No towers or steeples or domes showed above the enclosure,
nor was any living thing to be seen as our friends drew near.
Suddenly, as they were about to boldly enter through the opening,
there arose a harsh clamor of sound that swelled and echoed on every
side, until they were nearly deafened by the racket and had to put
their fingers to their ears to keep the noise out.
It was like the firing of many cannon, only there were no cannon-balls
or other missiles to be seen; it was like the rolling of mighty
thunder, only not a cloud was in the sky; it was like the roar of
countless breakers on a rugged seashore, only there was no sea or
other water anywhere about.
They hesitated to advance; but, as the noise did no harm, they entered
through the whitewashed wall and quickly discovered the cause of the
turmoil. Inside were suspended many sheets of tin or thin iron, and
against these metal sheets a row of donkeys were pounding their heels
with vicious kicks.
The shaggy man ran up to the nearest donkey and gave the beast a sharp
blow with his switch.
"Stop that noise!" he shouted; and the donkey stopped kicking the
metal sheet and turned its head to look with surprise at the shaggy
man. He switched the next donkey, and made him stop, and then the
next, so that gradually the rattling of heels ceased and the awful
noise subsided.
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