etone—and the gate is of carbuncle flashing, with an in-credible splendor, and shooting on every side its beams like flaming swords. "Wherefore some visionary ones said it was fire, and many became worshippers thereof. And in the highest place in Paradise, exactly in the midst, is a well that casts out four streams, which run by divers lands throughout all the earth, and above the fountain of the streams, the four princes of the stars weave the semblances of what shall be, and cast them upon the waters, and whithersoever these flow there entereth a spirit into the na-tion or the people that dwell upon the banks, and they go forth conquering and to conquer. And thus were the tribes of Asia inspired to go toward the west, and establish their domain in Europe. Therefore wise men do study the stars, and read in the scroll of heaven the will of the Invisible. And all the sweet waters in the world above and beneath, take their rise from the well of Paradise. The drops of the morning-dew are gendered there, and thither the clouds re-turn after the rain. There the light zephyrs gather rich odors under their wings, and from thende carry them abroad upon all the face of the earth, and give to every flower its perfume. And because of the abundance of precious things that are found therein, many have entered these rivers and essayed to pass by that land of chaos unto Par-adise, but they might notspeed in their voyage ; for many died of weariness, by reason of rowing against the strong waves, and many were dashed in pieces against the dark rocks. And many vessels bound with iron were drawn aside by the ßhipman's stone, and held that they might never go thence.' I inquired concerning this stone," said Ingulfus, " and he told me there were in the eastern seas ' certain rocks of ad-amant which attract iron ; and that men would break off pieces, and suspend them by a thread, and that one point thereof would turn to the north, and another to the south ; and he said also that there are two stars fixed in the heavens, about which all the firmament turns as a wheel upon an axle. He said, moreover* that the earth and sea are of a round form, and that by this stone many mariners 64 HEROINES OF THE CRUSADES.