CHAPTER II DESERT QUALITY A certain herb lives for years underground in the desert; it feels no necessity for a leaf-existence. Yet if the parched roots are reached by water, they expand toward the sun in lovely bloom. Up from the shore stretches the bare immensity of desert, ending in one tremulous horizon with the ocean, and with the wilderness of mountains against the pulsating sky at the other. It is the Land of Light. All sensation of color is lost in this great sensation of light, an ardent light “shining through things, not on them.” Even the clouds expire from excess of light. It reduces all colors to mere hot vibration. The translucent mountains swim in a sea of light, reflecting from it as from wide stretches of water. Though sensation of color is lost in light, their huge forms are distinct{26} in the radiant atmosphere, but unreal as if half-veiled.—One attribute of mirage is absolute clearness of outline.—Insignificant details emerge, but they rouse admiration only because of the light investing them.

ORI II DÍRÒ Aṣálẹ̀ Ogbó kan wà fún ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ ọdún ní aṣálẹ̀; o kan lara ko si tianillati fun a bunkun-aye. Sibẹsibẹ ti awọn gbongbo ti o gbẹ ba de nipasẹ omi, wọn gbooro si oorun ni itanna ẹlẹwa. Láti etíkun náà gbòòrò aṣálẹ̀ tí kò gbóná janjan, tí ó sì parí sí ojú ọ̀run kan tí ó kún fún ìdààmú tí òkun, àti pẹ̀lú aginjù àwọn òkè ńlá tí ó dojú kọ ojú ọ̀run tí ń ru sókè ní ìhà kejì. Ilẹ Imọlẹ ni. Gbogbo imọlara ti awọ ti sọnu ni imọlara nla ti ina yii, ina gbigbona “tan nipasẹ awọn nkan, kii ṣe lori wọn.” Paapaa awọn awọsanma n pari lati isanmi ti ina. O dinku gbogbo awọn awọ si gbigbọn gbona lasan. Awọn oke-nla translucent n we ninu okun imole, ti n ṣe afihan lati inu rẹ bi lati awọn gigun nla ti omi. Bí ó tilẹ̀ jẹ́ pé ìmọ́lẹ̀ àwọ̀ ti pàdánù nínú ìmọ́lẹ̀, àwọn ìrísí ńlá wọn yàtọ̀{26} nínú ojú òfuurufú tí ń tàn, ṣùgbọ́n kò rí bẹ́ẹ̀ gẹ́gẹ́ bí ẹni pé ìbòjú ìdajì.— Àdámọ̀ kan tí ó jẹ́ ìjìnlẹ̀ jẹ́ mímọ́ títọ́ nínú ìla.— Àwọn kúlẹ̀kúlẹ̀ tí kò ṣe pàtàkì ń yọ jáde, ṣùgbọ́n wọ́n ń ru ìfẹ́ni sókè. nikan nitori ti ina nawo wọn.