)
converting people into beasts and minerals; (11) foretelling the
future by palmistry, pyromancy, hydromancy, astrology, etc.; (12)
conjuring up all manner of spirits antagonistic to men's moral
progress, _i.e._ Vice Elementals--Vagrarians, Barrowvians, etc.

Taking every care to observe the greatest secrecy, Barrahneil caused a
full account of these interviews with Daramara, together with all the
instructions the latter had given him, to be transcribed in a book,
which he called _Brahnapotek_[14]--or the _Book of Mysteries_; and
which he kept sealed and guarded in a room in his palace.

During his lifetime no one held communication with Daramara saving
himself and his friends, but after his death the secret of black magic
leaked out; countless people sought to acquire it, and ultimately the
practice of it became universal. But the Atlanteans little knew the
danger they were incurring. The spirits they conjured up--though at
first subservient, that is to say, mere instruments--at length
obtained complete dominion over them--the whole race became steeped in
crime and vice of every kind--and so horrible were the enormities
perpetrated that, fearful lest Man should be entirely obliterated the
benevolent Occult Powers, after a desperate struggle with the
malevolent Occult Powers, succeeded, by means of a vast earthquake, in
submerging the Continent and hurling it to the bottom of the Atlantic
Ocean, where, what remains of it, now lies. This catastrophe took
place in the reign of Aboonirin, twentieth sovereign of the Dynasty of
Molonekin--three thousand years after the reign of Barrahneil.

So ran the history of Atlantis, or at least all of it that need be
quoted for the elucidation of this story. That Black Magic--the Black
Art of the Atlanteans was by no means dead--Hamar felt convinced, and
if Maitland could resuscitate it--why could not he? At any rate he
might try. He could lose nothing by giving it a trial--at least
nothing to speak of--the outlay on chemicals would be a mere
song--whereas, on the other hand, what might he not gain! He eagerly
perused the tests--the test he must impose upon himself before he
could get in touch with the Unknown, and acquire the magic
powers--which, according to Thomas Maitland, were copied from the
original Brahnapotek, and including a preface, ran as follows:
(_Preface_) "It is essential that the person desirous of being
initiated into the Black Art--the Art of communicating with t