we counted ourselves for lost; for, having been
carried straight away these many days, we expected nothing but that we
would come soon to that dark and dreadful place which is the end of all
land and all seas."

"Isn't it wonderful?" whispered the girl.

Curlie was too much absorbed to answer her.

"When we had given up all hope," he read on, "Markus Laplone, a very old
seaman, said we were nearing some land.

"We took soundings and found it forty fathoms. Then again it was thirty.
Then with hopeful hearts we looked for that land. But when at last it
broke through the fog it was no land that any of the men had seen, no,
not the oldest seaman.

"But fearing to be cast upon rocks, we kept a good watch that we might
find some harbor. At last we were rewarded, for to the right of us there
was a river flowing into the sea.

"The storm having somewhat abated, we took oars, such as had not been
broken by the storm, and some with two men to the oar and some with but
one, we made shift to enter this river; having accomplished which, we
dropped anchor and gave thanks to God for the preservation of our lives.

"Now, on coming on shore we found this to be indeed a strange land. Not
alone were the trees and all vegetation of a sort unknown to us, but the
barbarians who came about us were of a complexion such as not one man of
us had ever before beheld.

"And, what was more astounding, as we made a fire to cook us food, there
passed by us bearing on their backs strangely woven baskets, a caravan
of these half-naked barbarians. And, when we motioned to show them we
would see within his basket, one of these lowered his basket.

"What we saw astounded us much, for it was all filled with finely-beaten
gold. The fellow had as much of it as a stout sailor would be able to
carry. And there were many such baskets.

"When I made as though I would take the gold, he became very angry, and
would have struck me down with an ugly spear which he bore.

"But when I laughed, making as though it were a joke, he gave me a small
piece, the which is at this time in my possession, as proof that what I
have written here is truth and no lie.

"Now this island I have shown on the map, the nether side upon which I
am writing, as a star with six points to it; though the shore marking
nor the extent of the island is as yet unknown to any but those
barbarians who live upon it."

There ended the main portion of the story, but in a bracket at the