pillar standing in the sea, which appeared to be near them, but which
they did not reach for three days. Its top seemed to pierce the clouds.
At the distance of about a mile it was surrounded on every hand by a
sort of network, of a material like silver, but harder than marble. They
drew in the oars and mast, and passed through one of the interstices.
The sea within was as clear as glass, so that they could see the bottom,
with the lower part of the pillar and the network resting upon it. The
pillar was of absolutely clear crystal, so that the light and heat of
the sun passed through it. It was forty cubits broad on every side. On
the south side they found a chalice of the material of the network and a
paten of the material of the pillar. After passing again out of the
network, they sailed for eight days towards the North, and here begins
what may be called the diabolical portion of the story.

They saw one day a wild and rocky island, without grass or tree, but
full of smiths' forges. The wind bore them past it at about a stone's
throw, and they could hear bellows roaring with a sound like thunder,
and hammers striking upon anvils. Presently they saw one of the
inhabitants come out of a cave. He was shaggy and hideous, burnt and
dark. When he saw the ship, he ran back howling into his workshop.
Brendan immediately bid hoist the sail and have out the oars. While this
was doing the creature appeared again with a glowing mass of fused
metal (_massam igneam de scoria_) in pincers, which he hurled at them.
Where it struck the water about a furlong from them, it made the sea
boil and hiss. They had only escaped about a mile when they saw beings
swarming out upon the shore, throwing about molten masses, some after
them and some at one another, and then all went back into the forges and
set them blazing, until the whole island seemed one mass of fire. The
sea boiled like a boiling cauldron, and all day long the travellers
heard an awful wailing. Even when they were out of sight of the island,