the way that the rest of the linners regarded these tortured men and women varied greatly ; some feared and despised them for their powers , while others treasure-hunting boatmen chief amongst them revered foreseers for their godly ability to predict the future , and sought them out to benefit from their wisdom , wishing to know , for instance , whether a longed-for mate would reciprocate their feelings , or curious about the date and manner of their deaths , or , most often , eager to discover if an afterlife existed , and what it was like ; but rarely did any of these idle wonderers manage to set foot on a foreseers island , which stood out because of the unusual height of its pillar and the absence of means to ascend the vertical rock .