the sea.

In the strong light of the morning sun the shadow of that mountain is
cast over the great sea of ocean further than a swift ship may sail
with a fair wind in two days and two nights; and a man placed on the
peak shall see that shadow suddenly rise up from the sea and stand over
against the mountain, dark and menaceful, like the lost soul of a
mountain bearing testimony against its body before the judgment-seat of
God; and this is a very awful sight.

Now, having preached the Gospel, the Sea-farers strengthened their ship
and launched into the deep after the third Eastertide, and having
comforted the people, because they were grieved and mournful at their
departure, they left them in the keeping of the risen Lord, and
continued their seeking.

After this Brother Benedict, the oldest monk of their company, fell ill
with grievous sickness, and sorely the Sea-farers longed for some shore
where he might feel the good earth solid and at rest beneath him, and
see the green of growing things, and have the comfort of stillness and
silence.

With astonishing patience he bore his malady, at no time repining, and
speaking never a word of complaint. When he was asked if he repented
him of the adventure, he smiled gently. "Fain, indeed," he said,
"would I be laid to rest beneath the grass of our own garth, where the
dear brethren, passing and repassing in the cloister, might look where
I lay and say an 'Our Father' for my soul. Yet in no way do I repent
of our sailing, for we have seen the marvellous works of God; and if
the Lord vouchsafe to be merciful to me, it may be that I shall see the
Heavenly Paradise before you find the Earthly." "God grant it, dear
brother," said Serapion.

On an afternoon they came to a small island walled about with high
cliffs, red and brown, and at the foot of the cliffs a narrow beach of
ruddy sand; but on the rocks grew no green thing, lichen or moss or
grass or shrub, and no sweet water came bickering down into the sea.

On landing they discovered a gully in the cliffs which led inland, and
straightway explorers were sent to spy what manner of land it was
whereon they had fallen. Within the very mouth of the narrow pass they
came upon a small ship hollowed out of a tree gigantic, but it was
rotten and dry as touchwood, and wasting into dust. Within the ship
lay the bones of a man, stretched out as though he had died in sleep.
Outside the ship lay the bones of two others. T