What is the Forest of Desolation?

Spirit Franchezzo's wandering now brings him to an immense forest whose weird fantastic trees are like what one sees in some awful nightmare. 

The leafless branches seem like living arms held out to grasp and hold the hapless wanderer. 

The long snake-like roots stretch out like twisting ropes to trip him up. 

The trunks are bare and blackened as though scorched by the blasting breath of fire.

From the bark, a thick foul slime oozes and like powerful wax holds fast any hand that touches it. 

Great waving shrouds of some strange dark air plant clothe the branches like a pall and help to enfold and bewilder any who try to penetrate through this ghostly forest. 

Faint muffled cries come from this awful wood―here and there, Spirit Franchezzo sees the imprisoned souls held captive in the embrace of these extraordinary prisons, struggling to get free, yet unable to move one single step.

Some are caught by the foot―a twisted root holding them as in a vice. 

Another's hand is glued to the trunk of a tree. 

Another is enveloped in a shroud of the black moss while yet another's head and shoulders are held fast by branches, which have closed on them. 

Wild ferocious-looking beasts prowl round them, and huge vultures flap their wings overhead, yet seem unable to touch any of the prisoners, though they come so near.

These are the men and women who viewed with delight the sufferings of others. 

They are all those who for the lust of cruelty have tortured and entrapped and killed those who were more helpless than them.  

For all now here, release will only come when they have learned the lesson of mercy and pity for others and the desire to save someone else from suffering even at the expense of their own suffering.  

When this happens, the bands and fetters, which hold them will be loosened and they will be free to go on and work out their atonement. 

Until then no one else can help them―none can release them. 

They must effect their own release through their own more merciful desires and aspirations.