“What is to be done now?” said Oisin to Finn when they had arrived at the beach.

“Our men are to be rescued,” said Finn, “for to that we are bound by the honour of the Fianna.  Whithersoever they are gone, thither must we follow and win them back by fair means or foul; but to that end we must first fit out a galley.”

So in the end it was agreed that Finn and fourteen men of his bravest and best champions should sail oversea in search of the Gilla Dacar and his captives, while Oisin remained in Erinn and exercised rule over the Fianna in the place of his father.

After a while, then, a swift galley was made ready by Finn and stored with victual, and with arms, and also with gold and raiment to make gifts withal if need should be.  And into the ship came the fifteen valiant men, and gripped their oars, while Finn steered; and soon the sea whitened around their oarblades, and over the restless, rolling masses of the many-hued and voiceful billows, the ship clove her way to the West.  And the Fians, who were wont to be wakened by the twittering of birds over their hunting booths in the greenwood, now delighted to hear, day after day as they roused themselves at morn, the lapping of the wide waters of the world against their vessel’s bows, or the thunder of pounding surges when the wind blew hard.

At length after many days the sharpest-eyed of the men of Finn saw far-off what seemed a mountain rising from the sea, and to it they shaped their course.  When they had come to that land they found themselves under the shadow of a great grey cliff, and beneath it slippery rocks covered with seaweed.

Then Dermot, who was the most active of the company, was bidden to mount the cliff and to procure means of drawing up the rest of the party, but of what land might lie on the top of that wall of rock none of them could discover anything.  Dermot, descending from the ship, then climbed with difficulty up the face of the cliff, while the others made fast their ship among the rocks.  But Dermot having arrived at the top saw no habitation of man, and could compass no way of helping his companions to mount.  He went therefore boldly forward into the unknown land, hoping to obtain some help, if any friendly and hospitable folk could there be found.

[Illustration:  “Dermot took the horn and would have filled it”]

Before he had gone far he came into a wild wood, thick and tangled, and full of the noise of streams, and the sough of winds, and twittering of birds, and hum of bees.  After he had traversed this wilderness for a while he came to a mighty tree with densely interwoven branches, and beneath it a pile of rocks, having on its summit a pointed drinking horn wreathed with rich ornament, and at its foot a well of pure bright water.  Dermot, being now thirsty, took the horn and would have filled it at the well, but as he stooped down to do so he heard a loud, threatening murmur which seemed to rise from it.  “I perceive,” he said to himself, “that I am forbidden to drink from this well” Nevertheless thirst compelled him, and he drank his fill.