A Descent into the Maelström by Edgar Allan Poe
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A descent into_the Maelström

by Edgar Allan Poe

the ways of god in nature, as in Providence, are_not as our_ ways ; nor are the models that we frame any_way commensurate to_the vastness, profundity, and unsearchableness of_his works, which_have a depth in_them greater than_the well of Democritus . Joseph Glanville .. we had now reached the summit of_the loftiest crag . for some minutes the old man seemed too_much exhausted to_speak .

" not long_ago," said he at_length, " and I_could_have guided you on_this route as_well as_the youngest of_my sons ; but, about three years past, there happened to_me an event such as never happened to mortal man - or at_least such as no man ever survived to_tell of - and_the six hours of deadly terror which I then endured have broken me up body and soul . you suppose me a very old man - but I_am not . it took less_than a single day to_change these hairs from ajetty black to white, to weaken my limbs, and to unstring my nerves, so_that I tremble at_the least exertion, and am frightened at a shadow . do_you_know I_can scarcely look over this little cliff without getting giddy ? "

the " little cliff," upon whose edge he had so carelessly thrown himself down to rest that_the weightier portion of_his body hung over it, while he_was only kept from falling by_the tenure of_his elbow on its extreme and slippery edge - this " little cliff" arose, a sheer unobstructed precipice of black shining rock, some fifteen or sixteen hundred feet from_the world of crags beneath us . nothing would_have tempted me to within half a dozen yards of_its brink . in truth so deeply was I excited by_the perilous position of_my companion, that I fell at full length upon_the ground, clung to_the shrubs around me, and dared not even glance upward at_the sky - while I struggled in vain to divest myself of_the idea that_the very foundations of_the mountain were in danger from_the fury of_the winds . it_was long before I_could reason myself into sufficient courage to sit up and look out into_the distance .

" you_must get over these fancies," said the guide, " for I_have brought you here that you might_have the best possible view of_the scene of_that event I mentioned - and to_tell you the whole story with_the spot just under your eye ."

" we_are now," he continued, in_that particularizing manner which distinguished him - " we_are now close upon_the Norwegian coast - in_the sixty-eighth degree of latitude - in_the great province of Nordland - and in_the dreary district of Lofoden . the mountain upon whose top we sit is Helseggen, the cloudy . now raise yourself up a little higher - hold on to_the grass if_you feel giddy - so - and look out, beyond the belt of vapor beneath us, into_the sea ."

I looked dizzily, and beheld a wide expanse of ocean, whose waters wore so inky a hue as_to bring at once to my mind the Nubian geographer's account of_the mare Tenebrarum .a panorama more deplorably desolate no human imagination can conceive . to_the right and left, as far as_the eye could reach, there lay outstretched, like ramparts of_the world, lines of horridly black and beetling cliff, whose character of gloom was but the more forcibly illustrated by_the surf which reared high up against its white and ghastly crest, howling and shrieking forever . just opposite the promontory upon whose apex we were placed, and at a distance of some five or six miles out at sea, there_was visible a small, bleak- looking island ; or, more properly, its position was discernible through_the wilderness of surge in_which it_was enveloped . about two miles nearer the land, arose another of smaller size, hideously craggy and barren, and encompassed at various intervals by a cluster of dark rocks .

the appearance of_the ocean, in_the space between_the more distant island and_the shore, had something very unusual about_it . although, at_the_time, so strong a gale was blowing landward that a brig in_the remote offing lay to under a double-reefed trysail, and constantly plunged her whole hull out of sight, still there_was here nothing like a regular swell, but only a short, quick, angry cross dashing of water in every direction - as_well in_the teeth of_the wind as otherwise . of foam there_was little except in_the immediate vicinity of_the rocks .

" the island in_the distance," resumed the old man, " is called by_the Norwegians Vurrgh . the one midway is Moskoe . that a mile to_the northward is Ambaaren . yonder are Islesen, Hotholm, Keildhelm, Suarven, and Buckholm . farther off - between Moskoe and Vurrgh - are Otterholm, Flimen, Sandflesen, and Stockholm . these are the true names of_the places - but why it_has_been thought necessary to name them at all, is more than either you or I_can understand . do_you hear anything ? do you_see any change in_the water ? "

we had now been about ten minutes upon_the top of Helseggen, to_which we had ascended from_the interior of Lofoden, so_that we had caught no glimpse of_the sea until it had burst upon us from_the summit . as_the old man spoke, I became aware of a loud and gradually increasing sound, like the moaning of a vast herd of buffaloes upon an American prairie; and at_the same moment I perceived that what seamen term the chopping character of_the ocean beneath us, was rapidly changing into a current which set to_the eastward . even while I gazed, this current acquired a monstrous velocity . each moment added to its speed - to its headlong impetuosity . in five minutes the whole sea, as far as Vurrgh, was lashed into ungovernable fury ; but it_was between Moskoe and_the coast that_the main uproar held its sway . here the vast bed of_the waters, seamed and scarred into a thousand conflicting channels, burst suddenly into phrensied convulsion - heaving, boiling, hissing - gyrating in gigantic and innumerable vortices, and all whirling and plunging on to_the eastward with a rapidity which water never elsewhere assumes except in precipitous descents .

in_a_few_minutes more, there came over the scene another radical alteration . the general surface grew somewhat more smooth, and_the whirlpools, one by one, disappeared, while prodigious streaks of foam became apparent where none had_been seen before . these streaks, at_length, spreading out to a great distance, and entering into combination, took unto themselves the gyratory motion of_the subsided vortices, and seemed to_form the germ of another more vast . suddenly - very suddenly - this assumed a distinct and definite existence, in a circle of more than a mile in diameter . the edge of_the whirl was represented by a broad belt of gleaming spray ; but no particle of_this slipped into_the mouth of_the terrific funnel, whose interior, as far as_the eye could fathom it, was a smooth, shining, and jet- black wall of water, inclined to_the horizon at an angle of some forty-five degrees, speeding dizzily round and round with aswaying and sweltering motion, and sending forth to_the winds an appalling voice, half shriek, half roar, such as not even the mighty cataract of Niagara ever lifts up in its agony to heaven .

the mountain trembled to its very base, and_the rock rocked .I threw myself upon my face, and clung to_the scant herbage in an excess of nervous agitation .

" this," said I at_length, to_the old man - " this_can_be nothing else than_the great whirlpool of_the Maelstrm ."

" so it_is sometimes termed," said he ." we Norwegians call it the Moskoe-strm, from_the island of Moskoe in_the midway ."

the ordinary accounts of_this vortex had by no means prepared me for what I_saw . that of Jonas Ramus, which_is perhaps the most circumstantial of any, cannot impart the faintest conception either of_the magnificence, or of_the horror of_the scene - or of_the wild bewildering sense of_the novel which confounds the beholder . I_am not sure from what point of view the writer in_question surveyed it, nor at what time ; but it could neither have_been from_the summit of Helseggen, nor during a storm . there_are some passages of_his description, nevertheless, which_may_be quoted for their details, although their effect is exceedingly feeble in conveying an impression of_the spectacle .

" between Lofoden and Moskoe," he_says, " the depth of_the water is between thirty-six and forty fathoms ; but on_the other side, toward Ver (Vurrgh) this depth decreases so as not to afford a convenient passage for a vessel, without the risk of splitting on_the rocks, which happens even in_the calmest weather . when it_is flood, the stream runs up the country between Lofoden and Moskoe with aboisterous rapidity ; but the roar of_its impetuous ebb to_the sea is scarce equalled by_the loudest and most dreadful cataracts ; the noise being heard several leagues off, and_the vortices or pits are of_such an extent and depth, that if a ship comes within its attraction, it_is inevitably absorbed and carried down to_the bottom, and there beat to pieces against the rocks ; and when_the water relaxes, the fragments thereof are thrown up again . but these intervals of tranquility are only at_the turn of_the ebb and flood, and in calm weather, and last but a quarter of an hour, its violence gradually returning . when_the stream is most boisterous, and its fury heightened by a storm, it_is dangerous to_come within a Norway mile of it .Boats, yachts, and ships have_been carried away by not guarding against it before_they were within its reach . it likewise happens frequently, that whales come too near the stream, and_are overpowered by its violence; and then it_is impossible to describe their howlings and bellowings in their fruitless struggles to disengage themselves .a bear once, attempting to swim from Lofoden to Moskoe, was caught by_the stream and borne down, while he roared terribly, so as to_be heard on shore . large stocks of firs and pine trees, after being absorbed by_the current, rise again broken and torn to such a degree as_if bristles grew upon them . this plainly shows the bottom to consist of craggy rocks, among which they_are whirled to and fro . this stream is regulated by_the flux and reflux of_the sea - it being constantly high and low water every six hours . in_the year 1645, early in_the morning of Sexagesima Sunday, it raged with_such noise and impetuosity that_the very stones of_the houses on_the coast fell to_the ground ."

in regard to_the depth of_the water, I could_not_see how this could_have_been ascertained at all in_the immediate vicinity of_the vortex . the "forty fathoms" must_have reference only to portions of_the channel close upon_the shore either of Moskoe or Lofoden . the depth in_the centre of_the Moskoe-strm must_be immeasurably greater ; and no better proof of_this fact is necessary than can_be obtained from even the sidelong glance into_the abyss of_the whirl which_may_be had from_the highest crag of Helseggen . looking down from_this pinnacle upon_the howling Phlegethon below, I_could_not help smiling at_the simplicity with_which the honest Jonas Ramus records, as a matter difficult of belief, the anecdotes of_the whales and_the bears; for_it appeared to_me, in_fact, a self- evident thing, that_the largest ship of_the line in existence, coming within_the influence of_that deadly attraction, could resist it as little as a feather the hurricane, and must disappear bodily and at once .

the attempts to account for_the phenomenon - some of_which, I remember, seemed to_me sufficiently plausible in perusal - now wore a very different and unsatisfactory aspect . the idea generally received is that_this, as_well as three smaller vortices among_the Ferroe islands, " have no other cause than_the collision of waves rising and falling, at flux and reflux, against a ridge of rocks and shelves, which confines the water so_that it precipitates itself like a cataract ; and thus the higher the flood rises, the deeper must the fall be, and_the natural result of all is a whirlpool or vortex, the prodigious suction of which_is sufficiently known by lesser experiments ." - these are the words of_the Encyclopdia Britannica .Kircher and others imagine that in_the centre of_the channel of_the Maelstrm is an abyss penetrating the globe, and issuing in some very remote part - the gulf of Bothnia being somewhat decidedly named in one instance . this opinion, idle in itself, was_the one to_which, as I gazed, my imagination most readily assented ; and, mentioning it to_the guide, i_was rather surprised to hear him say that, although it was_the view almost universally entertained of_the subject by_the Norwegians, it nevertheless was not his own . as_to_the former notion he confessed his inability to comprehend it ; and here I agreed with_him - for, however conclusive on paper, it becomes altogether unintelligible, and even absurd, amid the thunder of_the abyss .

" you_have_had a good look at_the whirl now," said the old man, " and if_you_will creep round this crag, so as to_get in its lee, and deaden the roar of_the water, i_will tell you a story that_will convince you I ought to_know something of_the Moskoe-strm ."

I placed myself as desired, and he proceeded .

" myself and my two brothers once owned a schooner- rigged smack of about seventy tons burthen, with_which we were in_the habit of fishing among_the islands beyond Moskoe, nearly to Vurrgh . in all violent eddies at sea there_is good fishing, at proper opportunities, if one has only the courage to attempt it ; but among_the whole of_the Lofoden coastmen, we three were the only ones who_made a regular business of going out to_the islands, as I tell you . the usual grounds are a great way lower down to_the southward . there fish can_be got at all hours, without much risk, and therefore these places are preferred . the choice spots over here among_the rocks, however, not_only yield the finest variety, but in far greater abundance ; so_that we often got in a single day, what the more timid of_the craft could_not scrape together in a week . in_fact, we_made it a matter of desperate speculation - the risk of life standing instead of labor, and courage answering for capital .

" we kept the smack in a cove about five miles higher up the coast than this ; and it_was our practice, in fine weather, to_take advantage

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