A Descent into the Maelström by Edgar Allan Poe
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advantage of_the fifteen minutes' slack to push across the main channel of_the Moskoe-strm, far above the pool, and then drop down upon anchorage somewhere near Otterholm, or Sandflesen, where the eddies are_not so violent as elsewhere . here we used to remain until nearly time for slack- water again, when we weighed and made for home . we never set out upon_this expedition without a steady side wind for going and coming - one that we_felt sure would_not fail us before our return - and we seldom made amis- calculation upon_this point . twice, during six years, we were forced to stay all night at anchor on account of a dead calm, which_is a rare thing indeed just about here ; and once we had to remain on_the grounds nearly a week, starving to death, owing to a gale which blew up shortly after our arrival, and made the channel too boisterous to_be thought of . upon_this occasion we should_have_been driven out to sea in_spite of everything, ( for_the whirlpools threw us round and round so violently, that, at_length, we fouled our anchor and dragged it) if_it had_not_been that we drifted into one_of_the innumerable cross currents - here to- day and gone to- morrow - which drove us under the lee of Flimen, where, by good luck, we brought up .

" I_could_not tell you the twentieth part of_the difficulties we encountered ' on_the grounds' - it_is a bad spot to_be in, even in good weather - but we_made shift always to run the gauntlet of_the Moskoe-strm itself without accident ; although at times my heart has_been in my mouth when we happened to_be a minute or so behind or before_the slack . the wind sometimes was not as strong as_we thought it at starting, and then we_made rather less way than we_could wish, while the current rendered the smack unmanageable . my eldest brother had a son eighteen years old, and I had two stout boys of_my own . these would_have_been of great assistance at such times, in using the sweeps, as_well as afterward in fishing - but, somehow, although we ran the risk ourselves, we had_not the heart to let the young ones get into_the danger - for, after all is said and done, it_was a horrible danger, and that_is_the truth .

" it_is now within a few_days of three years since what I_am going to_tell you occurred . it_was on_the tenth day of July, 18-, a day which the people of_this part of_the world will never forget - for it_was one in_which blew the most terrible hurricane that ever came out_of_the heavens . and yet all the morning, and indeed until late in_the afternoon, there_was a gentle and steady breeze from_the south- west, while the sun shone brightly, so that_the oldest seaman among us could_not have foreseen what_was to_follow .

" the three of us - my two brothers and myself - had crossed over to_the islands about two o'clock P .M ., and had soon nearly loaded the smack with fine fish, which, we all remarked, were more plenty that day than we had ever known them . it_was just seven, by my watch_, when we weighed and started for home, so as_to make_the worst of_the Strm at slack water, which we_knew would_be at eight .

" we set out with a fresh wind on_our starboard quarter, and for some_time spanked along at a great rate, never dreaming of danger, for indeed we saw not the slightest reason to apprehend it . all at once we were taken aback by a breeze from over Helseggen . this_was most unusual - something that had never happened to_us before - and I began to_feel a little uneasy, without exactly knowing why . we put the boat on_the wind, but could make no headway at all for_the eddies, and i_was upon_the point of proposing to return to_the anchorage, when, looking astern, we saw the whole horizon covered with a singular copper- colored cloud that rose with_the most amazing velocity .

" in_the meantime the breeze that had headed us off fell away, and we were dead becalmed, drifting about in every direction . this state of things, however, did_not last long enough to_give us time to_think about_it . in less_than a minute the storm was upon us - in less_than two the sky was entirely overcast - and what with_this and_the driving spray, it became suddenly so dark that we could_not_see each_other in_the smack .

" such a hurricane as then blew it_is folly to attempt describing . the oldest seaman in Norway never experienced any thing like it . we had let our sails go by_the run before it cleverly took us ; but, at_the first puff, both our masts went by_the board as if_they had_been sawed off - the mainmast taking with it my youngest brother, who had lashed himself to_it for safety .

" our boat was_the lightest feather of a thing that ever sat upon water . it had a complete flush deck, with only a small hatch near the bow, and this hatch it had always been our custom to batten down when about to cross the Strm, by way of precaution against the chopping seas . but for_this circumstance we_should_have foundered at once - for we lay entirely buried for some moments . how my elder brother escaped destruction I cannot_say, for I never had an opportunity of ascertaining . for_my part, as_soon_as I had let the foresail run, I threw myself flat on deck, with my feet against the narrow gunwale of_the bow, and with my hands grasping a ring- bolt near the foot of_the fore- mast . it_was mere instinct that prompted me to do_this - which_was undoubtedly the very best thing I_could_have done - for i_was too_much flurried to_think .

" for some moments we were completely deluged, as I_say, and all this_time I held my breath, and clung to_the bolt . when I_could stand it no longer I raised myself upon my knees, still keeping hold with my hands, and thus got my head clear . presently our little boat gave herself a shake, just as a dog does in coming out_of_the water, and thus rid herself, in some measure, of_the seas . i_was now trying to_get the better of_the stupor that had come over me, and to collect my senses so as to_see what_was to_be_done, when I_felt somebody grasp my arm . it_was my elder brother, and my heart leaped for joy, for I had made sure that he_was overboard - but the next moment all this joy was turned into horror - for he put his mouth close to my ear, and screamed out the word '_Moskoe-strm ! '

" no one ever will know what my feelings were at_that moment .I shook from head to foot as_if I had had the most violent fit of_the ague . I_knew what he meant by_that one word well enough - I_knew what he_wished to_make me understand . with_the wind that now drove us on, we were bound for_the whirl of_the Strm, and nothing could save us !

" you perceive that in crossing the Strm channel_, we always went a long way up above the whirl, even in_the calmest weather, and then had to wait and watch carefully for_the slack - but now we were driving right upon_the pool itself, and in_such a hurricane as_this ! ' to_be_sure,' i_thought, ' we_shall get there just about_the slack - there_is some little hope in_that' - but in_the next moment I cursed myself for being so great a fool as_to dream of hope at all . I_knew very_well that we were doomed, had we been ten times aninety- gun ship .

" by_this_time the first fury of_the tempest had spent itself, or perhaps we_did_not feel it so_much, as_we scudded before it, but at all events the seas, which at first had_been kept down by_the wind, and lay flat and frothing, now got up into absolute mountains .a singular change, too, had come over the heavens . around in every direction it_was still as black as pitch, but nearly overhead there burst out, all at once, a circular rift of clear sky - as clear as I ever saw - and of a deep bright blue - and through it there blazed forth the full moon with alustre that I never before knew her to wear . she lit up every thing about us with_the greatest distinctness - but, oh god, what ascene it_was to light up !

"I now made one_or_two attempts to_speak to my brother - but, in some manner which I_could_not understand, the din had so increased that I_could_not make him hear a single word, although I screamed at_the top of_my voice in_his ear . presently he shook his head, looking as pale as death, and held up one of_his finger, as_if to_say _' listen ! '_

" at first I_could_not make out what he meant - but soon a hideous thought flashed upon me .I dragged my watch from its fob . it_was not going .I glanced at its face by_the moonlight, and then burst into tears as I flung it far away into_the ocean . it had run down at seven o'clock ! we were behind the time of_the slack, and_the whirl of_the Strm was in full fury !

" when a boat is well built, properly trimmed, and not deep laden, the waves in a strong gale, when she_is going large, seem always to slip from beneath her - which appears very strange to a landsman - and this_is what_is called riding_, in sea phrase . well, so_far we had ridden the swells very cleverly ; but presently a gigantic sea happened to_take us right under the counter, and bore us with it as it rose - up - up - as_if into_the sky . i_would_not have believed that any wave could rise so high . and then down we came with a sweep, a slide, and a plunge, that made me feel sick and dizzy, as_if i_was falling from some lofty mountain- top in a dream . but while we were up I had thrown a quick glance around - and_that one glance was all sufficient . I_saw our exact position in an instant . the Moskoe-Strm whirlpool was about a quarter of a mile dead ahead - but no more like the every- day Moskoe-Strm, than_the whirl as_you now see it_is like a mill- race . if I had_not known where we were, and what we had to expect, I should_not have recognised the place at all . as it_was, I involuntarily closed my eyes in horror . the lids clenched themselves together as_if in a spasm .

" it could_not have_been more than two minutes afterward until we suddenly felt the waves subside, and were enveloped in foam . the boat made a sharp half turn to larboard, and then shot off in its new direction like a thunderbolt . at_the same moment the roaring noise of_the water was completely drowned in a kind of shrill shriek - such a sound as_you_might imagine given out by_the waste-pipes of many thousand steam-vessels, letting off their steam all together . we were now in_the belt of surf that always surrounds the whirl ; and i_thought, of_course, that another moment would plunge us into_the abyss - down which we_could only see indistinctly on account of_the amazing velocity with_which we wore borne along . the boat did_not seem to sink into_the water at all, but to skim like an air- bubble upon_the surface of_the surge . her starboard side was next the whirl, and on_the larboard arose the world of ocean we had left . it stood like a huge writhing wall between_us and_the horizon .

" it may appear strange, but now, when we were in_the very jaws of_the gulf, I_felt more composed than when we were only approaching it .Having made up my mind to hope no more, I got rid of a great deal of_that terror which unmanned me at first .I suppose it_was despair that strung my nerves .

" it may look like boasting - but what I tell you is truth - I began to reflect how magnificent a thing it_was to die in_such_a_manner, and how foolish it_was in me to_think of so paltry a consideration as my own individual life, in view of so wonderful a manifestation of god's power . I_do believe that I blushed with shame when_this idea crossed my mind . after a little while I became possessed with_the keenest curiosity about_the whirl itself .I positively felt a wish to explore its depths, even at_the sacrifice i_was going to_make ; and my principal grief was_that i_should never be_able to_tell my old companions on shore about_the mysteries I should_see . these, no_doubt, were singular fancies to occupy a man's mind in_such extremity - and I_have often thought since, that_the revolutions of_the boat around the pool might_have rendered me a little light- headed .

" there_was another circumstance which tended to restore my self- possession ; and this_was the cessation of_the wind, which could_not reach_us in_our present situation - for, as_you saw yourself, the belt of surf is considerably lower than_the general bed of_the ocean, and this latter now towered above us, a high, black, mountainous ridge . if_you_have never been at sea in a heavy gale, you_can form no idea of_the confusion of mind occasioned by_the wind and spray together . they blind, deafen, and strangle you, and take away all power of action or reflection . but we were now, in a great measure, rid

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