Volume II Part 41 (1/2)

Said Babbalanja, bowing to the blast: ”Thus, oh Vivenza! retribution works! Though long delayed, it coment, with all her bolts”

Now, a current seized us, and like three darts, our keels sped eastward, through a narrow strait, far in, upon a smooth expanse, an inland ocean, without a throb

On our left, Porpheero's southwest point, a alleries within, deck on deck; and flag-staffs, like an admiral's masts: a line-of-battle-shi+p, all purple stone, and anchored in the sea Here Bello's lion crouched; and, through a thousand port-holes, eyed the world

On our right, Halea the opposing strand

”How vain to say, that progress is the test of truth, my lord,” said Babbalanja, ”when, aftershi+ne, and count a devotee for every worshi+per of yonder crosses

Truth and Merit have other symbols than success; and in this mortal race, all competitors may enter; and the field is clear for all Side by side, Lies run with Truths, and fools ise; but, like geoh they pierce infinity, never may they join”

Over that tideless sea we sailed; and landed right, and landed left; but the ained the water's lireat pointed masses, croith halos

”Granite continents,” cried Babbalanja, ”that seem created like the planets, not built with human hands Lo, Landmarks! upon whose flanks Time leaves its traces, like old tide-rips of diluvian seas”

As, after wandering round and round some purple dell, deep in a boundless prairie's heart, the baffled hunter plunges in; then, despairing, turns once ain the open plain; even so we seekers now curved round our keels; and froain before us; our quest, as wide

CHAPTER LXV Sailing On

Morning dawned upon the saoon as erst; and all the lands that we had passed, since leaving Piko's shore of spears, were faded froht

Part and parcel of the Mardian isles, they formed a cluster by themselves; like the Pleiades, that shi+ne in Taurus, and are eclipsed by the red splendor of his fiery eye, and the thick clusterings of the constellations round

And as in Orion, to souese,--this Earth's four quarters show but four points afar; so, seem they to terrestrial eyes, that broadly sweep the spheres

And, as the sun, by influence divine, wheels through the Ecliptic; threading Cancer, Leo, Pisces, and Aquarius; so, by soh the groups in white-reefed Mardi's zone

Oh, reader, list! I've chartless voyaged With compass and the lead, we had not found these Mardian Isles Those who boldly launch, cast off all cables; and turning from the common breeze, that's fair for all, with their own breath, fill their own sails Hug the shore, naught new is seen; and ”Land ho!” at last was sung, when a neorld was sought

That voyager steered his bark through seas, untracked before; ploughed his own path h with a heart that oft was heavy with the thought, that he rope where land was none

So I

And though essaying but a sportive sail, I was driven fro, and bowed to the brunt of things before ale;--hard have I striven to keep stout heart

And if it harder be, than e'er before, to find new climes, when now our seas have oft been circled by ten thousand prows,--ht, is stranger far than his, who stretched his vans froaze round, with olden Aztec glades

But fiery yearnings their own phantom-future make, and dee trances, the verdict be, the golden haven was not gained;--yet, in bold quest thereof, better to sink in boundless deeps, than float on vulgar shoals; and give me, ye Gods, an utter wreck, if wreck I do

CHAPTER LXVI A Flight Of Nightingales From Yoomy's Mouth

By noon, down caood Neeva! kind Neeva! thy sweet breath, dear Neeva!”