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164 by flying over the surface seek for land. We flew up to a moderate height, under the clouds. The wind was not so violent as the waves would imply, and even they were going down now. So we managed to fly in the air, floating beneath the clouds over the tempestuous waves. Our ether-car floated rapidly, like a balloon, over the great heaving mountains of the mighty waters,—like a mountainous region, but all in motion,—peaks and cliffs of foam ever rising and falling.

Long we floated, over many thousands of miles, but nothing save liquid mountains, hundreds of feet high, and dark ocean valleys were in sight. No land, nor trace of land, did we see. At length Arauniel called out from the top that he saw an island. It appeared really to be one, but very small—just like a large rock on the sea, a few hundred yards across.

We descended and landed on the island. It was not firm. In a moment we felt its heaving as it was shaken by the waves. It was evidently of some light substance, floating upon the waves. Still, putting our ether ship into a cleft, we rested awhile, watching the strange scene of the tempestuous waves and the vast overhanging clouds, and every moment were reminded of the primæval chaos, such as our