arose　with　a　sickly　yellow　lustre；　and　clambered　a　very　few　degrees
  above　the　horizon　　emitting　no　decisive　light。　　There　were　no
  clouds　apparent；　yet　the　wind　was　upon　the　increase；　and　blew　with　a
  fitful　and　unsteady　fury。　About　noon；　as　nearly　as　we　could　guess；
  our　attention　was　again　arrested　by　the　appearance　of　the　sun。　It
  gave　out　no　light；　properly　so　called；　but　a　dull　and　sullen　glow
  without　reflection；　as　if　all　its　rays　were　polarized。　Just　before
  sinking　within　the　turgid　sea；　its　central　fires　suddenly　went　out；
  as　if　hurriedly　extinguished　by　some　unaccountable　power。　It　was　a
  dim；　sliver…like　rim；　alone；　as　it　rushed　down　the　unfathomable
  ocean。
  We　waited　in　vain　for　the　arrival　of　the　sixth　day　　that　day　to　me
  has　not　arrived　　to　the　Swede；　never　did　arrive。　Thenceforward　we
  were　enshrouded　in　patchy　darkness；　so　that　we　could　not　have　seen　an
  object　at　twenty　paces　from　the　ship。　Eternal　night　continued　to
  envelop　us；　all　unrelieved　by　the　phosphoric　sea…brilliancy　to　which
  we　had　been　accustomed　in　the　tropics。　We　observed　too；　that；
  although　the　tempest　continued　to　rage　with　unabated　violence；　there
  was　no　longer　to　be　discovered　the　usual　appearance　of　surf；　or　foam；
  which　had　hitherto　attended　us。　All　around　were　horror；　and　thick
  gloom；　and　a　black　sweltering　desert　of　ebony。　　Superstitious
  terror　crept　by　degrees　into　the　spirit　of　the　old　Swede；　and　my　own
  soul　was　wrapped　up　in　silent　wonder。　We　neglected　all　care　of　the
  ship；　as　worse　than　useless；　and　securing　ourselves；　as　well　as
  possible；　to　the　stump　of　the　mizen…mast；　looked　out　bitterly　into
  the　world　of　ocean。　We　had　no　means　of　calculating　time；　nor　could　we
  form　any　guess　of　our　situation。　We　were；　however；　well　aware　of
  having　made　farther　to　the　southward　than　any　previous　navigators；
  and　felt　great　amazement　at　not　meeting　with　the　usual　impediments　of
  ice。　In　the　meantime　every　moment　threatened　to　be　our　last　　every
  mountainous　billow　hurried　to　overwhelm　us。　The　swell　surpassed
  anything　I　had　imagined　possible；　and　that　we　were　not　instantly
  buried　is　a　miracle。　My　companion　spoke　of　the　lightness　of　our
  cargo；　and　reminded　me　of　the　excellent　qualities　of　our　ship；　but　I
  could　not　help　feeling　the　utter　hopelessness　of　hope　itself；　and
  prepared　myself　gloomily　for　that　death　which　I　thought　nothing　could
  defer　beyond　an　hour；　as；　with　every　knot　of　way　the　ship　made；　the
  swelling　of　the　black　stupendous　seas　became　more　dismally　appalling。
  At　times　we　gasped　for　breath　at　an　elevation　beyond　the　albatross
  at　times　became　dizzy　with　the　velocity　of　our　descent　into　some
  watery　hell；　where　the　air　grew　stagnant；　and　no　sound　disturbed　the
  slumbers　of　the　kraken。
  We　were　at　the　bottom　of　one　of　these　abysses；　when　a　quick　scream
  from　my　companion　broke　fearfully　upon　the　night。　〃See！　see！〃　cried
  he；　shrieking　in　my　ears；　〃Almighty　God！　see！　see！〃　As　he　spoke；　I
  became　aware　of　a　dull；　sullen　glare　of　red　light　which　streamed　down
  the　sides　of　the　vast　chasm　where　we　lay；　and　threw　a　fitful
  brilliancy　upon　our　deck。　Casting　my　eyes　upwards；　I　beheld　a
  spectacle　which　froze　the　current　of　my　blood。　At　a　terrific　height
  directly　above　us；　and　upon　the　very　verge　of　the　precipitous
  descent；　hovered　a　gigantic　ship　of；　perhaps；　four　thousand　tons。
  Although　upreared　upon　the　summit　of　a　wave　more　than　a　hundred　times
  her　own　altitude；　her　apparent　size　exceeded　that　of　any　ship　of　the
  line　or　East　Indiaman　in　existence。　Her　huge　hull　was　of　a　deep　dingy
  black；　unrelieved　by　any　of　the　customary　carvings　of　a　ship。　A
  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；　was　that　she　bore　up
  under　a　press　of　sail　in　the　very　teeth　of　that　supernatural　sea；　and
  of　that　ungovernable　hurricane。　When　we　first　discovered　her；　her
  bows　were　alone　to　be　seen；　as　she　rose　slowly　from　the　dim　and
  horrible　gulf　beyond　her。　For　a　moment　of　intense　terror　she　paused
  upon　the　giddy　pinnacle；　as　if　in　contemplation　of　her　own　sublimity；
  then　trembled　and　tottered；　and　　came　down。
  At　this　instant；　I　know　not　what　sudden　self…possession　came　over　my
  spirit。　Staggering　as　far　aft　as　I　could；　I　awaited　fearlessly　the
  ruin　that　was　to　overwhelm。　Our　own　vessel　was　at　length　ceasing　from
  her　struggles；　and　sinking　with　her　head　to　the　sea。　The　shock　of　the
  descending　mass　struck　her；　consequently；　in　that　portion　of　her
  frame　which　was　already　under　water；　and　the　inevitable　result　was　to
  hurl　me；　with　irresistible　violence；　upon　the　rigging　of　the
  stranger。
  As　I　fell；　the　ship　hove　in　stays；　and　went　about；　and　to　the
  confusion　ensuing　I　attributed　my　escape　from　the　notice　of　the　crew。
  With　little　difficulty　I　made　my　way　unperceived　to　the　main
  hatchway；　which　was　partially　open；　and　soon　found　an　opportunity　of
  secreting　myself　in　the　hold。　Why　I　did　so　I　can　hardly　tell。　An
  indefinite　sense　of　awe；　which　at　first　sight　of　the　navigators　of
  the　ship　had　taken　hold　of　my　mind；　was　perhaps　the　principle　of　my
  concealment。　I　was　unwilling　to　trust　myself　with　a　race　of　people
  who　had　offered；　to　the　cursory　glance　I　had　taken；　so　many　points　of
  vague　novelty；　doubt；　and　apprehension。　I　therefore　thought　proper　to
  contrive　a　hiding…place　in　the　hold。　This　I　did　by　removing　a　small
  portion　of　the　shifting…boards；　in　such　a　manner　as　to　afford　me　a
  convenient　retreat　between　the　huge　timbers　of　the　ship。
  I　had　scarcely　completed　my　work；　when　a　footstep　in　the　hold　forced
  me　to　make　use　of　it。　A　man　passed　by　my　place　of　concealment　with　a
  feeble　and　unsteady　gait。　I　could　not　see　his　face；　but　had　an
  opportunity　of　observing　his　general　appearance。　There　was　about　it
  an　evidence　of　great　age　and　infirmity。　His　knees　tottered　beneath　a
  load　of　years；　and　his　entire　frame　quivered　under　the　burthen。　He
  muttered　to　himself；　in　a　low　broken　tone；　some　words　of　a　language
  which　I　could　not　understand；　and　groped　in　a　corner　among　a　pile　of
  singular…looking　instruments；　and　decayed　charts　of　navigation。　His
  manner　was　a　wild　mixture　of　the　peevishness　of　second　childhood；　and
  the　solemn　dignity　of　a　God。　He　at　length　went　on　deck；　and　I　saw　him
  no　more。
  *　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*
  A　feeling；　for　which　I　have　no　name；　has　taken　possession　of　my　soul
  a　sensation　which　will　admit　of　no　analysis；　to　which　the　lessons
  of　bygone　times　are　inadequate；　and　for　which　I　fear　futurity　itself
  will　offer　me　no　key。　To　a　mind　constituted　like　my　own；　the　latter
  consideration　is　an　evil。　I　shall　never　　I　know　that　I　shall　never
  be　satisfied　with　regard　to　the　nature　of　my　conceptions。　Yet　it
  is　not　wonderful　that　these　conceptions　are　indefinite；　since　they
  have　their　origin　in　sources　so　utterly　novel。　A　new　sense　　a　new
  entity　is　added　to　my　soul。
  *　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*
  It　is　long　since　I　first　trod　the　deck　of　this　terrible　ship；　and　the
  rays　of　my　destiny　are；　I　think；　gathering　to　a　focus。
  Incomprehensible　men！　Wrapped　up　in　meditations　of　a　kind　which　I
  cannot　divine；　they　pass　me　by　unnoticed。　Concealment　is　utter　folly
  on　my　part；　for　the　people　will　not　see。　It　was　but　just　now　that　I
  passed　directly　before　the　eyes　of　the　mate　　it　was　no　long　while
  ago　that　I　ventured　into　the　captain's　own　private　cabin；　and　took
  thence　the　materials　with　which　I　write；　and　have　written。　I　shall
  from　time　to　time　continue　this　Journal。　It　is　true　that　I　may　not
  find　an　opportunity　of　transmitting　it　to　the　world；　but　I　will　not
  fall　to　make　the　endeavour。　At　the　last　moment　I　will　enclose　the　MS。
  in　a　bottle；　and　cast　it　within　the　sea。
  *　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*
  An　incident　has　occurred　which　has　given　me　new　room　for　meditation。
  Are　such　things　the　operation　of　ungoverned　Chance？　I　had　ventured
  upon　deck　and　thrown　myself　down；　without　attracting　any　notice；
  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　lon