Page:Neuroomia.djvu/72

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60
NEUROOMIA: A NEW CONTINENT.

height above all the others. These streams partially encircled the globe and fell into the basin above the first cataract, the whole, notwithstanding the great volume of water, descending to the lake beneath in the form of spray. The globe represented our earth, and I fancied that I could see between the streams of falling water the outlines of the continents and oceans, with some of the larger islands, traced upon it by means of prominences and depressions.

This great fountain was surrounded by smaller ones (yet themselves of great height), supporting other globes representing the moon and larger planets. The whole of the fountains were made of gold, hardened by some other non-corrosive metal, and the beautiful lake beneath was inhabited by many kinds of aquatic birds that were new to me. It was dotted here and there with small islets, and fishes of various forms and gaudy colours might be seen swimming about in the clear water. The ornamental fence that Enclosed the lake was of solid gold, as was also the outer fence enclosing the open space that surrounded it. This ground was laid out with flowers, shrubs, and small trees, and divided into numerous plots by winding avenues. The rainbows were caused by the sun