16. Siege Of The Sacred Mountain

           SincethedayswhenmanwasfirstcreatedupontheearthbyGodswholookeddownanddidtheirworkfromanotherplace,therehavealwaysbeenareasofthelandill-adaptedforhismaintenance,butnonemoresothanthatpartofAtlantiswhichliesoveragainstthesavagecontinentsofEuropeandAfrica.Thecommonpeopleavoidit,becauseofasuperstitionwhichsaysthatthespiritsoftheevildeadstalkaboutthereinbroaddaylight,andslayallthosethatthemoreopendangersoftheplacemightotherwisespare.Andsoithashappenedoftenthatthecriminalswhomighthavefledtherefromjustice,havereturnedoftheirownfreewill,andvoluntarilygiventhemselvesuptothetormentors,ratherthanfaceitsfabulousterrors.

           Totheeducated,manyoftheselegendsareknowntobemythical;butwithalthereareenoughdisquietudesremainingtomakelifeveryarduousandstockedwithperil.Everywherethemountainskeeptheircontentsontheboil;earthtremorsareeveryday’sexperience;gushesofunseenevilvapoursstealupononewithsuchcunningnessandspeed,thatitisoftenhardtofleeintimebeforeoneischokedandkilled;poisonswellupintotherivers,yetleavetheircolourunchanged;greatcrackssplitacrossthegroundreachingdowntothefiresbeneath,andthewatersgushintothese,andareshotforthagainwithdevastatingexplosion;andalwaysmaybeexpectedgreatoutpouringsofboilingmudormoltenrock.

           Yetwithallthis,therearegreatsombreforestsintheselands,withtreeswhoseageisunimaginable,andfiresamongsttheherbagearerare.