e sky; and when he came over the mountain, it seemed to
him that he went through the fairest and most level regions that man ever
yet beheld, on the other side of the mountain. And he saw large and
mighty rivers descending from the mountain to the sea, and towards the
mouths of the rivers he proceeded. And as he journeyed thus, he came to
the mouth of the largest river ever seen. And he beheld a great city at
the entrance of the river, and a vast castle in the city, and he saw many
high towers of various colours in the castle. And he saw a fleet at the
mouth of the river, the largest ever seen. And he saw one ship among the
fleet; larger was it by far, and fairer than all the others. Of such
part of the ship as he could see above the water, one plank was gilded
and the other silvered over. He saw a bridge of the bone of the whale
from the ship to the land, and he thought that he went along the bridge
and came into the ship. And a sail was hoisted on the ship, and along
the sea and the ocean was it borne. Then it seemed that he came to the
fairest island in the whole world, and he traversed the island from sea
to sea, even to the farthest shore of the island. Valleys he saw, and
steeps, and rocks of wondrous height, and rugged precipices. {118a} Never
yet saw he the like. And thence he beheld an island in the sea, facing
this rugged {118b} land. And between him and this island was a country
of which the plain was as large as the sea, the mountain as vast as the
wood. And from the mountain he saw a river that flowed through the land
and fell into the sea. And at the mouth of the river, he beheld a
castle, the fairest that man ever saw, and the gate of the castle was
open, and he went into the castle. And in the castle he saw a fair hall
of which the roof seemed to be all gold, the walls of the hall seemed to
be entirely of glittering precious gems, the doors all seemed to be of
gold. Golden seats he saw in the hall, and silver tables. And on a seat
opposite to him, he beheld two auburn-haired youths playing at chess. He
saw a silver board for the chess, and golden pieces thereon. The
garments of the youths were of jet black satin, and chaplets of ruddy
gold bound their hair, whereon were sparkling jewels of great price,
{119} rubies, and gems, alternately with imperial stones. Buskins of new
cordovan leather on their feet, fastened by slides of red gold.

{Picture: p118.jpg}

And beside a pillar in th