THE ISLAND OF FIRE At last there appeared before us what seemed like a long line of dull-red fires, and as we looked we could see bursts of flame at fitful intervals, which shone out for a few moments and then died away.

Upon this now our whole attention was fixed; for it seemed as though we were approaching our destination, and that this place was the Island of Fire--a name which, from present appearances, was fully justified.

As we went on and drew steadily nearer, the mass of glowing fire grew larger and brighter, and what at first had seemed a line was broken up into different parts, one of which far surpassed the others.
This was higher in the air, and its shape was that of a long, thin, sloping line, with a burning, glowing globule at each end.

It seemed like lava running down from the crater of a volcano, and this appearance was made certainty on a nearer approach; for we saw at the upper point, which seemed the crater, an outburst of flame, followed by a new flow of the fiery stream.

In other places there were similar fires, but they were less bright, either because they were smaller or more remote.
At length we heard beneath us the roar of breakers, and saw long white lines of surf beating upon the shore.