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           IamnotasscepticalaboutoldtalesandfearsasIusedtobe,andIdonotlaughnowattheprehumansculptor’snotionthatlightningpausedmeaningfullynowandthenateachofthebroodingcrests,andthatanunexplainedglowshonefromoneofthoseterriblepinnaclesallthroughthelongpolarnight. TheremaybeaveryrealandverymonstrousmeaningintheoldPnakoticwhispersaboutKadathintheColdWaste. 

           Buttheterraincloseathandwashardlylessstrange,eveniflessnamelesslyaccursed. Soonafterthefoundingofthecitythegreatmountainrangebecametheseatoftheprincipaltemples,andmanycarvingsshowedwhatgrotesqueandfantastictowershadpiercedtheskywherenowwesawonlythecuriouslyclingingcubesandramparts. Inthecourseofagesthecaveshadappeared,andhadbeenshapedintoadjunctsofthetemples. Withtheadvanceofstilllaterepochs,allthelimestoneveinsoftheregionwerehollowedoutbygroundwaters,sothatthemountains,thefoothills,andtheplainsbelowthemwereaveritablenetworkofconnectedcavernsandgalleries. Manygraphicsculpturestoldofexplorationsdeepunderground,andofthefinaldiscoveryoftheStygiansunlessseathatlurkedatearth’sbowels. 

           Thisvastnightedgulfhadundoubtedlybeenwornbythegreatriverwhichfloweddownfromthenamelessandhorriblewestwardmountains,andwhichhadformerlyturnedatthebaseoftheOldOnes’rangeandflowedbesidethatchainintotheIndianOceanbetweenBuddandTottenLandsonWilkes’scoastline. Littlebylittleithadeatenawaythelimestonehillbaseatitsturning,tillatlastitssappingcurrentsreachedthecavernsofthegroundwatersandjoinedwiththemindiggingadeeperabyss. Finallyitswholebulkemptiedintothehollowhillsandlefttheoldbedtowardtheoceandry.