Ildiko, he handed her the locket. Facing them all, he said: “Be of good cheer! A long era of peace and prosperity is for thee and thine. Thou art saved from the floods for a divine purpose. Let this knowledge be thy secret refuge, lest thou be tempted to depart from the way.” At the water’s edge he embraced and blessed each one. “Grieve not for me. In the fullness of time I shall come again.” The young men went out on flower-laden rafts with him, and cast gold and emeralds into the sea in his honor. The stone of promise signified renewal after the cataclysm, and Yermah was El Dorado,—“_He of the golden heart_.” The men on the raft strained their vision to catch a last glimpse of the balsa, as it was known that he was going away for purification, and they believed implicitly that he would come again.