fire-pits that made the place shown to
me.

And to the left of the Gorge was an utter blackness, as I did conceive
of black and monstrous mountains, through which the Gorge did come. And
to the right side of the Gorge there were many low volcanoes, that went
always along the feet of the great mountains that made the right wall of
the Gorge. And I saw the feet of these dark mountains, because that the
light from the little volcanoes made a glare upon the lower slopes.

And so shall you have some knowing of that part of this second Land of
Night.

And a good way off, was the shining that I had journeyed unto, and the
shining went into a distant light through a part of the Land that lay
afar to my left, for it stretched a great and strange way toward me, out
of the leftward gloom, and came unto my front, and so away into an utter
distance. Yet, though it was so great, you shall not think that it made
any huge light in the Land; but was rather as that it had a shining made
unto other ends; for it made not a great lightness in the Land.

And you do now perceive something roughly how the Land did seem to my
back part and unto my left, and somewhat before my face. And because
that I did think to have no profit to my search, if that I went to the
left, I made attention unto the Right. And here there was much of
darkness; yet oft the shining of fire-holes in this place and that amid
the darkness. And, as I did look, it grew very plain upon me how great
was the spread and drear wideness of that Country of Night; and how
that I did be an utter lonesome person in all that dark. And so shall
you be with me in sympathy of the utter greatness of my task, and know
of the fear that did breed, odd whiles, that I should search until I
die, and never find. And you to give me good human understanding.

Now I made no more to delay, but went unto the right, and did keep the
chain of the little volcanoes something level to my course; though a
great way off. And I went thus with a strange growing of hope, and an
excitement, for ten hours, and had eat not then for more than twenty
hours, and surely not since the sixth hour of that day and this because
that I was so utter shaken from my calmness of going.

And at the tenth hour, I went utter weak, and did seem surely as that I
must swoon. And lo! I bethought me how that I was gone so long without
aught for my belly. And surely, when I was quiet a time, I eat four of
the tablets, and in a go