eard a great roaring and bellowing in the night, coming nigh
unto me; and afterward the thudding of monstrous feet, as that a giant
ran past me in the darkness, and did make a chase of some creature. And
the thudding of the feet and the roaring went far off into the night;
and there did seem presently to come back to me from a great way, a
little screaming; but of this thing I had no surety; and I abode very
hushed in a clump of bush, until quietness was come again all about; for
there had been an utter frightening sound in the horrid voice and in the
thudding of the great feet.

Now, in the one-and-fortieth hour of that day, I came upon the farther
shore of the olden sea. But lo! there was nowhere any light to tell me
aught of the Lesser Refuge. And truly, a great doubt and bewilderment
took me; for, indeed, I could not perceive how it might be that I saw
not the lights of the embrasures of the Lesser Pyramid. And a great
despair took me; so that I sat down there upon the shore of the olden
sea, and had no heed of anything for a while.

But afterward, I ate and drunk, and went into a clump of bush, and wrapt
the cloak about me, and so went fast unto sleep, with the Diskos handy
to my breast. And, in verity, the pain of the despair and the
bewilderment of mine heart did make rather for sleep, than to keep me
wakeful; for, indeed, I was half stunned of the brain and of my courage;
and did seem now the farther off from the ending of my search than ever
I had been.

And I slept six hours, and waked then, sudden. And I leaned up upon mine
elbow in the bush, and harked very quiet, perchance some noise had
shaken my sleep from me. But, indeed, there was nothing, only that I was
wakeful, and did mind me of my trouble of failure. Yet now, I did invent
this thing and that thing to make natural account that I was not come to
the Lesser Redoubt; and so had hope again within me; yet much also of
doubt and bewilderment.

And I eat two of the tablets, and drank some of the water, and again to
my journey. And I made that I should keep along the shore of the sea,
the which I did through twelve hours, and was then still so much in
doubt as ever.

And I ceased from my journeying, and lookt about me over the Land, and
lo! I did note how that a weak and strange shining was in the air of the
Land, at a great way; as it had been that a far spreaded and faint
glowing made a little glare into all the night unto my left and before
me.