the works of edgar allan poe-3-第3节

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to　windward；　and　Henderson；　at　the　same　moment；　starting　up　in　his
seat　bawled　out　to　his　crew　to　back　water。　He　would　say　nothing　else…
repeating　his　cry　impatiently；　back　water！　black　water！　The　men　put
back　as　speedily　as　possible；　but　by　this　time　the　ship　had　gone
round；　and　gotten　fully　under　headway；　although　all　hands　on　board
were　making　great　exertions　to　take　in　sail。　In　despite　of　the　danger
of　the　attempt；　the　mate　clung　to　the　main…chains　as　soon　as　they
came　within　his　reach。　Another　huge　lurch　now　brought　the　starboard
side　of　the　vessel　out　of　water　nearly　as　far　as　her　keel；　when　the
cause　of　his　anxiety　was　rendered　obvious　enough。　The　body　of　a　man
was　seen　to　be　affixed　in　the　most　singular　manner　to　the　smooth　and
shining　bottom　（the　Penguin　was　coppered　and　copper…fastened）；　and
beating　violently　against　it　with　every　movement　of　the　hull。　After
several　ineffectual　efforts；　made　during　the　lurches　of　the　ship；　and
at　the　imminent　risk　of　swamping　the　boat　I　was　finally　disengaged
from　my　perilous　situation　and　taken　on　board…　for　the　body　proved　to
be　my　own。　It　appeared　that　one　of　the　timber…bolts　having　started
and　broken　a　passage　through　the　copper；　it　had　arrested　my　progress
as　I　passed　under　the　ship；　and　fastened　me　in　so　extraordinary　a
manner　to　her　bottom。　The　head　of　the　bolt　had　made　its　way　through
the　collar　of　the　green　baize　jacket　I　had　on；　and　through　the　back
part　of　my　neck；　forcing　itself　out　between　two　sinews　and　just　below
the　right　ear。　I　was　immediately　put　to　bed…　although　life　seemed　to
be　totally　extinct。　There　was　no　surgeon　on　board。　The　captain；
however；　treated　me　with　every　attention…　to　make　amends；　I　presume；
in　the　eyes　of　his　crew；　for　his　atrocious　behaviour　in　the　previous
portion　of　the　adventure。

　　　　In　the　meantime；　Henderson　had　again　put　off　from　the　ship；
although　the　wind　was　now　blowing　almost　a　hurricane。　He　had　not　been
gone　many　minutes　when　he　fell　in　with　some　fragments　of　our　boat；
and　shortly　afterward　one　of　the　men　with　him　asserted　that　he　could
distinguish　a　cry　for　help　at　intervals　amid　the　roaring　of　the
tempest。　This　induced　the　hardy　seamen　to　persevere　in　their　search
for　more　than　half　an　hour；　although　repeated　signals　to　return　were
made　them　by　Captain　Block；　and　although　every　moment　on　the　water　in
so　frail　a　boat　was　fraught　to　them　with　the　most　imminent　and　deadly
peril。　Indeed；　it　is　nearly　impossible　to　conceive　how　the　small
jolly　they　were　in　could　have　escaped　destruction　for　a　single
instant。　She　was　built；　however；　for　the　whaling　service；　and　was
fitted；　as　I　have　since　had　reason　to　believe；　with　air…boxes；　in　the
manner　of　some　life…boats　used　on　the　coast　of　Wales。

　　　　After　searching　in　vain　for　about　the　period　of　time　just
mentioned；　it　was　determined　to　get　back　to　the　ship。　They　had
scarcely　made　this　resolve　when　a　feeble　cry　arose　from　a　dark　object
that　floated　rapidly　by。　They　pursued　and　soon　overtook　it。　It　proved
to　be　the　entire　deck　of　the　Ariel's　cuddy。　Augustus　was　struggling
near　it；　apparently　in　the　last　agonies。　Upon　getting　hold　of　him　it
was　found　that　he　was　attached　by　a　rope　to　the　floating　timber。　This
rope；　it　will　be　remembered；　I　had　myself　tied　around　his　waist；　and
made　fast　to　a　ringbolt；　for　the　purpose　of　keeping　him　in　an　upright
position；　and　my　so　doing；　it　appeared；　had　been　ultimately　the　means
of　preserving　his　life。　The　Ariel　was　slightly　put　together；　and　in
going　down　her　frame　naturally　went　to　pieces；　the　deck　of　the　cuddy；
as　might　have　been　expected；　was　lifted；　by　the　force　of　the　water
rushing　in；　entirely　from　the　main　timbers；　and　floated　（with　other
fragments；　no　doubt）　to　the　surface…　Augustus　was　buoyed　up　with　it；
and　thus　escaped　a　terrible　death。

　　　　It　was　more　than　an　hour　after　being　taken　on　board　the　Penguin
before　he　could　give　any　account　of　himself；　or　be　made　to　comprehend
the　nature　of　the　accident　which　had　befallen　our　boat。　At　length　he
became　thoroughly　aroused；　and　spoke　much　of　his　sensations　while　in
the　water。　Upon　his　first　attaining　any　degree　of　consciousness；　he
found　himself　beneath　the　surface；　whirling　round　and　round　with
inconceivable　rapidity；　and　with　a　rope　wrapped　in　three　or　four
folds　tightly　about　his　neck。　In　an　instant　afterward　he　felt　himself
going　rapidly　upward；　when；　his　head　striking　violently　against　a
hard　substance；　he　again　relapsed　into　insensibility。　Upon　once　more
reviving　he　was　in　fuller　possession　of　his　reason…　this　was　still；
however；　in　the　greatest　degree　clouded　and　confused。　He　now　knew
that　some　accident　had　occurred；　and　that　he　was　in　the　water；
although　his　mouth　was　above　the　surface；　and　he　could　breathe　with
some　freedom。　Possibly；　at　this　period　the　deck　was　drifting　rapidly
before　the　wind；　and　drawing　him　after　it；　as　he　floated　upon　his
back。　Of　course；　as　long　as　he　could　have　retained　this　position；　it
would　have　been　nearly　impossible　that　he　should　be　drowned。
Presently　a　surge　threw　him　directly　athwart　the　deck；　and　this　post
he　endeavored　to　maintain；　screaming　at　intervals　for　help。　just
before　he　was　discovered　by　Mr。　Henderson；　he　had　been　obliged　to
relax　his　hold　through　exhaustion；　and；　falling　into　the　sea；　had
given　himself　up　for　lost。　During　the　whole　period　of　his　struggles
he　had　not　the　faintest　recollection　of　the　Ariel；　nor　of　the　matters
in　connexion　with　the　source　of　his　disaster。　A　vague　feeling　of
terror　and　despair　had　taken　entire　possession　of　his　faculties。　When
he　was　finally　picked　up；　every　power　of　his　mind　had　failed　him；
and；　as　before　said；　it　was　nearly　an　hour　after　getting　on　board　the
Penguin　before　he　became　fully　aware　of　his　condition。　In　regard　to
myself…　I　was　resuscitated　from　a　state　bordering　very　nearly　upon
death　（and　after　every　other　means　had　been　tried　in　vain　for　three
hours　and　a　half）　by　vigorous　friction　with　flannels　bathed　in　hot
oil…　a　proceeding　suggested　by　Augustus。　The　wound　in　my　neck；
although　of　an　ugly　appearance；　proved　of　little　real　consequence；
and　I　soon　recovered　from　its　effects。

　　　　The　Penguin　got　into　port　about　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning；
after　encountering　one　of　the　severest　gales　ever　experienced　off
Nantucket。　Both　Augustus　and　myself　managed　to　appear　at　Mr。
Barnard's　in　time　for　breakfast…　which；　luckily；　was　somewhat　late；
owing　to　the　party　over　night。　I　suppose　all　at　the　table　were　too
much　fatigued　themselves　to　notice　our　jaded　appearance…　of　course；
it　would　not　have　borne　a　very　rigid　scrutiny。　Schoolboys；　however；
can　accomplish　wonders　in　the　way　of　deception；　and　I　verily　believe
not　one　of　our　friends　in　Nantucket　had　the　slightest　suspicion　that
the　terrible　story　told　by　some　sailors　in　town　of　their　having　run
down　a　vessel　at　sea　and　drowned　some　thirty　or　forty　poor　devils；
had　reference　either　to　the　Ariel；　my　companion；　or　myself。　We　two
have　since　very　frequently　talked　the　matter　over…　but　never　without
a　shudder。　In　one　of　our　conversations　Augustus　frankly　confessed　to
me；　that　in　his　whole　life　he　had　at　no　time　experienced　so
excruciating　a　sense　of　dismay；　as　when　on　board　our　little　boat　he
first　discovered　the　extent　of　his　intoxication；　and　felt　himself
sinking　beneath　its　influence。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　1　~~~

CHAPTER　2



　　　　IN　no　affairs　of　mere　prejudice；　pro　or　con；　do　we　deduce
inferences　with　entire　certainty；　even　from　the　most　simple　data。　It
might　be　supposed　that　a　catastrophe　such　as　I　have　just　related
would　have　effectually　cooled　my　incipient　passion　for　the　sea。　On
the　contrary；　I　never　experienced　a　more　ardent　longing　for　the　wild
adventures　incident　to　the　life　of　a　navigator　than　within　a　week
after　our　miraculous　deliverance。　This　short　period　proved　amply　long
enough　to　erase　from　my　memory　the　shadows；　and　bring　out　in　vivid
light　all　the　pleasurably　exciting　points　of　color；　all　the
picturesqueness；　of　the　late　perilous　accident。　My　conversations　with
Augustus　grew　daily　more　frequent　and　more　intensely　full　of
interest。　He　had　a　manner　of　relating　his　stories　of　the　ocean　（more
than　one　half　of　which　I　now　suspect　to　have　been　sheer　fabrications）
well　adapted　to　have　weight　with　one　of　my　enthusiastic　temperament
and　somewhat　gloomy　although　glowing　imagination。　It　is　strange；　too；
that　he　most　strongly　enlisted　my　feelings　in　behalf　of　the　life　of　a
seaman；　when　he　depicted　his　more　terrible　moments　of　suffering　and
despair。　For　the　bright　side　of　the　painting　I　had　a　limited
sympathy。　My　visions　were　of　shipwreck　and　famine；　of　death　or
captivity　among　barbarian　hordes；　of　a　lifetime　dragged　out　in　sorrow
and　tears；　upon　some　gray　and　desolate　rock；　in　an　ocean
unapproachable　and　unknown。　Such　visions　or　desires…　for　they
amounted　to　desires…　are　common；　I　have　since　been　assured；　to　the
whole　numerous　race　of　the　melancholy　among　men…　at　the　time　of　which
I　speak　I　regarded　them　only　as　prophetic　glimpses　of　a　destiny　which
I　felt　myself　in　a　measure　bound　to　fulfil。　Augustus　thoroughly
entered　into　my　state　of　mind。　It　is　probable；　indeed；　that　our
intimate　communion　had　resulted　in　a　partial　interchange　o