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d leagues of flowers there rose a smell which lucy found it very hard to describe； sweet … yes； but not at all sleepy or overpowering； a fresh； wild； lonely smell that seemed to get into your brain and make you feel that you could go up mountains at a run or wrestle with an elephant。 she and caspian said to one another； 〃i feel that i cant stand much more of this； yet i dont want it to stop。”
they took soundings very often but it was only several days later that the water became shallower。 after that it went on getting shallower。 there came a day when they had to row out of the current and feel their way forward at a snails pace； rowing。 and soon it was clear that the dawn treader could sail no further east。 indeed it was only by very clever handling that they saved her from grounding。
〃lower the boat；〃 cried caspian； 〃and then call the men aft。 i must speak to them。”
〃whats he going to do？〃 whispered eustace to edmund。 〃theres a queer look in his eyes。”
〃i think we probably all look the same；〃 said edmund。
they joined caspian on the poop and soon all the men were crowded together at the foot of the ladder to hear the kings speech。 〃friends；〃 said caspian； 〃we have now fulfilled the quest on which you embarked。 the seven lords are all accounted for and as sir reepicheep has sworn never to return； when you reach ramandus land you will doubtless find the lords revilian and argoz and mavramorn awake。 to you； my lord drinian； i entrust this ship； bidding you sail to narnia with all the speed you may； and above all not to land on the island of deathwater。 and instruct my regent； the dwarf trumpkin； to give to all these； my shipmates； the rewards i promised them。 they have been earned well。 and if i e not again it is my will that the regent； and master cornelius； and trufflehunter the badger； and the lord drinian choose a king of narnia with the consent…”
〃but； sire；〃 interrupted drinian； 〃are you abdicating？”
〃i am going with reepicheep to see the worlds end；〃 said caspian。
a low murmur of dismay ran through the sailors。
〃we will take the boat；〃 said caspian。 〃you will have no need of it in these gentle seas and you must build a new one in ramandus island。 and now…”
〃caspian；〃 said edmund suddenly and sternly； 〃you cant do this。”
〃most certainly；〃 said reepicheep； 〃his majesty cannot。”
〃no indeed；〃 said drinian。
〃cant？〃 said caspian sharply； looking for a moment not unlike his uncle miraz。
〃begging your majestys pardon；〃 said rynelf from the deck below； 〃but if one of us did the same it would be called deserting。”
〃you presume too much on your long service； rynelf；〃 said caspian。
〃no； sire！ hes perfectly right；〃 said drinian。
〃by the mane of aslan；〃 said caspian； 〃i had thought you were all my subjects here； not my schoolmasters。”
〃im not；〃 said edmund； 〃and i say you can not do this。”
〃cant again；〃 said caspian。 〃what do you mean？”
〃if it please your majesty； we mean shall not；〃 said reepicheep with a very low bow。
〃you are the king of narnia。 you break faith with all your subjects； and especially with trumpkin； if you do not return。 you shall not please yourself with adventures as if you were a private person。 and if your majesty will not hear reason it will be the truest loyalty of every man on board to follow me in disarming and binding you till you e to your senses。”
〃quite right；〃 said edmund。 〃like they did with ulysses when he wanted to go near the sirens。”
caspians hand had gone to his sword hilt； when lucy said； 〃and youve almost promised ramandus daughter to go back。”
caspian paused。 〃well； yes。 there is that；〃 he said。 he stood irresolute for a moment and then shouted out to the ship in general。
〃well； have your way。 the quest is ended。 we all return。 get the boat up again。”
〃sire；〃 said reepicheep； 〃we do not all return。 i； as i explained before …”
〃silence！〃 thundered caspian。 〃ive been lessoned but ill not be baited。 will no one silence that mouse？”
〃your majesty promised；〃 said reepicheep； 〃to be good lord to the talking beasts of narnia。”
〃talking beasts； yes；〃 said caspian。 〃i said nothing about beasts that never stop talking。”
and he flung down the ladder in a temper and went into the cabin； slamming the door。
but when the others rejoined him a little later they found him changed； he was white and there were tears in his eyes。
〃its no good；〃 he said。 〃i might as well have behaved decently for all the good i did with my temper and swagger。 aslan has spoken to me。 no … i dont mean he was actually here。
he wouldnt fit into the cabin； for one thing。 but that gold lions head on the wall came to life and spoke to me。 it was terrible his eyes。 not that he was at all rough with me … only a bit stern at first。 but it was terrible all the same。 and he said … he said … oh； i cant bear it。
the worst thing he could have said。 youre to go on … reep and edmund； and lucy； and eustace； and im to go back。 alone。 and at once。 and what is the good of anything？”
〃caspian； dear；〃 said lucy。 〃you knew wed have to go back to our own world sooner or later。”
〃yes；〃 said caspian with a sob； 〃but this is sooner。”
〃youll feel better when you get back to ramandus island；〃 said lucy。
he cheered up a little later on； but it was a grievous parting oo both sides and i will not dwell on it。 about two oclock in the afternoon； well victualled and watered （though they thought they would need neither food nor drink） and with reepicheeps coracle on board； the boat pulled away from the dawn treader to row through the endless carpet of lilies。
the dawn trader flew all her flags and hung out her shields to honour their departure。
tall and big and homelike she looked from their low position with the lilies all round them。 and before she was out of sight they saw her turn and begin rowing slowly westward。 yet though lucy shed a few tears； she could not feel it as much as you might have expected。 the light； the silence； the tingling smell of the silver sea； even （in some odd way） the loneliness itself； were too exciting。
there was no need to row； for the current drifted them steadily to the east。 none of them slept or ate。 all that night and all next day they glided eastward； and when the third day dawned … with a brightness you or i could not bear even if we had dark glasses on … they saw a wonder ahead。 it was as if a wall stood up between them and the sky； a greenish…grey； trembling； shimmering wall。 then up came the sun； and at its first rising they saw it through the wall and it turned into wonderful rainbow colours。 then they knew that the wall was really a long； tall wave … a wave endlessly fixed in one place as you may often see at the edge of a waterfall。 it seemed to be about thirty feet high； and the current was gliding them swiftly towards it。 you might have supposed they would have thought of their danger。 they didnt。 i dont think anyone could have in their position。 for now they saw something not only behind the wave but behind the sun。 they could not have seen even the sun if their eyes had not been strengthened by the water of the last