It appeared that inthat region there was an islet so called, always surrounded by chillymists and water of a deadly cold; that no one had ever reached it, as itconstantly changed place; but that a demon hand sometimes uprose from it,and plucked away men and even whole boats, which, when once grasped,usually by night, were never seen again, but perished helplessly, victimsof Satan's Hand.When the voyagers laughed at this legend, the priest of the villageshowed them, on the early chart of Bianco, the name of "De la ManSatanagio," and on that of Beccaria the name "Satanagio" alone, both thesebeing the titles of islands. Not alarmed at the name of Satan, as beingthat of one whom they had supposed, in their days of darkness, to be theirpatron, they pushed boldly out to sea and steered westward, a boat-load ofSpanish fishermen following in their wake. Passing island after island ofgreen and fertile look, they found themselves at last in what seemed aless favored zone--as windy as the "roaring forties," and growing chillierevery hour. Fogs gathered quickly, so that they could scarcely see thecompanion boat, and the Spanish fishermen called out to them, "Garda da laMan do Satanaxio!" ("Look out for Satan's hand!")As they cried, the fog became denser yet, and when it once parted for amoment, something that lifted itself high above them, like a gigantichand, showed itself an instant, and then descended with a crushing graspupon the boat of the Spanish fishermen, breaking it to pieces, anddragging some of the men below the water, while others, escaping, swamthrough the ice-cold waves, and were with difficulty taken on board thecoracle; this being all the harder because the whole surface of the waterwas boiling and seething furiously.
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