Part 22 (1/2)
After seeing and hearing these things, the crew sailed away from the island as quickly as they were able, into the open ocean, for they felt quite sure that the mult.i.tude they saw was a gathering of demons.
A s.p.a.cious isle of meadowy plains, with a broad and sandy sh.o.r.e: Two bold and trusty spies are sent, its wonders to explore.
Mysterious signs, strange, awful sights, now meet the wanderers'
eyes: Vast hoof-marks, and the traces dire of men of monstrous size: And lo! on the sea, in countless hosts, their shadowy forms expand; They pa.s.s the affrighted sailors by, and like demons they rush to land; They mount their steeds, and the race is run, in the midst of h.e.l.l's uproar: Then the wanderers quickly raise their sails, and leave the accursed sh.o.r.e.
FOOTNOTES:
[LXXII.] See note, page 128.
CHAPTER VII.
THE PALACE OF SOLITUDE.
They suffered much from hunger and thirst this time, for they sailed a whole week without making land; but at the end of that time they came in sight of a high island, with a large and very splendid house on the beach near the water's edge. There were two doors--one turned inland, and the other facing the sea; and the door that looked towards the sea was closed with a great flat stone. In this stone was an opening, through which the waves, as they beat against the door every day, threw numbers of salmon into the house.
The voyagers landed, and went through the whole house without meeting any one. But they saw in one large room an ornamented couch, intended for the head of the house, and in each of the other rooms was a larger one for three members of the family: and there was a cup of crystal on a little table before each couch. They found abundance of food and ale, and they ate and drank till they were satisfied, thanking G.o.d for having relieved them from hunger and thirst.
Aloft, high towering o'er the ocean's foam, The s.p.a.cious mansion rears its glittering dome.
Each day the billows, through the marble door, Shoot living salmon floundering on the floor.
Couches that lure the sailors to recline, Abundant food, brown ale, and sparkling wine; Tables and chairs in order duly placed, With crystal cups and golden goblets graced.
But not a living soul the wanderers found; 'Twas silence all and solitude profound.
They eat and drink, give thanks, then hoist their sail, And skim the deep once more, obedient to the gale.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE ISLAND OF THE WONDERFUL APPLE TREE.
After leaving this, they suffered again from hunger, till they came to an island with a high hill round it on every side. A single apple tree grew in the middle, very tall and slender, and all its branches were in like manner exceedingly slender, and of wonderful length, so that they grew over the hill and down to the sea.
When the s.h.i.+p came near the island, Maildun caught one of the branches in his hand. For three days and three nights the s.h.i.+p coasted the island, and during all this time he held the branch, letting it slide through his hand, till on the third day he found a cl.u.s.ter of seven apples on the very end. Each of these apples supplied the travellers with food and drink for forty days and forty nights.
CHAPTER IX.
THE ISLAND OF BLOODTHIRSTY QUADRUPEDS.
A beautiful island next came in view, in which they saw, at a distance, mult.i.tudes of large animals shaped like horses. The voyagers, as they drew near, viewed them attentively, and soon observed that one of them opened his mouth and bit a great piece out of the side of the animal that stood next him, bringing away skin and flesh. Immediately after, another did the same to the nearest of his fellows. And, in short, the voyagers saw that all the animals in the island kept worrying and tearing each other from time to time in this manner; so that the ground was covered far and wide with the blood that streamed from their sides.