THE SILVER PILLAR OF THE SEA.
The next thing they found after this was an immense silver pillar
standing in the sea. It had eight sides, each of which was the width of
an oar-stroke of the curragh, so that its whole circumference was eight
oar-strokes. It rose out of the sea without any land or earth about it,
nothing but the boundless ocean; and they could not see its base deep
down in the water, neither were they able to see the top on account of
its vast height.
A silver net hung from the top down to the very water, extending far out
at one side of the pillar; and the meshes were so large that the curragh
in full sail went through one of them. When they were passing through
it, Diuran struck the mesh with the edge of his spear, and with the blow
cut a large piece off it.
"Do not destroy the net," said Maildun; "for what we see is the work of
great men."
"What I have done," answered Diuran, "is for the honour of my God, and
in order that the story of our adventures may be more readily believed;
and I shall lay this silver as an offering on the altar of Armagh, if I
ever reach Erin."
That piece of silver weighed two ounces and a half, as it was reckoned
afterwards by the people of the church of Armagh.
After this they heard some one speaking on the top of the pillar, in a
loud, clear, glad voice; but they knew neither what he said, nor in what
language he spoke.