As the day advanced, the Demon roused himself up, and partly unrolled his majestic form from his hedgehog robe. His keen eyes wandered restlessly from the rigging of his balloon down to the earth beneath his feet. He was now literally, as far as I could see, the monarch of all he surveyed Obeltub also became more animated. He condescended to notice me occasionally with sly nods, winks, and grins; and shook his black fist now and then at the semi-insensible Doctor.
The condition of the latter gave me increasing anxiety. I was alarmed to perceive that he sat rigidly, never moving hand or foot. His face was uncovered, and had assumed an unnatural bluish colour; and he kept hi eyes closely shut, as if he feared to open them upon the enchanting world. In good truth the sight of such a world, although we could not yet see its loveliness, was, after the dismal pit from which we had emerged, almost enough to turn the strongest brain into the most foolish. I noticed too with some disturbance, that the Demon stared fixedly at his rigid form. I could hear my poor, but entirely helpless, friend breathing stertorously, and was thus assured he was not actually dead.
In the meantime the sun was gliding over our heads hour after hour, at his usual pace, and we were still careering through the air at lightning speed. The dense mass of clouds beneath us was becoming gradually broken up into detached but confused fragments. The surface of the earth began to appear, but, being still at a great height, I could see nothing distinctly. The balloon seemed to be travelling over an immense continent, which I conjectured to be the largest island in the world. My eyes were constantly strained to see if I could obtain a glimpse of the narrow sea which cut off my beloved little Tasmania from its gigantic neighbour. But no, all was confusion worse confounded. To add to my uneasiness, the sun had long
