Periander continues his Narration, and relates a singular Dream.

"Slumber had begun to take possession of the senses of my companions, and I began to question the one who was keeping watch with me, upon many matters important to mariners, and needful for them to know, when it suddenly began to rain, not in drops, but as if whole clouds were at once emptying their contents upon our ship, so that it appeared as if the sea had risen into the sky, and from thence was overflowing upon our vessel. All awoke in great perturbation, and looking about on every side, saw a clear unclouded sky, and no signs of storm or tempest, a thing which struck every one with awe and dread: whilst they were gazing around, the man who had been with me, said, 'I have no doubt but that this rain proceeds from the nostrils of those monstrous fishes which are called wreckers, and if it be so, then are we in the greatest peril, and it will be necessary for us to discharge all our guns, for the noise will sometimes terrify them.' As he spoke, we saw the neck and head of a terrible serpent rise[I] and enter the ship: it seized, and instantly swallowed at a mouthful, one of our seamen before our eyes. 'Yes, they are 'Wreckers',' cried our pilot; 'we must make haste to fire, no matter with or without shot, for it is from the noise alone we can hope for help against these monsters.'

"Our men were flying in confusion to hide themselves, none dared stand up, lest they should become the prey of these horrible enemies; but at this some flew to the guns, some shouted aloud, and others turned to the pumps to get rid of the water, which overflowed our deck. We set every sail, and fled as though we were escaping from a whole fleet of enemies; our present extreme danger was the greatest, in that it was one we had never yet seen or even heard of. The next day we found ourselves about dusk on the shore of an island unknown to any of us, and with the intention of watering here, we resolved to stay till the following morning close to the land; we, therefore, took down the sails and anchored, having done which, we resigned our weary bodies to sleep, which we greatly needed: sweet and grateful were our slumbers.

"When we had refreshed ourselves with this welcome rest, we landed and sauntered along the delightful shore, the sands of which (without any exaggeration) were all of grains of gold and minute pearls. We penetrated more inland and saw meadows, the grass of which was not merely green, but of the brightest emerald colour. The brooks and rivulets ran not like simply sparkling streams, but like liquid diamonds; and appeared, as they meandered through the meadows, like crystal serpents. Then we came to a wood of various kinds of trees, so beautiful that we stood transfixed with wonder and delight. From the boughs of some, hung bunches of cherries, that looked like rubies; from others, apples, the cheeks of some like roses, of others like topazes. There were pears, of exquisite fragrance and colour, like the setting sun; in fine, there was every species of fruit we know, all here to be found in perfection, without being confined to any particular season. All here was spring, summer, autumn, in one,—heat without being oppressive, agreeable and delightful beyond belief.

"All our senses were gratified, our eyes revelled in the beauty that lay around us, our ears were enchanted by the soft murmuring of the rivulets, and the singing of an infinite variety of small birds, which, hopping from tree to tree, and bough to bough, seemed as if they were detained as captives who wished not to be free; our sense of smell was regaled with the fragrance that exhaled from every herb, flower, and fruit, and our taste with the delicious proof they afforded of their excellence and sweetness; and it was pleasant to the touch to have them in our hands, so that we seemed to possess the pearls of the South, the diamonds of India, and the gold of Tebir."[J]

"It is a pity, methinks, that Clodio is dead," whispered Ladislaus to his father-in-law, "for in truth Periander would have given him something to talk about."

"Hold your tongue," said Transila, "you cannot say that he does not tell his story well."

While these whispers were passing, Periander had paused to take breath, but soon he continued his narration thus:—"All this that I have told you," said he, "is nothing to what is to come; I shall require all your courtesy to believe the things I shall narrate; your eyes would open wide, gentlemen, and yours too, fair ladies, i............