Cliff Caves

Along the miles  of  high  cliffs  bordering the  Gilrain  estuary  were many  caves of  widely  varying  sizes. Some near  the water-line  were sea-caves,  eroded by  ages of  crashing  waves;  others appeared  to  be ancient volcanic fissures, often smaller than  a  man’s hand. Some of these conducted underground water to  the estuary; others were dry. But the most famous of these caves  were  the  two just  north  of Gaeros which formed the eyes of the  great stone face:  the Eyes of Oclanoc. In fact, the entire cliff-face was known to  mariners  as  Dol Oclanoc. No tales had survived  the long  years  to tell the  origin of  this strange visage. Whether it was wrought by the  hands of  ancient Men and weathered by the  centuries, or  created by  some  mysterious coincidence of  nature,  no  living  man knew. The mouth of the face appeared to be  the opening  of a  huge  cavern,  but in  reality was  only a few yards  deep  and guarded by treacherous currents. The eyes  were true  cave  entrances, about 4’ high,  through which two small rivulets flew  continuously, giving the face  the  appearance of  weeping. There was a small landing, visible only at  low  tide, just to  the  left of the  gaping  mouth. From it, a steep and hazardous path  wound  slowly upward,  back  and  forth across the  cliffs  to  the  very  top  of  the  head, several hundred  feet above the  river. reputation among mariners. “Steer by  the  Eyes  of Oclanoc to reach the Sea,” stated a Sakalai proverb, “but  steer it  widely by!”  The  more  superstitious  Coastal-people  even  today  warned that  the face of Oclanoc actually possessed great hands  below  the  surface which  could grab  and pull under even  the largest ship  foolish enough  to  come too close.