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56 The hour of departure came, and Rama and his small following left Ayodhya's walls. On the first day's journey crowds followed them, even to the banks of a river where they encamped for the night; but Rama and his party rose early in the morning, while others slept; and, crossing the river, they so guided their course that the people lost track of them, and returned, bewildered and weeping, to their homes. Then Rama and the others, faring swiftly on through the land of Kosala, crossed the river Gomati, and, casting a last glance towards Ayodhya, bade the city a long farewell.

When they came to the swift-flowing Ganges they were met by Guha, king of the Nishadas, who sent for boats to convey them across. They then went on to the place where the Yamuna—now called Jumna—joins the Ganges; here stands now the town of Allahabad, much esteemed by Hindus as a place of pilgrimage. Near the confluence of these rivers lived a holy sage; him Rama and his companions visited, and he counselled them to seek Chitrakuta—"Peak of many colours"—as an hermitage. Thither, accordingly, on the next day they bent their course. Rama bade Lakshman prepare a cottage thatched with leaves, and offerings were made to gain the good-will of the various gods. So fair was the spot that in its varied charms the exiles well-nigh forgot the sorrows of their fate.

Sumantra, the chief counsellor, who had accompanied them for some distance, left them ere they reached their goal, and regained Ayodhya on the third day after leaving them. All was sad and drear in the city, deserted by him who had been the light of