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. “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.
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