the works of edgar allan poe-1-第65章
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among a pile of ratlin…stuff and old sails in the bottom of the yawl。
While musing upon the singularity of my fate； I unwittingly daubed
with a tar…brush the edges of a neatly…folded studding…sail which lay
near me on a barrel。 The studding…sail is now bent upon the ship； and
the thoughtless touches of the brush are spread out into the word
DISCOVERY。
I have made many observations lately upon the structure of the
vessel。 Although well armed； she is not； I think； a ship of war。 Her
rigging； build； and general equipment； all negative a supposition of
this kind。 What she is not； I can easily perceive what she is I
fear it is impossible to say。 I know not how it is； but in
scrutinizing her strange model and singular cast of spars； her huge
size and overgrown suits of canvas； her severely simple bow and
antiquated stern； there will occasionally flash across my mind a
sensation of familiar things； and there is always mixed up with such
indistinct shadows of recollection； an unaccountable memory of old
foreign chronicles and ages long ago。
* * * * * * * *
I have been looking at the timbers of the ship。 She is built of a
material to which I am a stranger。 There is a peculiar character
about the wood which strikes me as rendering it unfit for the purpose
to which it has been applied。 I mean its extreme porousness；
considered independently by the worm…eaten condition which is a
consequence of navigation in these seas； and apart from the
rottenness attendant upon age。 It will appear perhaps an observation
somewhat over…curious； but this wood would have every； characteristic
of Spanish oak； if Spanish oak were distended by any unnatural means。
In reading the above sentence a curious apothegm of an old
weather…beaten Dutch navigator comes full upon my recollection。 〃It
is as sure；〃 he was wont to say； when any doubt was entertained of
his veracity； 〃as sure as there is a sea where the ship itself will
grow in bulk like the living body of the seaman。〃
* * * * * * * *
About an hour ago； I made bold to thrust myself among a group of the
crew。 They paid me no manner of attention； and； although I stood in
the very midst of them all； seemed utterly unconscious of my
presence。 Like the one I had at first seen in the hold； they all bore
about them the marks of a hoary old age。 Their knees trembled with
infirmity； their shoulders were bent double with decrepitude； their
shrivelled skins rattled in the wind； their voices were low；
tremulous and broken； their eyes glistened with the rheum of years；
and their gray hairs streamed terribly in the tempest。 Around them；
on every part of the deck； lay scattered mathematical instruments of
the most quaint and obsolete construction。
* * * * * * * *
I mentioned some time ago the bending of a studding…sail。 From that
period the ship； being thrown dead off the wind； has continued her
terrific course due south； with every rag of canvas packed upon her；
from her trucks to her lower studding…sail booms； and rolling every
moment her top…gallant yard…arms into the most appalling hell of
water which it can enter into the mind of a man to imagine。 I have
just left the deck； where I find it impossible to maintain a footing；
although the crew seem to experience little inconvenience。 It appears
to me a miracle of miracles that our enormous bulk is not swallowed
up at once and forever。 We are surely doomed to hover continually
upon the brink of Eternity； without taking a final plunge into the
abyss。 From billows a thousand times more stupendous than any I have
ever seen； we glide away with the facility of the arrowy sea…gull；
and the colossal waters rear their heads above us like demons of the
deep； but like demons confined to simple threats and forbidden to
destroy。 I am led to attribute these frequent escapes to the only
natural cause which can account for such effect。 I must suppose
the ship to be within the influence of some strong current； or
impetuous under…tow。
* * * * * * * *
I have seen the captain face to face； and in his own cabin but； as
I expected； he paid me no attention。 Although in his appearance there
is； to a casual observer； nothing which might bespeak him more or
less than man…still a feeling of irrepressible reverence and awe
mingled with the sensation of wonder with which I regarded him。 In
stature he is nearly my own height； that is； about five feet eight
inches。 He is of a well…knit and compact frame of body； neither
robust nor remarkably otherwise。 But it is the singularity of the
expression which reigns upon the face it is the intense； the
wonderful； the thrilling evidence of old age； so utter； so extreme；
which excites within my spirit a sense a sentiment ineffable。 His
forehead； although little wrinkled； seems to bear upon it the stamp
of a myriad of years。 His gray hairs are records of the past； and
his grayer eyes are Sybils of the future。 The cabin floor was thickly
strewn with strange； iron…clasped folios； and mouldering instruments
of science； and obsolete long…forgotten charts。 His head was bowed
down upon his hands； and he pored； with a fiery unquiet eye； over a
paper which I took to be a commission； and which； at all events； bore
the signature of a monarch。 He muttered to himself； as did the first
seaman whom I saw in the hold； some low peevish syllables of a
foreign tongue； and although the speaker was close at my elbow； his
voice seemed to reach my ears from the distance of a mile。
* * * * * * * *
The ship and all in it are imbued with the spirit of Eld。 The crew
glide to and fro like the ghosts of buried centuries； their eyes have
an eager and uneasy meaning； and when their fingers fall athwart my
path in the wild glare of the battle…lanterns； I feel as I have never
felt before； although I have been all my life a dealer in
antiquities； and have imbibed the shadows of fallen columns at
Balbec； and Tadmor； and Persepolis； until my very soul has become a
ruin。
* * * * * * * *
When I look around me I feel ashamed of my former apprehensions。 If I
trembled at the blast which has hitherto attended us； shall I not
stand aghast at a warring of wind and ocean； to convey any idea of
which the words tornado and simoom are trivial and ineffective？ All
in the immediate vicinity of the ship is the blackness of eternal
night； and a chaos of foamless water； but； about a league on either
side of us； may be seen； indistinctly and at intervals； stupendous
ramparts of ice； towering away into the desolate sky； and looking
like the walls of the universe。
* * * * * * * *
As I imagined； the ship proves to be in a current； if that
appellation can properly be given to a tide which； howling and
shrieking by the white ice； thunders on to the southward with a
velocity like the headlong dashing of a cataract。
* * * * * * * *
To conceive the horror of my sensations is； I presume； utterly
impossible； yet a curiosity to penetrate the mysteries of these awful
regions； predominates even over my despair； and will reconcile me to
the most hideous aspect of death。 It is evident that we are hurrying
onwards to some exciting knowledge some never…to…be…imparted
secret； whose attainment is destruction。 Perhaps this current leads
us to the southern pole itself。 It must be confessed that a
supposition apparently so wild has every probability in its favor。
* * * * * * * *
The crew pace the deck with unquiet and tremulous step； but there is
upon their countenances an expression more of the eagerness of hope
than of the apathy of despair。
In the meantime the wind is still in our poop； and； as we carry a
crowd of canvas； the ship is at times lifted bodily from out the sea
Oh； horror upon horror！ the ice opens suddenly to the right； and
to the left； and we are whirling dizzily； in immense concentric
circles； round and round the borders of a
