Best Fantasy Stories

Chapter 23 THE ISLAND OF FIRE

Chapter 23

THE ISLAND OF FIREAt last there appeared before us what seemed like a long line of

dull-red fires, and as we looked we could see bursts of flame at

fitful intervals, which shone out for a few moments and then died

away. Upon this now our whole attention was fixed; for it seemed as

though we were approaching our destination, and that this place was

the Island of Fire—a name which, from present appearances, was

fully justified. As we went on and drew steadily nearer, the mass

of glowing fire grew larger and brighter, and what at first had

seemed a line was broken up into different parts, one of which far

surpassed the others. This was higher in the air, and its shape was

that of a long, thin, sloping line, with a burning, glowing globule

at each end. It seemed like lava running down from the crater of a

volcano, and this appearance was made certainty on a nearer

approach; for we saw at the upper point, which seemed the crater,

an outburst of flame, followed by a new flow of the fiery stream.

In other places there were similar fires, but they were less

bright, either because they were smaller or more remote.

At length we heard beneath us the roar of breakers, and saw long

white lines of surf beating upon the shore. Our athaleb now

descended and alighted; we clambered to the ground, and I, taking

the grapple, fixed it securely between two sharp rocks. We were at

last on Magones, the Island of Fire.

The brightness of the aurora light had left us, but it needed

not this to show us the dismal nature of the land to which we had

come. It was a land of horror, where there was nothing but the

abomination of desolation—a land overstrewn with blasted fragments

of fractured lava-blocks, intermixed with sand, from which there

arose black precipices and giant mountains that poured forth rivers

of fire and showers of ashes and sheets of flame. A tremendous peak

arose before us, with a crest of fire and sides streaked with red

torrents of molten lava; between us and it there spread away a vast

expanse of impassable rocks—a scene of ruin and savage wildness

which cannot be described, and all around was the same drear and

appalling prospect. Here in the night-season—the season of darkness

and of awful gloom—we stood in this land of woe; and not one single

sign appeared of life save the life that we had brought with us. As

for food, it was vain to think of it. To search after it would be

useless. It seemed, indeed, impossible to move from the spot where

we were. Every moment presented some new discovery which added to

the horror of Magones.

But Almah was weary, for our flight had been long, and she

wished to rest. So I found a place for her where there was some

sand between two rocks, and here she lay down and went to sleep. I

sat at a little distance off on a shelf of the rock, with my back

against it, and here, after a little time, I also went to

sleep.

At length we awoke. But what a waking! There was no morning

dawn, no blessed returning light to greet our eyes. We opened our

eyes to the same scenes upon which we had closed them, and the

darkness was still deep and dense around us. Over us both there was

a sense of utter depression, and I was so deeply plunged into it

that I found it impossible to rouse myself, even for the sake of

saying words of cheer to Almah. I had brought a few fragments of

food, and upon these we made our breakfast; but there was the

athaleb to feed, and for him I found nothing, nor could I think of

anything—unless he could feed upon rocks and sand. Yet food for him

was a matter of the highest consequence, for he was all our support

and stay and hope; and if the monster were deprived of food he

might turn upon us and satisfy upon us his ravenous appetite. These

thoughts were painful indeed, and added to my despondency.

Suddenly I heard the sound of running water. I started away

toward the place from which the sound came, and found, only a

little distance off, a small brook trickling along on its way to

the shore. I called Almah, and we both drank and were

refreshed.

This showed an easy way to get to the shore, and I determined to

go there to see if there were any fish to be found. Shell-fish

might be there, or the carcasses of dead fish thrown up by the sea,

upon which the athaleb might feed. I left my pistol with Almah,

telling her to fire it if she heard me fire, for I was afraid of

losing my way, and therefore took this precaution. I left it lying

on the rock full-c****d, and directed her to point it in the air

and pull the trigger. It was necessary to take these precautions,

as of course she was quite ignorant of its nature. After this I

left her and tried to follow the torrent.

This, however, I soon found to be impossible, for the brook on

reaching a huge rock plunged underneath it and became lost to view.

I then went toward the shore as well as I could—now climbing over

sharp rocks, now going round them, until at length after immense

labor I succeeded in reaching the water. Here the scene was almost

as wild as the one I had left. There was no beach whatever—nothing

but a vast extent of wild fragments of fractured lava-blocks, which

were evidently the result of some comparatively recent convulsion

of nature, for their edges were still sharp, and the water had not

worn even those which were within its grasp to anything like

roundness, or to anything else than the jagged and shattered

outlines which had originally belonged to them. All the shore thus

consisted of vast rocky blocks, over which the sea beat in

foam.

Eager to find something, I toiled along this rocky shore for a

long distance, but without seeing any change. I was unwilling to go

back baffled, yet I was at length compelled to do so. But the

necessity of feeding the athaleb was pressing, and I saw that our

only course now would be to mount him again, leave this place, and

seek some other. But where could we go? That I could not imagine,

and could only conclude to trust altogether to the instinct of the

athaleb, which might guide him to places where he might obtain

food. Such a course would involve great risk for we might be

carried into the midst of vast flocks of these monsters; yet there

was nothing else to be done.

I now retraced my steps, and went for a long time near the sea.

At length I found a place where the walking was somewhat easier,

and went in this way up into the island and away from the sea. It

seemed to lead in the direction where I wished to go. At length it

seemed as if I had walked far enough, yet I could see no signs of

Almah. I shouted, but there was no answer. I shouted again and

again, but with the like result. Then I fired my rifle and

listened. In response there came the report of the pistol far away

behind me. It was evident that in coming back along the shore I had

passed by the place where Almah was. There was nothing now left but

to retrace my steps and this I accordingly did. I went back to the

shore, and returned on my steps, shouting all the time, until at

length I was rejoiced to hear the answering shout of Almah. After

this it was easy to reach her.

We now took up the grapple and once more mounted. The athaleb,

eager to be off, raised himself quickly in the air, and soon our

late resting-place was far behind. His flight was now different

from what it was before. Then he stood off in one straight line for

a certain fixed destination, as though under some guidance; for

though I did not direct him, still his long training had taught him

to fly to Magones. But now training and guidance were both wanting,

and the athaleb was left to the impulse of his hunger and the

guidance of his instinct; so he flew no longer in one undeviating

straight line, but rose high, and bent his head down low, and flew

and soared in vast circles, even as I have seen a vulture or a

condor sweep about while searching for food. All the while we were

drawing farther and farther away from the spot which we had

left.

We passed the lofty volcano; we saw more plainly the rivers of

molten lava; we passed vast cliffs and bleak mountains, all of

which were more terrific than all that we had left behind. Now the

darkness lessened, for the aurora was brightening in the sky, and

gathering up swiftly and gloriously all its innumerable beams, and

flashing forth its lustrous glow upon the world. To us this was

equal to the return of day; it was like a blessed dawn. Light had

come, and we rejoiced and were exceeding glad.

Now we saw before us, far beyond the black precipices, a broad

bay with sloping shores, and a wide beach which seemed like a beach

of sand. The surf broke here, but beyond the surf was the gentle

sandy declivity, and beyond this there appeared the shores, still

rocky and barren and desolate, but far preferable to what we had

left behind. Far away in the interior arose lofty mountains and

volcanoes, while behind us flamed the burning peak which we had

passed.

Here the athaleb wheeled in long, circuitous flights, which grew

lower and lower, until at length he descended upon the sandy beach,

where I saw a vast sea-monster lying dead. It had evidently been

thrown up here by the sea. It was like one of those monsters which

I had seen from the galley of the Kohen at the time of the sacred

hunt. By this the athaleb descended, and at once began to devour

it, tearing out vast masses of flesh, and exhibiting such voracity

and strength of jaw that I could scarcely bear to look upon the

sight. I fastened the grapple securely to the head of the dead

monster, and leaving the athaleb to feed upon it, Almah and I went

up the beach.

On our way we found rocks covered with sea-w**d, and here we

sought after shell-fish. Our search was at length rewarded, for

suddenly I stumbled upon a place where I found some lobsters. I

grasped two of these, but the others escaped. Here at last I had

found signs of life, but they were of the sea rather than of the

shore. Delighted with my prey, I hastened to Almah to show them to

her. She recognized them at once, and I saw that they were familiar

to her. I then spoke of eating them, but at this proposal she

recoiled in horror. She could not give any reason for her

repugnance, but merely said that among her people they were

regarded as something equivalent to vermin, and I found that she

would no more think of eating one than I would think of eating a

rat. Upon this I had to throw them away, and we once more resumed

our search.

At last we came to a place where numbers of dead fish lay on the

sand. Nearer the water they were more fresh, and not at all

objectionable. I picked up a few which looked like our common

smelt, and found that Almah had no objection to these. But now the

question arose how to cook them; neither of us could eat them raw.

A fire was necessary, yet a fire was impossible; for on the whole

island there was probably not one single combustible thing. Our

discovery, therefore, seemed to have done us but little good, and

we seemed destined to starvation, when fortunately a happy thought

suggested itself. In walking along I saw far away the glow of some

lava which had flowed to the shore at the end of the sandy beach,

and was probably cooling down at the water's edge. Here, then, was

a natural fire, which might serve us better than any contrivance of

our own, and toward this we at once proceeded. It was about two

miles away; but the beach was smooth, and we reached the place

without any difficulty.

Here we found the edge of that lava flood which seemed eternally

descending from the crater beyond. The edge which was nearest the

water was black; and the liquid fire, as it rolled down, curled

over this in a fantastic shape, cooling and hardening into the form

which it thus assumed. Here, after some search, I found a crevice

where I could approach the fire, and I laid the fish upon a crimson

rock, which was cooling and hardening into the shape of a vast

ledge of lava. In this way, by the aid of nature, the fish were

broiled, and we made our repast.

There was nothing here to invite a longer stay, and we soon

returned to the athaleb. We found the monster, gorged with food,

asleep, resting upon his hind legs, with his breast supported

against the vast carcass. Almah called it a jantannin. It was about

sixty feet in length and twenty in thickness, with a vast horny

head, ponderous jaws, and back covered with scales. Its eyes were

of prodigious size, and it had the appearance of a crocodile, with

the vast size of a whale. It was unlike a crocodile, however; for

it had fins rather than paws, and must have been as clumsy on the

land as a seal or a walrus. It lay on its side, and the athaleb had

fed itself from the uncovered flesh of its belly.

There was nothing here to induce us to stay, and so we wandered

along the beach in the other direction. On our right was the bay;

on our left the rocky shore, which, beginning at the beach, ran

back into the country, a waste of impassable rocks, where not a

tree or plant or blade of grass relieved the appalling desolation.

Once or twice we made an attempt to penetrate into the country,

where openings appeared. These openings seemed like the beds of

dried-up torrents. We were able to walk but a few paces for

invariably we would come to some immense blocks of rock, which

barred all farther progress. In this way we explored the beach for

miles, until it terminated in a savage promontory that rose

abruptly from the sea against which the huge billows broke in

thunder.

Then we retraced our steps, and again reached the spot where the

athaleb was asleep by the jantannin. Almah was now too weary to

walk any farther, nor was it desirable to do so; for, indeed, we

had traversed all that could be visited. On one side of the beach

was the sea, on the other the impassable rocks; at one end the

promontory, at the other the lava fires. There was nothing more for

us to do but to wait here until the athaleb should awake, and then

our actions would depend upon what we might now decide.

This was the question that was now before us, and this we began

to consider. We both felt the most unspeakable aversion for the

island, and to remain here any longer was impossible. We would once

more have to mount the athaleb, and proceed to some other shore.

But where? Ah! there was the question! Not on the island, for it

did not seem possible that in all its extent there could be one

single spot capable of affording a resting-place. Layelah's

information with regard to Magones had made that much plain. I had

not taken in her full meaning, but now mine eyes had seen it. Yet

where else could we go? Almah could not tell where under the sky

lay that land which she loved; I could not guess where to go to

find the land of the Orin. Even if I did know, I did not feel able

to guide the course of the athaleb; and I felt sure that if we were

to mount again, the mighty monster would wing his flight back to

the very place from which we had escaped—the amir. These thoughts

weighed down our spirits. We felt that we had gained nothing by our

flight, and that our future was dark indeed. The only hope left us

was that we might be able to guide the course of the athaleb in

some different direction altogether, so that we should not be

carried back to the Kosekin.

And now, worn out by the long fatigues of this jom, we thought

of sleep. Almah lay down upon the sand, and I seated myself,

leaning against a rock, a little distance off, having first

reloaded my rifle and pistol.