villages, majestic hills and mountains crowned
with glittering snows, or deep, delightful valleys veiled in scented
vines.

Kindness, cordiality and courtesy met us on every side. It was at first
quite novel for me to mingle among previously unheard-of people with
such sociability, but I did as Wauna did, and I found it not only
convenient but quite agreeable.

"I am the daughter of the Preceptress of the National College," said
Wauna; and that was the way she introduced herself.

I noticed with what honor and high esteem the name of the Preceptress
was regarded. As soon as it was known that the daughter of the
Preceptress had arrived, the citizens of whatever city we had stopped in
hastened to extend to her every courtesy and favor possible for them to
bestow. She was the daughter of the woman who held the highest and most
enviable position in the Nation. A position that only great intellect
could secure in that country.

As we neared the goal of our journey, I noticed an increasing warmth of
the atmosphere, and my ears were soon greeted with a deep, reverberating
roar like continuous thunder. I have seen and heard Niagara, but a
thousand Niagaras could not equal that deafening sound. The heat became
oppressive. The light also from a cause of which I shall soon speak.

We ascended a promontory that jutted out from the main land a quarter of
a mile, perhaps more. Wauna conducted me to the edge of the cliff and
told me to look down. An ocean of whirlpools was before us. The
maddened dashing and thundering of the mighty waters, and the awe they
inspired no words can paint. Across such an abyss of terrors it was
certain no vessel could sail. We took our glasses and scanned the
opposite shore, which appeared to be a vast cataract as though the ocean
was pouring over a precipice of rock. Wauna informed me that where the
shore was visible it was a perpendicular wall of smooth rock.

Over head an arc of fire spanned the zenith from which depended curtains
of rainbows waving and fluttering, folding and floating out again with a
rapid and incessant motion. I asked Wauna why they had not crossed in
air-ships, and she said they had tried it often but had always failed.

"In former times," she said, "when air-ships first came into use it was
frequently attempted, but no voyager ever returned. We have long since
abandoned the attempt, for now we know it to be impossible."

I looked again at that display of uncontrollable pow