by Edgar Allan Poe

Qui n'a plus qu'un moment vivre

N'a plus rien dissimuler

-- Quinault -- Atys

country and family little Ill usage and length of years have driven me one, and estranged me other Hereditary wealth afforded me an education of no common order, and contemplative turn of mind enabled me to methodize the stores which early study very diligently garnered up -- Beyond all things, the study German moralists great delight; not from any ill-advised admiration eloquent madness, but ease my habits of rigid thought enabled me to detect their falsities often been reproached aridity genius; deficiency of imagination imputed as crime; Pyrrhonism opinions has at all times rendered me notorious Indeed, strong relish for physical philosophy has, , tinctured my mind with very common error age -- I mean the habit of referring occurrences, even the least susceptible reference, principles science whole, no person less liable than myself led away severe precincts of truth ignes fatui of superstition thought proper to premise thus much, lest the incredible tale considered rather the raving of crude imagination, positive experience of mind reveries of fancy dead letter and nullity

After many years spent in foreign travel, I sailed year 18 -- , port of Batavia, rich and populous island of Java, on voyage Archipelago Sunda islands I went as passenger -- having no other inducement than kind of nervous restlessness which haunted me as fiend

Our vessel was beautiful ship of about four hundred tons, copper-fastened, and built at Bombay of Malabar teak She was freighted with cotton-wool and oil, Lachadive islands We had also on board coir, jaggeree, ghee, cocoa-nuts, and few cases of opium The stowage was clumsily done, vessel consequently crank

We got under way with mere breath of wind, and for many days stood along the eastern coast of Java, without incident to beguile the monotony course occasional meeting with small grabs Archipelago we were bound

One evening, leaning over the taffrail, I observed very singular, isolated cloud, N W remarkable, for its color, as from its being the first we had seen since our departure from Batavia I watched it attentively until sunset, when it spread all at once eastward and westward, girting horizon with narrow strip of vapor, and looking like long line of low beach My notice was soon afterwards attracted dusky-red appearance moon, peculiar character sea The latter was undergoing rapid change, water seemed more than usually transparent Although distinctly see the bottom, yet, heaving the lead, the ship in fifteen fathoms The air now became intolerably hot, and was loaded with spiral exhalations similar arising from heat iron As night came on, every breath of wind died away, an more entire calm impossible to conceive The flame of candle burned poop without the least perceptible motion, and long hair, held finger and thumb, hung without the possibility of detecting vibration However, captain said perceive no indication of danger, and were drifting in bodily to shore, he ordered the sails furled, anchor let go No watch was set, crew, consisting principally of Malays, stretched themselves deliberately upon deck I went below -- not without full presentiment of evil Indeed, every appearance warranted me in apprehending Simoom the captain my fears; but he paid no attention to what , and left me without deigning reply My uneasiness, however, prevented me from sleeping, and about midnight I went upon deck -- As I placed my foot upper step companion-ladder, startled by loud, humming noise, like that occasioned rapid revolution of mill-wheel, and before ascertain its meaning, the ship quivering to its centre next instant, wilderness of foam hurled us upon our beam-ends, and, rushing over us fore and aft, swept the entire decks from stem to stern

The extreme fury blast proved, in great measure, the salvation ship Although completely water-logged, yet, as her masts had gone board, she rose, after minute, heavily sea, and, staggering awhile beneath the immense pressure tempest, finally righted

By what miracle I escaped destruction, impossible Stunned shock water, myself, upon recovery, jammed in stern-post and rudder With great difficulty I gained my feet, and looking dizzily around, was, at first, struck idea being among breakers; so terrific, beyond the wildest imagination, whirlpool of mountainous and foaming ocean within which we were engulfed After while, I heard the voice of an old Swede, who had shipped moment leaving port I hallooed to him with all my strength, and presently reeling aft We soon discovered that we were the sole survivors accident All on deck, exception of ourselves, swept overboard; -- the captain and mates perished slept, cabins were deluged with water Without assistance, expect little security ship, exertions were at first paralyzed momentary expectation of going down Our cable had, , parted like pack-thread, first breath hurricane, or we instantaneously overwhelmed We scudded with frightful velocity sea, water made clear breaches over us The frame-work stern was shattered excessively, and, in almost every respect, we had received considerable injury; but to our extreme Joy the pumps unchoked, we had made no great shifting ballast The main fury blast had already blown over, and we apprehended little danger violence wind; but we looked forward to its total cessation with dismay; well believing, that, shattered condition, inevitably perish tremendous swell which would ensue But this very just apprehension seemed by no means likely soon verified For five entire days and nights -- during which our only subsistence was small quantity of jaggeree, procured with great difficulty forecastle -- the hulk flew at rate defying computation, before rapidly succeeding flaws of wind, which, without equalling the first violence Simoom, were still more terrific than any tempest I had before encountered Our course first four days was, with trifling variations, S E and by S ; and run down the coast of New Holland -- fifth day the cold became extreme, although the wind had hauled round point more northward -- The sun arose with sickly yellow lustre, and clambered very few degrees above the horizon -- emitting no decisive light -- There were no clouds apparent, yet the wind was increase, and blew with fitful and unsteady fury About noon, as nearly as guess, our attention was again arrested appearance sun It gave out no light, properly so called, but dull and sullen glow without reflection, all its rays were polarized Just before sinking turgid sea, its central fires suddenly went out, hurriedly extinguished by some unaccountable power dim, sliver-like rim, alone, as it rushed down the unfathomable ocean

We waited in vain arrival sixth day -- that day arrived -- Swede, never did arrive Thenceforward we were enshrouded in patchy darkness, have seen an object at twenty paces ship Eternal night continued to envelop us, all unrelieved phosphoric sea-brilliancy we accustomed tropics We observed too, that, although the tempest continued to rage with unabated violence, no longer discovered the usual appearance of surf, or foam, which had hitherto attended us All around were horror, and thick gloom, and black sweltering desert of ebony -- Superstitious terror crept by degrees spirit old Swede, and my own soul was wrapped up in silent wonder We neglected all care ship, as worse than useless, and securing ourselves, as possible, stump mizen-mast, looked out bitterly world of ocean We had no means of calculating time, nor could we form any guess situation We were, however, well aware of having made farther southward than any previous navigators, and felt great amazement at not meeting usual impediments of ice meantime every moment threatened our last -- every mountainous billow hurried to overwhelm us The swell surpassed anything I had imagined possible, we instantly buried is miracle My companion spoke lightness cargo, and reminded me excellent qualities ship; but help feeling the utter hopelessness of hope itself, and prepared myself gloomily death which nothing could defer beyond an hour, as, with every knot of way the ship made, the swelling black stupendous seas became more dismally appalling At times we gasped for breath at an elevation beyond the albatross -- at times became dizzy velocity descent into some watery hell, where the air grew stagnant, and no sound disturbed the slumbers kraken

We were bottom of abysses, when quick scream from my companion broke fearfully night "See ! see ! " cried he, shrieking in my ears, "Almighty God ! see ! see ! " As he spoke, I became aware of dull, sullen glare of red light which streamed down the sides vast chasm where we lay, and threw fitful brilliancy upon our deck Casting my eyes upwards, I beheld spectacle which froze the current blood At terrific height directly above us, and very verge precipitous descent, hovered gigantic ship of, perhaps, four thousand tons Although upreared summit of wave more than hundred times her own altitude, her apparent size exceeded that of any ship line or East Indiaman in existence Her huge hull was of deep dingy black, unrelieved by any customary carvings of ship single row of brass cannon protruded from her open ports, and dashed from their polished surfaces the fires of innumerable battle-lanterns, which swung to and fro about her rigging But what mainly inspired us with horror and astonishment, she bore up under press of sail very teeth supernatural sea, and ungovernable hurricane When we first discovered her, her bows were alone seen, as she rose slowly dim and horrible gulf beyond her For moment of intense terror she paused giddy pinnacle, in contemplation of her own sublimity, then trembled and tottered, and -- came down

instant, not what sudden self-possession came over my spirit Staggering as far aft as , I awaited fearlessly the ruin that was to overwhelm Our own vessel was ceasing from her struggles, and sinking with her head sea The shock descending mass struck her, consequently, portion of her frame already under water, inevitable result was to hurl me, with irresistible violence, rigging stranger