remember,seemedtomesufficientlyplausibleinperusal-nowworeaverydifferentandunsatisfactoryaspect。Theideagenerallyreceivedisthatthis,aswellasthreesmallervorticesamongtheFerroeislands,“havenoothercausethanthecollisionofwavesrisingandfalling,atfluxandreflux,againstaridgeofrocksandshelves,whichconfinesthewatersothatitprecipitatesitselflikeacataract;andthusthehigherthefloodrises,thedeepermustthefallbe,andthenaturalresultofallisawhirlpoolorvortex,theprodigioussuctionofwhichissufficientlyknownbylesserexperiments。”-ThesearethewordsoftheEncyclop鎑iaBritannica。
  KircherandothersimaginethatinthecentreofthechanneloftheMaelstr鰉isanabysspenetratingtheglobe,andissuinginsomeveryremotepart-theGulfofBothniabeingsomewhatdecidedlynamedinoneinstance。Thisopinion,idleinitself,wastheonetowhich,asIgazed,myimaginationmostreadilyassented;and,mentioningittotheguide,Iwasrathersurprisedtohearhimsaythat,althoughitwastheviewalmostuniversallyentertainedofthesubjectbytheNorwegians,itneverthelesswasnothisown。Astotheformernotionheconfessedhisinabilitytocomprehendit;andhereIagreedwithhim-for,howeverconclusiveonpaper,itbecomesaltogetherunintelligible,andevenabsurd,amidthethunderoftheabyss。
  “Youhavehadagoodlookatthewhirlnow。”saidtheoldman,“andifyouwillcreeproundthiscrag,soastogetinitslee,anddeadentheroarofthewater,IwilltellyouastorythatwillconvinceyouIoughttoknowsomethingoftheMoskoe-str鰉。”
  Iplacedmyselfasdesired,andheproceeded。
  “Myselfandmytwobrothersonceownedaschooner-riggedsmackofaboutseventytonsburthen,withwhichwewereinthehabitoffishingamongtheislandsbeyondMoskoe,nearlytoVurrgh。Inallviolenteddiesatseathereisgoodfishing,atproperopportunities,ifonehasonlythecouragetoattemptit;butamongthewholeoftheLofodencoastmen,wethreeweretheonlyoneswhomadearegularbusinessofgoingouttotheislands,asItellyou。Theusualgroundsareagreatwaylowerdowntothesouthward。Therefishcanbegotatallhours,withoutmuchrisk,andthereforetheseplacesarepreferred。Thechoicespotsoverhereamongtherocks,however,notonlyyieldthefinestvariety,butinfargreaterabundance;sothatweoftengotinasingleday,whatthemoretimidofthecraftcouldnotscrapetogetherinaweek。Infact,wemadeitamatterofdesperatespeculation-theriskoflifestandinginsteadoflabor,andcourageansweringforcapital。
  “Wekeptthesmackinacoveaboutfivemileshigherupthecoastthanthis;anditwasourpractice,infineweather,totakeadvantageofthefifteenminutes’slacktopushacrossthemainchanneloftheMoskoe-str鰉,farabovethepool,andthendropdownuponanchoragesomewherenearOtterholm,orSandflesen,wheretheeddiesarenotsoviolentaselsewhere。Hereweusedtoremainuntilnearlytimeforslack-wateragain,whenweweighedandmadeforhome。
  Weneversetoutuponthisexpeditionwithoutasteadysidewindforgoingandcoming-onethatwefeltsurewouldnotfailusbeforeourreturn-andweseldommadeamis-calculationuponthispoint。Twice,duringsixyears,wewereforcedtostayallnightatanchoronaccountofadeadcalm,whichisararethingindeedjustabouthere;andoncewehadtoremainonthegroundsnearlyaweek,starvingtodeath,owingtoagalewhichblewupshortlyafterourarrival,andmadethechanneltooboisteroustobethoughtof。Uponthisoccasionweshouldhavebeendrivenouttoseainspiteofeverything,forthewhirlpoolsthrewusroundandroundsoviolently,that,atlength,wefouledouranchoranddraggeditifithadnotbeenthatwedriftedintooneoftheinnumerablecrosscurrents-hereto-dayandgoneto-morrow-whichdroveusundertheleeofFlimen,where,bygoodluck,webroughtup。
  “Icouldnottellyouthetwentiethpartofthedifficultiesweencountered’onthegrounds’-itisabadspottobein,eveningoodweather-butwemadeshiftalwaystorunthegauntletoftheMoskoe-str鰉itselfwithoutaccident;althoughattimesmyhearthasbeeninmymouthwhenwehappenedtobeaminuteorsobehindorbeforetheslack。Thewindsometimeswasnotasstrongaswethoughtitatstarting,andthenwemaderatherlesswaythanwecouldwish,whilethecurrentrenderedthesmackunmanageable。Myeldestbrotherhadasoneighteenyearsold,andIhadtwostoutboysofmyown。
  Thesewouldhavebeenofgreatassistanceatsuchtimes,inusingthesweeps,aswellasafterwardinfishing-but,somehow,althoughwerantheriskourselves,wehadnotthehearttolettheyoungonesgetintothedanger-for,afterallissaidanddone,it_was_ahorribledanger,andthatisthetruth。
  “ItisnowwithinafewdaysofthreeyearssincewhatIamgoingtotellyouoccurred。ItwasonthetenthdayofJuly,18-,adaywhichthepeopleofthispartoftheworldwillneverforget-foritwasoneinwhichblewthemostterriblehurricanethatevercameoutoftheheavens。Andyetallthemorning,andindeeduntillateintheafternoon,therewasagentleandsteadybreezefromthesouth-west,whilethesunshonebrightly,sothattheoldestseamanamonguscouldnothaveforeseenwhatwastofollow。
  “Thethreeofus-mytwobrothersandmyself-hadcrossedovertotheislandsabouttwoo’clockP。M。,andhadsoonnearlyloadedthesmackwithfinefish,which,weallremarked,weremoreplentythatdaythanwehadeverknownthem。Itwasjustseven,_bymywatch_,whenweweighedandstartedforhome,soastomaketheworstoftheStr鰉atslackwater,whichweknewwouldbeateight。
  “Wesetoutwithafreshwindonourstarboardquarter,andforsometimespankedalongatagreatrate,neverdreamingofdanger,forindeedwesawnottheslightestreasontoapprehendit。AllatonceweweretakenabackbyabreezefromoverHelseggen。Thiswasmostunusual-somethingthathadneverhappenedtousbefore-andI
  begantofeelalittleuneasy,withoutexactlyknowingwhy。Weputtheboatonthewind,butcouldmakenoheadwayatallfortheeddies,andIwasuponthepointofproposingtoreturntotheanchorage,when,lookingastern,wesawthewholehorizoncoveredwithasingularcopper-coloredcloudthatrosewiththemostamazingvelocity。
  “Inthemeantimethebreezethathadheadedusofffellaway,andweweredeadbecalmed,driftingaboutineverydirection。Thisstateofthings,however,didnotlastlongenoughtogiveustimetothinkaboutit。Inlessthanaminutethestormwasuponus-inlessthantwotheskywasentirelyovercast-andwhatwiththisandthedrivingspray,itbecamesuddenlysodarkthatwecouldnotseeeachotherinthesmack。
  “Suchahurricaneasthenblewitisfollytoattemptdescribing。
  TheoldestseamaninNorwayneverexperiencedanythinglikeit。Wehadletoursailsgobytherunbeforeitcleverlytookus;but,atthefirstpuff,bothourmastswentbytheboardasiftheyhadbeensawedoff-themainmasttakingwithitmyyoungestbrother,whohadlashedhimselftoitforsafety。
  “Ourboatwasthelightestfeatherofathingthateversatuponwater。Ithadacompleteflushdeck,withonlyasmallhatchnearthebow,andthishatchithadalwaysbeenourcustomtobattendownwhenabouttocrosstheStr鰉,bywayofprecautionagainstthechoppingseas。Butforthiscircumstanceweshouldhavefounderedatonce-
  forwelayentirelyburiedforsomemoments。HowmyelderbrotherescapeddestructionIcannotsay,forIneverhadanopportunityofascertaining。Formypart,assoonasIhadlettheforesailrun,I
  threwmyselfflatondeck,withmyfeetagainstthenarrowgunwaleofthebow,andwithmyhandsgraspingaring-boltnearthefootofthefore-mast。Itwasmereinstinctthatpromptedmetodothis-whichwasundoubtedlytheverybestthingIcouldhavedone-forIwastoomuchflurriedtothink。
  “Forsomemomentswewerecompletelydeluged,asIsay,andallthistimeIheldmybreath,andclungtothebolt。WhenIcouldstanditnolongerIraisedmyselfuponmyknees,stillkeepingholdwithmyhands,andthusgotmyheadclear。Presentlyourlittleboatgaveherselfashake,justasadogdoesincomingoutofthewater,andthusridherself,insomemeasure,oftheseas。Iwasnowtryingtogetthebetterofthestuporthathadcomeoverme,andtocollectmysensessoastoseewhatwastobedone,whenIfeltsomebodygraspmyarm。Itwasmyelderbrother,andmyheartleapedforjoy,forI
  hadmadesurethathewasoverboard-butthenextmomentallthisjoywasturnedintohorror-forheputhismouthclosetomyear,andscreamedouttheword’_Moskoe-str鰉!_’
  “Nooneeverwillknowwhatmyfeelingswereatthatmoment。I
  shookfromheadtofootasifIhadhadthemostviolentfitoftheague。Iknewwhathemeantbythatonewordwellenough-Iknewwhathewishedtomakemeunderstand。Withthewindthatnowdroveuson,wewereboundforthewhirloftheStr鰉,andnothingcouldsaveus!
  “YouperceivethatincrossingtheStr鰉_channel_,wealwayswentalongwayupabovethewhirl,eveninthecalmestweather,andthenhadtowaitandwatchcarefullyfortheslack-butnowweweredrivingrightuponthepoolitself,andinsuchahurricaneasthis!
  ’Tobesure,’Ithought,’weshallgettherejustabouttheslack-
  thereissomelittlehopeinthat’-butinthenextmomentIcursedmyselfforbeingsogreatafoolastodreamofhopeatall。Iknewverywellthatweweredoomed,hadwebeententimesaninety-gunship。
  “Bythistimethefirstfuryofthetempesthadspentitself,orperhapswedidnotfeelitsomuch,aswescuddedbeforeit,butatalleventstheseas,whichatfirsthadbeenkeptdownbythewind,andlayflatandfrothing,nowgotupintoabsolutemountains。A
  singularchange,too,hadcomeovertheheavens。Aroundineverydirectionitwasstillasblackaspitch,butnearlyoverheadthereburstout,allatonce,acircularriftofclearsky-asclearasI
  eversaw-andofadeepbrightblue-andthroughitthereblazedforththefullmoonwithalustrethatIneverbeforeknewhertowear。Shelitupeverythingaboutuswiththegreatestdistinctness-but,ohGod,whatasceneitwastolightup!
  “Inowmadeoneortwoattemptstospeaktomybrother-but,insomemannerwhichIcouldnotunderstand,thedinhadsoincreasedthatIcouldnotmakehimhearasingleword,althoughIscreamedatthetopofmyvoiceinhisear。Presentlyheshookhishead,lookingaspaleasdeath,andhelduponeofhisfinger,asiftosay_’listen!’_
  “AtfirstIcouldnotmakeoutwhathemeant-butsoonahideousthoughtflasheduponme。Idraggedmywatchfromitsfob。Itwasnotgoing。Iglancedatitsfacebythemoonlight,andthenburstintotearsasIflungitfarawayintotheocean。_Ithadrundownatseveno’clock!Wewerebehindthetimeoftheslack,andthewhirloftheStr鰉wasinfullfury!_
  “Whenaboatiswellbuilt,properlytrimmed,andnotdeepladen,thewavesinastronggale,whensheisgoinglarge,seemalwaystoslipfrombeneathher-whichappearsverystrangetoalandsman-
  andthisiswhatiscalled_riding_,inseaphrase。Well,sofarwehadriddentheswellsverycleverly;butpresentlyagiganticseahappenedtotakeusrightunderthecounter,andboreuswithitasitrose-up-up-asifintothesky。Iwouldnothavebelievedthatanywavecouldrisesohigh。Andthendownwecamewithasweep,aslide,andaplunge,thatmademefeelsickanddizzy,asifIwasfallingfromsomeloftymountain-topinadream。ButwhilewewereupIhadthrownaquickglancearound-andthatoneglancewasallsufficient。Isawourexactpositioninaninstant。TheMoskoe-Str鰉
  whirlpoolwasaboutaquarterofamiledeadahead-butnomoreliketheevery-dayMoskoe-Str鰉,thanthewhirlasyounowseeitislikeamill-race。IfIhadnotknownwherewewere,andwhatwehadtoexpect,Ishouldnothaverecognisedtheplaceatall。Asitwas,I
  involuntarilyclosedmyeyesinhorror。Thelidsclenchedthemselvestogetherasifinaspasm。
  “Itcouldnothavebeenmorethantwominutesafterwarduntilwesuddenlyfeltthewavessubside,andwereenvelopedinfoam。Theboatmadeasharphalfturntolarboard,andthenshotoffinitsnewdirectionlikeathunderbolt。Atthesamemomenttheroaringnoiseofthewaterwascompletelydrownedinakindofshrillshriek-suchasoundasyoumightimaginegivenoutbythewaste-pipesofmanythousandsteam-vessels,lettingofftheirsteamalltogether。Wewerenowinthebeltofsurfthatalwayssurroundsthewhirl;andI
  thought,ofcourse,thatanothermomentwouldplungeusintotheabyss-downwhichwecouldonlyseeindistinctlyonaccountoftheamazingvelocitywithwhichweworebornealong。Theboatdidnotseemtosinkintothewateratall,buttoskimlikeanair-bubbleuponthesurfaceofthesurge。Herstarboardsidewasnextthewhirl,andonthelarboardarosetheworldofoceanwehadleft。Itstoodlikeahugewrithingwallbetweenusandthehorizon。
  “Itmayappearstrange,butnow,whenwewereintheveryjawsofthegulf,Ifeltmorecomposedthanwhenwewereonlyapproachingit。
  Havingmadeupmymindtohopenomore,Igotridofagreatdealofthatterrorwhichunmannedmeatfirst。Isupposeitwasdespairthatstrungmynerves。