the works of edgar allan poe-2-第9部分

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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　Maelstr鰉。〃

　　　　〃So　it　is　sometimes　termed；〃　said　he。　〃We　Norwegians　call　it　the
Moskoe…str鰉；　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　a
boisterous　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…str鰉　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　Encyclop鎑ia　Britannica。
Kircher　and　others　imagine　that　in　the　centre　of　the　channel　of　the
Maelstr鰉　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…str鰉。〃

　　　　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　of　the　fifteen　minutes'　slack　to　push　across　the　main
channel　of　the　Moskoe…str鰉；　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　a　mis…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…str鰉　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　Str鰉　at　slack