A

StrangeDiscovery
By

Charles

Romyn

New

H.

Dake

York

Ingalls Kimball
Mdcccxdx

Entered

according

Congress

in

the

year

to

Act

of

MDCCCXCIX

by
Charles

at

the

Office

Romyn

of

in

the

Washington

Dake

Librarian

of

Congress

How
We

Dirk

Found

Peters

The

First

IT

was

in

once

of

after

elapsed,

and

it may

the

of

interest.

Yet
of

for

the

man,

It
not

is

time

at

the

or

myself

the

believe
case,

why

that

interest

it

really

there
it

was

are

either

which

less

my
3

of

ble;
explicahas
of

and

retiring

my

did

ions
compan-

importance

I have

In

possesses.
reasons,

full

discovery

the

that

having

in

forgetful.

and

impress
as

kept

none

quiet,

the

strange

so

quite

is

is

one

possible

also

been

in

publication;

is erratic

other

widespread
to

for

associates,

two

my

has

participants

written

heretofore

reader

apparently

three

since

shared

the

silence

As
has

century

to

event

this

the

wonderful.

public

an

to

searchers

to

others

seem

general

ignorance

of

two

as

and

and

quarter

assist

to

importance

some

new

discovery,

of

literature,

the

nearly

fortune

good

my

discovery

lovers

that

Chapter

at

any

personal
duty

than

and

last

come

view
to

that

of
self,
my-

of

4
either

of the

facts of the
in all these
done

Discovery

Strange

so,

others

place

to

years, in ever
have
I should

of them,

either

Had

discovery.

brief

so

the

record

on

manner,

forever

remained

silent.

of

another

to
one
part related
intimate
friends; but

in

my

they all mistook

purpose
ous
at vari-

my

I have

form,

briefly or

times

and

it is

put in written

to

now

which

narrative

The

facts

my

for

fancies, and

me
on
good-naturedly complimented
iny
^which
certainly
was
story-tellingpowers
torian.
not
flatteringto my qualificationsas an his"

With

explanation, and

this

of

what

some

inexcusable
shall

and

may
persons
almost
criminal

the

1877

year

time,

as

at

the

visit

to

think

an

delay, I

recovered.

seemed
act

of
and

compelled

the

States.

At

home

my

cumstanc
by cir-

was

My father, then
of
left,in course
business

interests

that
near
cently
re-

tlement
set-

volving
in-

considerable

of which

which

was

present,

Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
deceased, had
in America,

the

tion
extenua-

proceed.

In

be

this

to

ment,
investpecuniary
hoped a large part might
My
lawyer, for reasons
that
sufficient,advised
me

settlement
I decided

should
to

leave

not
at

be
once

gated;
delefor

reached
a

day

In

States.

United

the

Discovery

Strange

and

two

or

Ten

St. Louis

I met

in

business.

my

transaction

of the

some

took

depended
between

wholly

certain

abound

in

America

king." I was told

palatial residence
did

the

crossed

was

kings

of

one
"

which
"

case

Louis

coal

possessed

really

where

"

he

less

business

plain, honest
splithairs, and
London

"20,000,

he

interest

had

within

in certain

be

further

we

was

did

not

in my
for something like

week

I had

coal-fields
were

He

we

man;
a

Southern

him.

exchange
in his pocket

railroad, and
And

into

found

soon

very

pocket

Mississippi River

Illinois,and

to

St.

ment
agree-

ing
pretentious dwelldirectly in the coal-fields, where, for
of his time, he
did
reside.
I
most
and

dwell;

not

the

my

in

the

myself; but,
narrative, the

this

he

that

final settlement

He
"

in

"

whole

and

man

so-called

wealthy

those

the

upon

in St. Louis.

not

was

tereste
in-

persons

that

fortunately for the fate of this

man

westward.

There

form

such

for

I remained

proceeded

then

later

days

where

York,

New

both

of

transfer
and

tain
cer-

satisfied.

I came
having explained how
so
surroundings to me
strange, any

now,

in

mention

of business,

shall not,

again

in the

appear.

or

course

of money
of this

terests
inrative,
nar-

I had

arrived

Southern
and

the

at

Illinois,on

myself

housed
brick

story

Discovery

Strange

bright June morning,

in

in

of Bellevue,

town

four-

old-fashioned,

an

Loomis

hotel, the

in

House,

proprietor, a portly, ruddy-faced,

an
assigned to me
trumpet-voiced
man,
with
a
spacious corner
room,
apartment
oughfare
thorthe main
three windows
looking upon
which

the

"

and
smaller

before

the

returned

to

even

have

might

time

days of

first two

rapidly and
allotted

stay,

somewhat
left my

the customary

so

feeling.

I had

as

I
I

had

home-like

my

was

rest, and

to

else than

when

came

England

desired, I acquired quite

The

street, and

side

upon

adjoining.

room

Here,

two

elled
trav-

wearied,
for

room

tri-dailyvisits

little

the

to

table d'hote.
these

During
observations

from

that

learned

certain

of

"

hotel

the
American

of which
"

Doctor

the

in

the

the

met

Crocus."

whom

I have

mentioned

of the

Loomis

House,

asked

lower

sage-way
pas-

Scotch

the

being,

hack-driver, porter,

in his

phrenologist
bell-boy

The

was

side street

by Dickens

and

he

and

bell-boy.
old, rambling, two-

mentioned

Notes,"

many

the

story building directlyacross

was

I made

windows,

my

questions

numberless

days

first two

in

runner

factotum
an
"

gency,
emer-

all

by

s
o
o

-I

..

''A.

'^

'

r^
"
*

--ab

nothing long at a time.

and
Arthur;
quaint genius, named
and

turns,
a

Discovery

Strange

the

on

whole,

elevated

than

that

During

these

two

in

expert

the

windows

quite

be

usually
youth,

the
He

was.

person
was

profane

but

matter-of-fact

an

sonal
per-

studies

my
of my

frequently desired
then
bell, hoping
ring my

would

Boots."

apartment,
information, and

I
would

"

I became

I continued

the

more

of immediate

invention

life from

of local

days

for, as

wants;

English

our

was

his position,

somewhat

was

of

He

an

in

manner.

that

thur
Ar-

respond, as he
extremely profane
a
quiet, drawling,
He
was
frequently
to

semi-intoxicated

and
sometimes
by noon,
saw
quite inarticulate by 9 p.m. ; but I never
with
his bodily equilibrium seriously
him
in plainer words, I never
him
saw
impaired
ness
He
to a weakopenly confessed
stagger.
have
for an occasional
glass,but would
perhaps with blows, an
repelled with scorn,
in that
insinuation
attributing to him excess
direction.
True, he referred to times in his
he had been
life when
caught
meaning
"

"

"

"

that

the

circumstances

on

those

sions
occa-

nial
preclude any successful deof intoxication; but these occasions, it
impHed, dated back to the period of his

such

was

were

as

to

giddy youth.
With

little to

occupy

my

mind

(I had

the

Strange

St. Louis

dailies,one

newspaper
"

I have

arrive

not

of which

excepting, of

"

that

Discovery

until

day

trunks

my

did
I

later, and

two

or

best

Times

our

course,

but

read;

ever

the

was

was

books), I became
really
in studying the persons
I
interested
whom
saw
passing and repassing the hotel, or stopping
the opposite street-corto converse
ners;
on
and after forming surmises
concerning

without

favorite

my

those

of

them

would

ask

Arthur

with

compare

furnished

was

who

man,

quiet, well-dressed
four

or

passed along the

him, I had formed

side

several

he

was

clergyman

to

come

'each

When

orders
I

in my

day

opinion

my

finallydetermined

correct

was

young

Regarding

altered

in recent

town.

whether

times

street.

and

but

me,

and
then
they were,
opinions the truth as

own

three

times;

interested

most

who

my
him.

by

There

who

asked

that

and

just

Arthur

surmise, he

swered
an-

:
"

Wrong

again

"

business

"

had

surmise;
shown,

"

that
not

but

is, on
before

on

the

the
made

fellow's
an

contrary,

roneous
er-

had

great penetration in

determining, at
them, two lawyers

single glance for each of

and a banker
Yes, sir,wrong
again; and
His name's
Doctor
right again, too.
Baina

"

"

bridge,

and

he's

fool

enough

to

come

here

Strange
'd"
the

with

here

come

and

sugar

He

just

town

He's
to

learn

wind

"

give no
keeps his

and

he ain't got
They say he's

alive

kind

some

don't

in', he

Discovery

no

with

of

how

us

medicine
boss
wife

get well

to

that

near

worth
fat he

so

bones.
saw-

'pathy doctor,
to

pretty

or

other

mend

on

bad.

mentioncan't

trot,

his clothes.

gettin' along, though; and

old farmer
Vagary's boy that had 'em, told
he was
me
good on fits but I don't beHeve
fit in his life
that, for the boy had the worst
after he told me.
The
doctor
said
so
they
tell
that was
as
jestwhat he expected, and
that he was
hard, for it
so
glad the fit came
"

"

"

show'd

My

the medicine

was

workin'."

particularlyattracted to
who
a man
daily,in fact almost hourly, stood
and who
at an
opposite corner,
rived,
frequently ardrove
in a buggy
drawn
or
by
away,
rather small, black, spiritedhorses.
He
two
tall, lithe, dark-complexioned
was
a
man,
with black eyes, rather long black hair, and a
full beard; extremely restless, and constantly
moving back and forth. He addressed
many
fair
of
whom
proportion
passers-by, a
with
him.
In
stopped to exchange a word
the exchange
the latter instance, however,
was
scarcely equitable, as, he did the talking,
and his remarks, judging by his gestures of
head
and
hand, were
generally emphatic.
attention

was

lo

One

of

which

Discovery

Strange
the

assumed

he

positions

favorite

apparently

throw

to

was

arm

an

swing his
and
forth, occasionally, when
body back
the
alone, taking a swing entirely around
favorite
to stand
position was
post. Another
of
with his fists each
boring into the hollow
his back
the corresponding hip, with his
over
around

the

and

chest

corner

gas-post,

and

thrown

well

shoulders

back, and

looking steadily off into the

distance.
With
tion
staregard to this man's
in life,I took little credit to myself for a
aids
to other
correct
for, in addition
guess;
that
to
correct
on
guessing, the store-room
corner
was
occupied
by an
apothecary.
his

head

erect,

I asked

When

Arthur

whether

the

man

was

"

Yes,
sir," he replied;
physician,
and
obstetrician;
physician, surgeon,
He
George F. Castleton, A.M., M.D.
ought
and
to
a
torch-light,
get a dry-goods box

not

"

and

sell

where

salivated

to

'

Moves

Well,
idees

I believe
around

He
war

great

you;

in

but

the

die

it.

can't

Medicine

declares

around

move

teeth

intellecty.

and

'

to

get

to

go

till my
it all!

me

fill his

jest want

to

he knows

Oh,

Bitters

Hindoo

If you

square.

know

'

runs

to

Public-

quick,
That

fellow

keep quiet.
ain't enough
the
suit

ernment
Gov-

himself.

deal,' you
when

you

you

say?
see

his

you'llquit sighing about

A
his

Strange

Discovery

body.

in a camWhy, sir, that man

paign
changes his politics every
day; nobody
ever
yet caught up with his religion;
You
besides, he's a prophet.
jest get

and
back

home

me,

without

of this

tone,

without

when

the

such

italics.

much

teeth

were

has

as

Arthur's
"

without
intention

love

in

quiet, instructive
of feeling even
show
and
mentioned,
only
been
indicated
by my

advice

for

get home

to

me

"

the doctor, I had

no
touching
of following. My curiosityregarding

mined,
aroused, and I had deterif possible, to know
him.
So far as
man

was

could

one

said

was

emphasis

the

him, if you

please do."

now,

All

touchin'

be
I

influenced

from

third-story

favorably impressed with him.

I judged him
to be superlativelyerratic, but
of real evil in his being. I
without
atom
an

window,

was

observed

had

from

my

window

an

incident

glance into the man's heart.

dently
eviA
dilapidated, distressed
negro,
poor,
running up
seeking help, had come
his buggy, at the
he stood
near
to him
as
in which
he pushed
and the manner
corner;
into the buggy, himself
the negro
followed,
ofif at a break-neck
started
and
then
speed,
that

left
a
or

gave

no

me

doubt

heart
twice

as

in my

large

during

as

the

mind
the

that the doctor.had

whole

long,

warm

world.

Once

afternoons.

12

Discovery

strange

his words

to

came

was

that

aware

naturally bright, quick

two

or

at

rather

close
the

over

that

he

I had

so

to

an

flashed

eyes

once

twice

or

window

open

glance

stepped

looking

out

roof-tops beyond ; and I felt

given me a niche in his mind, as

had
him

in

estimates

mental
whether

watering

I heard

in

had

my

status,

and

attempted

did

as

craven-looking
and

of

had

he

Once

Arthur.

if he

I wondered

mine.

them

mind

as

his

lower

formed
if

me

dows.
winthe open
almost
preter-

through

me

to

say

apparently

man,

roborate
cor-

through

mine,

him

to

small,
in

feeble

red, contracted,
body, with
Yes, sir,if I had been Sam
"

eyes,

Tilden, the blood in these

touched
stirrups
your

streets

"

the

"

would

little

have
had

man

"

This
is trembling
stirrups
country
over
an
abyss deeper'n the infernal regions.
What
man
Ha, ha!
ghastly burlesque on hua
freedom
! Now,
hark
Pickles
you,
no

"

"

"

the

small

only listening,but, I
could
imagine, trembling. He would
now
and then look furtivelyaround, as if fearing
that somebody
else might hear
the doctor,
would
and that war
listen to me
begin
:
Hell has no
fury like a nation scorned.'
man

was

not

"

"

'

Here

"

Doctor

little man,
stroke
was

Castleton
to

see

shot

whether

a
or

appreciated, and

glance

at

not

fine

so

whether

the
a

his

14

Discovery

Strange

the little man,

himself into
he swung
which
stood
waiting, and drove
whilst

away;

of

moment

down

the

talks
the
of

I later

street.

of

element

throw

with

ideas

that

of his

were

as

off

ofif fancies.

opinions

that

were,

verity, thrown

defended
the

shufHed

learned

Castleton's

after

man,

indecision,

weak

of Doctor

fiction

diminutive

the

buggy,
rapidly

his

as

ofif
these

regards
writers

Sometimes

he

in fierce conflict

auditors;

but

he

erally
gen-

suming
please them, frequently ashis own,
and in exaggerated form,
as
tors.
the hobbies, notions, or desires of his audiIn the incident
tor
just recorded, the docof fact,
probably had not, as a matter
been
stating his real opinions, though for the
he may
have
moment
imagined that he was
an
uncompromising
Paper-money
man
member
of one
of
Greenbacker,"
or
as
a
the minor
politicalparties of the day was

talked

to

"

"

"

termed

Castleton

the little man

was

poor,

and

Doctor

had

simply been drawing for him a

picture of delights at least, so I conjectured.
This propensity of the doctor
times
someled to startling surprises and
results,
at least, to a discovery of weighty
and, once
shall soon
as
we
perceive.
consequence
It was
the circumstanc
novelty for me, and under
often
ness
quite refreshing, to wit"

"

the

manner

in which

Americans

treated

Discovery

Straitge

15

spoke

the

mighty subjects of life,and

of
great and powerful persons
was

abundant

an

ask

the

of the

earth.

for

of entertainment

source

It

I happened
anybody with whom
to be conversing, for his opinion on
noted
some
great subject or of some
age;
personfor the reply was
unique,
always to me
sometimes
quently
infrenot
amusing, and
very
to

me

almost

instructive.
time

second
I

room,

from

On

sitting-room,"where
a
a

conversation

middle-aged

man.

that the younger

Lill; that he

"

an

my

tlemen's
Gen-

I in part

between

the

to

in the

moment

for

way
meal

evening

our

stopped for

the

heard
over-

elderly and

afterward

learned

lawyer, by name
well known
was
throughout
of cultivation, very conventhe State, a man
tional
in his private life,but an unequivocal
dissenter

man

almost

on

of

was

great social

every

high honor,

tion
ques-

and

unquestionable
exalted
personal habits, for whom
lic
pubif only he could
often waited
oflfice had
his expressed opinions to less
modified
have
; a

man

inharmony
reins
men

with

of power.
had not met

those
It

for

of

who

men

that

seemed
a

year

or

more;

held

these
and

the
two
as

periences,
comparing exthey were
in a leisurely,confidential, sympathetic
within
As
I came
hearing, the
way.
lawyer had just started in afresh, after a

I entered

the

room

i6

and

laugh

Discovery

Strange

his features,

Settling-down

pause.

assuming a more-news-to-be-told
tween
betobacco
with a pinch of fine-cut
manner,
ready to go into his
finger and thumb
and
to keep
mouth,
leaning slightlyforward
from
his
the
tobacco-dust
shirt-front, he
said, Well, David, I read the Bible throughI must
continue
to
again last winter, and
think it a very
immoral
book.
Its teaching
would
is really bad.
sir, what
Why,
you
think
of such
d
d outrageous
teaching
if anybody
at this time
to promulgate
were
tion
it with an
implication of any practical relaand

"

"

And
present events?
somewhat,
though not

to

horror

the
be

as

"

entered

men.

small

was

delegation of Bellevue
afterward
presented to
I learned

arrival, when
Rowell

General

"

thought
home.

He

had
a

large

gave
mental

considerable
him

in

seen

was

say

that

Rowell;

and

appearance,

heard

to

I observed
this room,
a
in conversation
with what
I took

again

be

greatly,

seemed
to
companion, who
at least by descent.
day, after the mid-day meal,

another

new-comer

to

tinued,
con-

of his

Christian

On

he

so

to

closing

the

man
me

force

this

name

new
was

which

name

newspapers

I
at

of

prepossessing
the impression of
and
activity. I

his visitors
a

his

business

conference

"

the
"

words

parently
ap-

Yes, gen-

Discovery

Strange

tlemen, if I

nail mill in your

time
in which
to

city,I

nail-works
I heard
mind

Bellevue, and

to

come

make

ask

our

in the world."
this remark,

that

This

American
will

the

genuine

article

lent
excel-

an

can
type of Ameri-

thought
one

of

was

type

of

rarely fail

audacious,
of which

the

Colonel

In this
pitifulimitators.
fulfilled,with a
promise was

but

are

instance, the
two

my

I
promoters,
plans of whom,

business
and

Sellerses

year or
The

was

mammoth

though
"

the

"

of

presence

man

as

well, of American

"

say

moment,

passed through

example of an amusing
life; but the momentary
erroneous.

build

we

only five years

mill the largest

For

it

in the

was

17

to

spare.

personal opinion was

of the fruits of '76, and
looked
as
one
upon
to be measthe value of such opinion seemed
ured
to a
almost
even
wholly on its merits
For instance, this lawyer,
laughable extent.
Doctor
Castleton, or any other American
or
whatever
he might privately
I met,
whom
for
not
have
thought on the subject, would
claimed
that his opinion was
have
a moment
innately superior to that of, for instance, the

right to

express

"

factotum,

also,
I

saw

that

an

Arthur.

seemed

man

right to be
only one man

inalienable

in America

privilege.

I heard

an

to

snob

who

have,
;

but

utilized

Ex-Governor

of

i8
the

State

the

concise

"

as

"

be

can

of

for

Governor

of the

it is where

the

than

does

trite remark;

said

on

lands, when

receives

with

one

differ

once

from

emergence

get back

of

seclusion

of the

busy little city.

room,

and

Arthur

the usual
with

names

different
all that

subject : after all, human

extremely different in different

might illustrate a part of

which
by relating an incident
third day in the hotel, and
my

and

in

it is about

but

names

greater

three

only

paused

But

the

we

of ice-water,

four

with

titles

Customs

title.

feelingis not

my

the

through.

way

man

inherited

one
"

President

as
imagine that admiration
respect for the truly great of the land

homage
lands

here

should

two

and

law

no

self."
d fool of him-

all the

on,

have

subject by

for the
"

Dick

so

is less than
and

"

Abe

this

on

We

making

man

Republic,
State, and
well

"

remark,

Its

one

himself

express

against a

no

Discovery

Strange

had

placing it
looked

toward

question

statement

my

occurred

on

sittingpitcher

table.
me,

some

as

Then

he

if expecting

subject

nected
con-

surroundings. But at
time I had nothing to ask.
After a moment
of quiet, Arthur
spoke :
Did
the Prince
see
lately? he
you
"

to

into the midst

was

on

just prior

in my
brought in
on

form.

mere

my

"

the

quired.
in-

Strange

I had

Discovery

by this time

Arthur's

mode

of

19
accustomed

so

grown

thought

and

pression,
lingual exthat
this question did not
even
I supposed
that the
greatly surprise me.
the first suggestion of
made
was
on
query
alert mind
desirous
of starting a little
an
agreeable conversation, and wishing to be

to

sociable

with

"

continued
"

when

he

was

I met

him, you

here, sev'ral

over

He

guest.

mediate
im-

he's well.

hope

"

two-room

years

know,
ago,

gettin'idees for his kingdom."

I began to feel amused.
Arthur
not
was
a
liar,and anything but a bore : he struck me
as
being truthful on all subjects except that
weakness
of his bibulous
subject on
a
he was,
which
perhaps naturally,not able to
"

form
"

notions.

accurate

did

Where
"

Arthur?

meet

you

His

Highness,

I asked.

Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. I was

let boys in
They wouldn't
only eight then.
"

the

Oh,

hotel

big-wigs
get

to

see

in

to

him, and

see

around
him

the

young

at first.

there

was

many

I couldn't

man,

Btit after

so

while

they

in front of the hotel, to get into

all got out
utes,
their carriages. They had to wait a few min-

get in front to see him.

hotel hall was
The
by that time, and
empty
looking at the Prince; so I
everybody was
but

I couldn't

20

Discovery

strange

through the barber-shop into the

hall,
hall; slipped along into the main

hurried
side

main

the

to

or

was

at

down

back

the

I got

legs.

big

For

close

up.

worse

off than

knees

his

leg standin'
fellow,
chance.

ran

twisted

and

Prince, but

of him,

right
I

thought

eight;

head

my

other.
and

was

in between

was

that the

of the
for

even

between

little separate
six inches
apart, with

ahead

but

jest got

I noticed

Then

legs

maybe

were

minute

a
ever.

had

side

each

on

in

the

to

so

crawled
up

than

more

Prince,

the

crowd;

clear

stood

man

Prince

of the

not

was

from

all-fours,and

on

their

feet

twelve

ten

entrance.

^his

"

one

tle
lit-

saw

my

his knees

body and neck so as to look

down
to
right up into his face, as he looked
what
rubbed
He
see
looked
against him.
kind
of funny when
he saw
face down
my
and
there, but not a bit mad;
he could
easy
have
my

hurt
head

I often
and

my

me,

but

didn't.

I drew

quick that nobody

so

wonder

I wish

he

if the

you'd

ask

Prince
him

else

back

saw

me.

remembers

when

you

go

me;

home.

Since

I grew
I've often felt ashamed
to
up,
think I did it. If you think
of it,and it ain't
much
too
that we
trouble, please tell him

know
such
must

better

in the

things, but
have

been

United

that

States

was

ignorant

than

to

do

little then, and

of

ettiket,

I
my

Chapter

Second

The

exchanged

had

of

his

in
This

from

him
interest

seemed

he

then,

in

liked

him

whom

his

in

to

be

so

from
for

weather,

the

for

mind

for

in

at

he

the

instance,

was

22

seemed

his
ways
al-

startling
new

produced
from

community

taneous
spon-

perhaps

something
of

without,

so

he

had

once

was

that

dearth

his

before

It

peculiarity,

tained
enter-

admired

Never
a

was

and

versatile.

looking
and

occur;

goodness,
ways,

with

striking
to

erratic

contact

and
most

real

but

interested?

not

brightness.

intellectual
come

his

for

coming;

my

he

was

for

by

for

look

to

increased.

reciprocal,

been

have

must

eral
sev-

est,
inter-

my

had

day

to

to

and

talks,

day

with

listened

also

street-corner

and

words

few

had

him.

duced
intro-

been

Castleton,

Doctor

to

arrival

my

had

Bellevue.

in

since

elapsed

had

WEEK

and

ment
excite-

within.

growing

sational
sen-

The
warmer,

A
and

Strange

the

summer

one
we

Discovery

look

to

were

of

one

the

for the

of disease;

by

apparently

was

hence, before

and

His

on.

of the

and
"

going

"grind

France

and

the

of the
I

about

blow

would

earth

the

froth

depths

beneath

he

real enemy;

practice,as

he

an

even

upon

kind

unable

seemed

to

super-activity;and
in

he
were

if he

exist

the

to

discuss

had

ever

sympathy

with

him

generally
But

without

gyrations was
of the
necessity. Few
and
who
habitually met

able

jury
in-

actual

gentle woman.

his mental

constant

whom

"

would

man

heart, and

at
as

stagnation of

brought

enemy

was

the

sparkling
a
bright,

of

strange

intentionally have

not

in

amid

all fiction

and

overflow

This

trembling
Yet
this,

himself

man

Prussia,

at

Pole."

to

the

town.

country

science
pre-

glacier";

felt in the

limpid

mind

undisciplined

so

"

it like

be

the
"

with

strike back

the

on

born, and

"

Pole

to

Avas

have

plots of statesmen,
of
many
Ger:
plutocrats
overshadow
to
Europe,
to

from

were

it would

teemed

all beneath

was

thought,

"

and

we

and

plans

of bureaucrats,
was

and

been

mind

ended

demics
sweeping epibeen sighted

not

or

try
sul-

was

comet-hunters,

our

so

had

comet

be

to

season

most

all to say later whether

been
better if we'd
never
on,

23

mental
of his fellows
him

to

persons

had
the

ure
leisbooks

24
he

read, and

to

hear

not

him

the

corners,

Napoleon,
and

how

Hteraiy

and

times,

been

the

which

them,

execution

their

of

for

with

old

an

if he

might easily have

ancient-looking apothecary,

success

An

attained.

been

of

and

with
failure, the reasons
plans had met
the methods
that failure, and
by which,

had

of

habitues

of Alexander

career

sions.
acces-

many

of the

benefit

even

they had done,

explaining what
it, and why; with
they had done
in

instances

fresh

had, long ago,

for the

described

cared

of them

many
of his

talk

He

the

Discovery

Strange

"

Rebel

"

bushwhacker
"

"

who
loafed
of
painter out of work
evenings in, or in front of, the corner
cary
apotheat these
shop, had stood gap-mouthed
and

recitations
been

the

until

the

mine

of

wonders

had

last

Still,exgrain exhausted.
citement
be procured for them.
must
The
could
better have
doctor
dispensed for a day
with
food for the body, than
have
to
gone
foreto

excitement

for the

of his auditors

mind

also

were

if

and
to

be

jority
ma-

fied,
grati-

the

be strong and
subject-matter must
be boldly produced,
novel, must
and, by
be of local interest.
As
preference, should
the doctor
himself
delighted in surprises of
a

terrifyingor
that

would

be

his

horrifyingnature,
inventions

characterized

in

by

that

it

was

likely
un-

direction

tameness.

He

A
would
allow

Discovery

Strange

hard
not, when
a fastidious
care

25

pressed

on

of

his

own

even

dull

day,
tation
repu-

of
impede the development of one
his surprises. If the town
of Bellevue
was
to
be the
not
mentally, it would
stagnate
fault of George F. Castleton, A.M.,
M.D.
It was
the eighth day of my
on
stay in
Bellevue, that, on
starting forth from the
hotel one
Doctor
Castleton
morning, I saw
House, in one
standing before the Loomis
to

of

his

head

favorite
and

hands

upon

young

man

attitudes

shoulders
his

thrown

is, with

back

"

in

the

across

near

way,

the

I had

seen

from

in the man's

my

windows.

at

a
an

street

harmless-looking youth,
dark
blue eyes, and straight,very
fact, the clerical-lookingyoung

whom

his

looking intently
stood
speaking with
"

"

dark

his

and

hips

who

aged farmer
a
curbing

that

"

with
hair
man

thing
Some-

thing
make-up
perhaps somein his attire
suggested the stranger
Castleton's
in town.
Doctor
large black
flashed
irefully,and he was
evidently
eyes
A
complete
approach.
gratified at my
stranger in my place might have thought his
"

"

arrival

opportune,

and

have

looked

upon

in higher
diverting instrument
As I
hands
employed to prevent bloodshed.
stopped by the doctor's side, he said, with illsuppressed agitation.
himself

as

26
"

That

leave

to

Discovery

Strange

d villain
He

town.

himself

calls

has

there

over

got
doctor,

but

I have

wheels

of the

law

of this great State of Illinois,and

the infernal rascal."
Then, with

I'll expose

look

knowing
of

in motion

set

at

the

he hissed

me,

(though

none

had
been
audible
preceding words
the street), An
Irregular,' sir
figure 9
a
sugar-and-water quack
sir
the tail rubbed
off.
Why,
(in a
conversational
but still emphatic tone),

his

"

across

with
more

'

"

cursed

"

dark,

"

"

/ have

at
a
given sixty grains of calomel
dose, and I have given a tenth of a grain of
I would
calomel
at
dose;
a
a
give a man
hundred
grains of quinine, and I have done
it; I have
(and here he took from his pocket
round
a small
lozenge or button of bone)
"

"

I have

"

into the

into

Corinthian

speak.

to

bored

When

the

brains

of

man

"

Capital of Mortality, so
that

"

(pointing with

man

his

right forefinger to the circle of bone

in the head
his left palm)
kicked
was
by
mule, three of my
colleagues were
on
before
like
scene
me
standing around
doing nothing. / have elaborate
women,
"

"

sir

the world's

"

forehead).
for other
was

I don't

"

literature
"

I've

men's

saying,sir.

read

thought
Give

"

is here

ideas.
'

any

too

Like
me

more

in
his
the
old

strumen
in-

books

(tapping his
much

old

to

women,

care

poker,' I yelled

A
'

give

"

anything.'

me

Great
the

bone
The

in my

Hfe.

town

God,

And

the

the

I've done

now

Where's

"

for my
phine.
treblood
flew, and

I raised

Hves.

man

27

I sent

how

creaked!

bone.

to

Discovery

Strange

cursed
his

depressed

everything,
quack

wife?

say
Don't
tell

Where's

his

comes
"

suffering children?
not
married,
anybody, that the man's
me,
and run
from
his sufferingwife. Take
away
his trail; glide like the wily savage
back
his course,
and mark
over
sir,you'lltrace
me,
the
of a besom
of destruction:
pathway
fathers,
weeping mothers, broken-hearted
in the dust.
What's
he
daughters bowed
here for?
didn't he stay where
he was?
Why
him

I'll drive

But

avalanche
Two
upon
the
the

baggage :
approaches
days later, at

as

We

he extended
and
me

to

he
to

me

spot, I

same

invitation

accepted

visit

me

at

an

the

came

in conversation

exchanged
an

"

see

is doomed."

to

whom
The

ton,
by Castle"

few
to

urgent

the hotel.

with

me.

stated
as
man,
young
I already knew,
was

Bainbridge."

from

the

set

are

harmless-looking young
man,
doctor
formally presented
and

him,

he

"

will

you

"

wires

the

Castleton

Doctor

of the

name

of town

out

and

bag

"

"

As

Doctor

words,

call upon

request
my

stay

probably last but a few

days longer, I proposed that the evening of
in

America

would

that

Discovery

Strange

28

day be selected

same

for his

the time

as

visit,and to this proposal he readily assented.

and left
Then, with a quiet smile, he bowed
As

us.

walked

he

Castleton

Doctor

away

remarked,
"

longs
genius, sir. BeCapital of Mortality.
to the Corinthian
in this
sir, he's the coming
man
me,

That

Trust

to

come.

read

power

I read

man,

invited

no

again."

out

candidate

for

his hours

as

"

might,

years

few

entailed

in

Later
for

about

my
this

know

him

mind

he
"

said,

in, and

run

the guardian
abstract,

must

from

minutes

run

the

exacting

Castleton,
of the
as

lives

best

he

onerous

ties
du-

wishes

of his

patrons.
the

day,

little luncheon
in

he

elect; but

by the

invalid

many

my

should

thousands,"

of

could

Bellevue
Bainbridge, the new
medical
practice, could devote
he

for twenty

to

come

and

moments;

than

more

to

if he

even

Though,"

come,

be able

not

few

a
"

to

Castleton

evening,

than

more

promised
may

here, in the years

would
sir, as you

Doctor

that

rooms

my

spare

book."

I then
to

will be

He

town.

is

man

young

I
to

made
be

arrangements

served

There

that

ing
even-

something
to
Bainbridge that impelled me
better.
I had
already made
up
rooms.

that

I should

like

was

him

his

were

The

Third

THE

hour

o'clock

idle.

aand

few

on

Bainbridge

silk

hat,

chilly,

But

of

I have

as

stranger

really

in

the

town

was

because

cordially
cordial.

I
30

assisted

high

received

him
in

was

had

we

dozen

almost
as

He

blown-up

than

than

my

Doctor

coat,

that

was

or

at

said, frequently
he

window;

my

ly,
week-

hallway.

more

and

having

considering

exchanged

which

"

warmly

more

on

found

Albert

evening

of

centre

came

the

overcoat.

taste,

him
were

it

Prince

little

I had,

from

opening

summer

before

rap

the

and,

perhaps
best

"

black

in

now

newspaper

books.

standing

the

monthly

"

our

was

table

"

and

wore

in

American

and

English

door,

stood

room,

periodicals

several

and

side,

my

after

two

or

supper,

By

the

two,

letter

had

eight.

about

was

written
six

lay

Chapter

not

words.
him

seen

as

the

of

much

I, and

ceived
re-

feelings

my

him

to

re-

Strange
his coat,

move

my

of

was

and

in other

make

to

power

Discovery

him

of rather

did

ways

all in

comfortable.

than

slightly more

31

medium

He

height,

build, with a fair,almost

colorless
His movements,
his
complexion.
language, his attire,indicated the gentleman
"

this
club

delicate

I should

at

home,

have
or

conceded

in my

drawing-room,

own

readily as here, alone,

quite

as

hotel

in the
I

State

in my

him

of Illinois.

in

As

an
we

obscure
sat

versing,
con-

surprised to find in him

a considerable
degree of culture. He seemed
that particular air which
to possess
we
are
accustomed
to
think, and
generally with
reason,

was

is not
with

much

to

be found

metropolitan

plane. I did not

him
later, think

apart from

life

highest

on

its

iarity
famil-

evening, nor did I

thoroughly schooled, except
in his profession. He
however,
was,
fairlywell educated, and his opinions seemed
from
to me
own
stand-point to be sound.
my
I had
observed, in a history of the county
just from the press, which lay on a table in
the office of the hotel, that in 1869 he had
tution
instibeen
graduated from an educational
in Pennsylvania;
somewhere
and, in
lumbia
Department of Co1873, from the Medical
from
University. Later, I learned
on

himself, that, from

of eleven, he
age

that

the
had

to
age of seven
been
instructed

the
at

32
home

Strange

by

sister who

his senior.
years
I seated
him
between

us,

conversation
It

is

whom
liked

nine

that

of

the

continue

and

of ten

out

or

ten

large centre-table
the
opened
immediately
some
topic of local interest.
the

on

I know

nine

some

was

with

and

probable

Discovery

many
to

of them

persons
like, that I

from

our

first

Bainbridge had not been

meeting. Doctor
I knew
before
that my
long in my presence
not
first impressions of him
deceptive;
were
and
I felt that his impression of myself was
certainly not unfavorable.
talked
It appeared to me
as
we
through
the evening, that he had read about
all that
I had

much

read, and

English and
familiarity.

French

besides.

history

He
with

talked

of

minute

oiily had he read English,

German
such
French, and
literature, with
had
Spanish, Russian, and Italian works
as
been
translated
into English; but he shamed
with the thoroughness
of his knowledge
me
of Scott, Dickens,
Bulwer, Thackeray, and
others
he

of

our

Not

best

writers

of fiction.

Goethe

Of
Cervantes
he
particularly admired.
He
read
had
thought with the rest of us:
Don
he
Quixote," for the first time, when
illness acwas
eighteen, and during a severe
companied
with intense melancholia; and
he
had laughed himself out of bed, and out of his
"

Discovery

Strange
"

melancholy.
the only book
that

"

Don

33
"

Quixote

which

he had

is, read

read

ever

himself

to

he said,

was,

in solitude

which

"

had

Works
of
to laugh aloud.
compelled him
in the
science, particularlyscientific works
domain
of physics, he delighted in. His imaginatio
of a most
was
charming character.
in my
life almost
It was
at that time
a passion
with me
rize
to analyze human
nature
to theo"

motives

the

over

the

and

results

of human

of
probable causes
known
assumed
effects,and the reverse
or
I
in short, I thought myself a philosopher.

action;

the

over

"

have

another

met

never

interested

much

American.

young

him,

more

than

twenty

study
after

But

know

to

to

me

whom

person

now

even

years

as

it

it did

ample

so

this

tunity
oppor-

I sit writing

as

later,and

I think

friendship
pleasure of that temporary
in far-away
Illinois, I am
puzzled about
Bainbridge.
things concerning Doctor
many
He
He certainly possessed a scientific mind.
of the

himself

said

for written
loved

He

that

he

had

no

very

great love

had
he a poetic mind?
poetry:
the beautiful in life: he loved symmetry

harmony in color, he
And
yet, though he had

in form, he loved
loved
read
to

care

good music.
the English-writing poets,
less for their work

else in literature.

The

than

he

for

thought of

seemed

anything

this incon-

34

Discovery

Strange

sistency has perplexed me

thought of it through all
intimated, he

have

and

by

guage-exp
in lan-

strictlymetrical
almost

evinced

he

of

expression

known

every

for the

but

beauty;

As I
years.
beauby the tiful,

these

charmed

was

I have

whenever

taste.
dis-

thought that he had,

in his
peculiar circumstance
through some
earlier life,acquired a suggestive dislike to
To
this peculiarity
of verse.
form
the very
I
there
however,
exception, to which
was,
I

about

am

often

have

allude.

to

By the time
apiece, we were
as

mind.

to

came

that

lay on
though most

table

my

of the

of American

it had

hke
he

remarked

did

he

of

copy
were

the

books

of

Byron;

the

works

Hawthorne,

"

and

one

and

if all the

devote

more

others.

two

or

Byron,

my

Irving,

glancing
poets

were

time

than

I recall a rereading of verse.

mark
that, with Byron's personality in mind,

to

we

for
A

returned

fellow

Poor

are

volcano

he

as
"

table.

wife?

cigar

the

to

made

what

was

that

he would

Byron

out

One

others

authors

Longfellow, Poe,
He
had picked up
at

smoked

ments
exchanging views and comcan,
writers, English and Ameri-

such

on

had

we

expect
mother,

woman's

"

of
and

the

book

he

said.

man
an

character

who

to
"

the
But

had

iceberg for a
is largely

A
formed
her

the

by

qualityof

life; a man's,
of

Discovery

Strange

that

women

if Byron

even

35
that

men

more

so

into

enter

enter

into

the

ity
qual-

by

his.

I wonder

intimately knew a true woman?

at once
and
a
woman
ally
morintellectually
normal, in a good wholesome
a
way
with a good brain and a warm
heart?
woman
No man,
in my
opinion,is a reallygood man
save
through the influence of good women."
It is impossible for me
of
to recall much
ever

"

"

what

he

whom

we

and

said

there

are

that

said

was

authors

I should
almost
of

clearly
in words,

him.

Of

exception, Poe

one

and

most;

as

first and

interests

uppermost
And

measure

among

those

who

have

or
legacy of English verse
I truly believe,
this feelingwas,
ity.
influenced
by Poe's national-

left to the world

Bainbridge possessed any

learned
national
prejudicesI never
He
spoke rapturously of Poe as
If

The

all

judge that in interest,

as
a literaryartist.
a personalityand
Bainbridge placed Edgar Allan Poe

the

Doctor

"

of

exception of'Poe;

the

why

reasons

writers, with

prose.
in no

American

in substance, and

everything

both

the

talked, with

remember

me

of

Raven,"

as

matter

narrow

of them.
a

poet

"

ing
receivof course,
unique and really

high praise : Of that

he said that he thought it the
grand poem,
best in the English language.

36

Discovery

Strange

conversation
point in our
that
that he told me
he rarely read verse;
he had, with certain exceptions, never
done
with
much
so
pleasure, but that in some
he had managed
to read
nearly all the
way
noted
published in our
language.
poetry
which
sorbed
abStill,he said, there were
poems
It

at

was

and

this

fascinated

almost

him.

Of

the

of the present century, Byron

alone
had
written
enough
poetry to prove
himself
and he explained that in his
a poet;

English poets

opinion
chance

poem,

poetry,

did

Then

he

than

of

writing
though

the

the

make

not

mentioned

occasional

an

poem

of the
a

true

were

author
which

poem

or

poet.

for

more

has been

by the critical world

accepted as of the highest order of true poetry.
Gradually warming to the subject, he
century

said:
"

like this is not

poem

Byron

wrote

true

of it in his short
ten

times

over

with

mind

my

and

poetry,

life to

poet. To

to

this poem

compare

"

'

would

be

like

mechanical
say

the

comparing

device

mechanical

gazelle with

the

with

the

cient
suffihimself

prove

with
Byron's poetry
say
Childe
The
Harold,' or
Prisoner
of his shorter
lon,' or with some
'

etry.
po-

of Chilpoems

of

"

perfect

most

graceful animal

imitation

of

parts

"

tiger or

living original;the

first

a
a

as

the
not

was

Discovery

Strange

38

now

does.

Edgar

Allan

published

poem
sufficient for

Poe

the
the artful man,
the scientific man,
genius with a genius for concentrated

toil in the
This

effort

makes

to
'

this

But

for

"

poetic
tal
men-

tion.
literaryperfecRaven
curiosity
a

attain

'

The

poetic expression."
that both
Then
believe," I said,
you
which
the state
of feeling from
true
poetry
the
arises, and
by which
particular words
the feelingis conveyed, are
inspired."
prove
I do.
But
Poe
able actually to imwas
of inspiration, whilst
the
language
transmitting uninjured the poetic conception.
in Grey's 'Elegy' which
Those
stanzas
from
him
the psychic wave
to
us
convey
have
of poetic impulse, may
been
hundreds
of times
altered
in their wording, through
of tentative
it is
efTort; and
seven
years
in retaining the
possible that he succeeded
is certainly aroriginal feeling the poem
tistic.
But
the
feeling conveyed by Grey
is commonplace
whilst
enough, anyway;
that transmitted
by Poe is wholly unique,
and intenselyabsorbing
indeed, a startHng
revelation.
I have
always felt that Byron,
Milton,
within
their
Shakespeare, found
souls their poetry, and that the linguisticexpression
of it came
to them
as
naturally as

in true

"

"

"

"

"

did the

feeling."

A
"

Such

to

enough

among

mental

as

images; but
conception, which

men

quite

"

as

I hold

must

as

rule

be

unblemished

convey

original feeling. The musical

genius is
his psychic impression in harmonious
to convey
the

sounds;
To

terial
pictures of beautiful mathe rarity is in the word-

if it is to

spontaneous
able

always be
"

common

the

will

that
it," replied Bainbridge,
of poetic feeling are
wavelets

and

common

"

39

mortals."

common

take

waves

I said,

minds,"

mystery
"

Discovery

Strange

the

"

Take

in

poet,

the

process

we

is,as you
call it inspiration.

an

isolated

poem,

rest

mystery
"

of

true

us

such

words.
say,

under,

as

patrioticfeeling,springs from the mind

of one
who
never
again writes poetry; does
this not
theory that all
help to prove
my
true
poetry is a result of inspiration is in
its inception and in its word-expression quite
say

"

to

extraneous
"

'The

To

both

Raven'

author?
its apparent
intellect and
my
my
stands

because

strange

psychic state
will probably

those

now
race

growth
lives and

beautiful

it is both

which,

extant,

to

and

be

shall

finally have
of

work

the

last

admired

intellectual

minds

the

the

be

when

the

feeling,
masterpiece,
product of a

men

poem,
by the

development
driven

of

from

all romance,

tellect
inof
man
huand
the
all

40

Discovery

Strange

only

After

of my

statement
"

Of

effect

of

with

their poems,

the

measured

so

to

to

as

myself;

for

of

poetry

psychic
of

certain
of word-

possible,
prevailing

music
a

"

said,

arrangement

produces the saddest

think, to the soul of man

monotone

reply

in

rhythm

sound,
I

in

is the

there

and

The

color.

race

in the

is music

of Poe,

and

Byron

can

there

me

the

Bainbridge
speak only

own,

course

for

and

talk, and

further

some

to

leaving

all poetry,
intellect and will."

sentiment,

in

result

fect
ef-

an

able.
decidedly strange and quite indescribBut the real peculiarity of their poetry
is a psychic
and in this Poe
excels
Byron
"

"

effect

the

as

create

illusion

an

highly shaded, yet

of Poe's

poetry

all,immediately
the

music

on

of his

This

color.

I have
a

color

of

after

remains

which

pictures in blackare
gradations of which

shade
to

that

as

certain

viewing
the

same

white,

and

artistic

so
"

sombre,

color

effect

felt very
slightly,if at
first reading, as I feel

rereading, or
lapse of time, being required for its full
I

in

the

last

present

have

two

or

"

read

not

three

years,

I feel Ulalume

moment

weird

some

verse^

scene

or

line

velopmen
de-

of Poe

and
as

the

at

the

I would

picture viewed

long

particular color

effects

ago."
I asked

him

what

A
Poe's

Discovery

Strange

produced

poetry

41

in his

mind, and

he

replied,
"

The

impression

That

of black,

of red

I do

more

not

at

all

tain.
re-

less intense, is

or

but the color effects of almost

predominant;
red
variegated landscape
cluded,
being exany
and the scene
having been viewed by
moonlight, or in the dusk of evening, or possibly
is at this
on
a
densely clouded
day
"

"

alive

moment

within

And

me.

yet, with

single exception,

I have

never

received

musical

sounds

psychic color

other

or

from
fect
ef-

exception being that certain tones

of a violin leave the same
mental
impression
does the sight of purple. As I am
not
quainted
acas
of
with
the
technical
language
either painter or musician, I can
attempt to
guage.
lanthese
effects only in common
describe
I speak for myself only, and am
thing
anybut dogmatic on the subject of poetry.
must
solve,
The
we
symbolism of Poe's verse
for myself, the soTo me,
each for himself.
lution
the

"

not

seems

another;

says

would
But
verse,

writers
As
Poe.

difificult
"

but
no

on

and

I have

His

fiction

prose

am

I have

these

estimated

higher

than

myself

doubt
lutions
so-

different."

be very

doubt

said, I

no

comparison

highly as Bainbridge
he
placed Poe even
of prose

so

Poe's
among

poets.
of
admirer

among
an

always thought the

42
work

Discovery

Strange

of

genius

true

something,

"

"

Bainbridge said,
the most
perfect
to speak of his

by
came

able

was

that

felt of

had

to

art, aided

than

more

art."

tor
Doc-

as

when

But

we

bridge
writings, Bainall
in language

prose

express
Poe, and

disclose

to

and

of his genius that I

explain components
before fully recognized.
never
it was
I then
asked
Bainbridge what
Poe's
"

of

prose

Poe's

that he

strong element
stories," said

short

think, his

as

inaccurate

the

as

writer

"

is, I
same

"

the

as

statement

directed

that, when
makes

of power

Bainbridge,
scientific imagination
the

capacity, strange

may

into another

pear,
ap-

nel,
chan-

great physicist. It strikes

to

say

that

in

admired.

much

so

had

Newton

me

discovered

of

gravitation. Newton
imagined
the fact of a law of physical gravitation; and
then he proceeded to prove
the law of gravitation,
the
accomplishing
discovery by
of a second
attribute
of genius
means
viz.,
tireless mental
the possession of a
energy
talent for rigorous mental
application and
law

"

"

severe

nervous

strain.

discovered
Newton

discovered

In

the

America
the

law

"

sense

that

in that

of

lumbus
Co-

sense,

gravitation:
Columbus
imagined an America, and then
proceeded to make
a physical demonstration
of his belief by discovering the Bahamas.

A
The

Strange
faculty

same

"

'

in Poe

gave

us

The
and

Discovery

scientific

imagination

Descent

into

in

Rue

Murders

other

of

physics, but

his

43
"

the

tales.

And

the

strom,
Mael-

Morgue,'
alone

not

in

in

metaphysics, did his imagination

him
to
just conceptions; so
open
up
that in the field of both
healthy and morbid
mental
action his
intuitive
knowledge was
'

unerring.
is

true

so

'The

about

might

real in

the

the

mind,

whether
have

these
aided

experience. Yet
purely imaginative.

these

Tell-Tale

The

Perverse,

of his stories, not

have

reason

of

grounded

upon

asked

thought
"

and

man,

one

come

That

him

my

own

within

my
pure

would

are

lar
simi-

and

in

could

experience
undoubtedly

suggestion."
of

Poe's

indeed

be

difficult

replied.

"

If the

tales

he

termine,
de-

is

to

enjoyment,
feelings,then

I should

select

in which

enjoyment, and
about
simple, were

intellectual

to

criterion

intellectual
one;

and

the

are

of the

Imp

which

if my
It is possible that I might
mention

inclines

the best.

he
be

The

all of which

intuitive

one

compositions
by actual personal

Heart,'

which

so

delineations
'

Take

he

more

been

not

of Usher'

conception, and
in portrayal, that the more

wonder

to

Fall of the House

the

to

consummate

knows

'

one

another.

feelings
equally enmy

-^

44

Strange

Discovery

probably agree that the

important object of fiction is to produce
of feeling,just as
in the reader
state
a
We

gaged.
most

shall

to produce
composition is intended
the
short
of feeling
being
state
story
a
production
comparable with a brief musical
tion;
intended
to produce
a single variety of emo-

musical

"

novel,

the

with

the

to

music

each

parts, intended

its many

of

an

to

opera

excite

feeling. Naturally prose

and
almost
fiction may,
necessarily does,
the reading of 'The
have other objects. Now
of Usher
Fall of the House
tain
produces a certhat wholly apart
of emotion, and
state
endeavor
to
from
any appeal to intellect; no
do more
than
produce that state of feeling is
than
that is efifected,
made,
nothing more
a

particularstate

of

'

that

and

much

is attained

in

which

manner

short-story fiction,
that
of Poe, has
save
ever
accomplished.
if the production of feeling an
Hence,
peal
apside of the triangle
to the purely moral
no

that

pen

has

traced

"

of mind
'

best

"

The

short

be

the

paramount

Fall of the

House

essential
of Usher'

in fiction,

is the

story in the

English language."
Here
Doctor
from
his
Bainbridge rose
the
two
chair, and taking a turn
or
across
floor, continued, in tones
tion,
indicating vexa"

Why

has

not

somebody

with

ray

of

46
'

Pym

Discovery

Strange

has

served

as

suggestion, or

even

stories
of our
best recent
pattern, for some
of adventure,
and
although it has many
the
in itself,it is not
points of excellence

story alone, but

the

story affords

an

that

of
the

creates

the
opportunity which
analysis of Poe's mind,

greater

for

interest

me.

ably
always been puzzled to find a reasonfor the incomplete state
adequate cause
of that narrative.
The
supposition that Poe
had not at his disposal, at the moment
he required
time for its compleit,the necessary
tion
is an
I only mention
hypothesis which
to
and
dispose of. At its close he wrote
added
Note
of nearly a
to the narrative
a
thousand
in the time
words; and
required
for the penning
of that addition, he could
have
the
brought
^perhaps an
story to
Then
abrupt, but still,an artistic close. No.
did Poe
The
not
Narrative
of A.
complete
Gordon
his imagination failed
Pym' because
him
failed to
of such
supply material
a
manded?
quality as his refined and faultless taste deIf so, then
why did he begin it?
write more
than
Why
words
sixty thousand
in his usual
careful
and
precise style, on a
subject to him little known, in to him a new
field of literaryefifort? He
could
in the time
The
Narrative
of A. Gorrequired to write
don
have
written
from
five to ten
Pym

have

'

'

"

'

"

'

'

Strange

short

Discovery

47

stories

along familiar lines. No : none

hypotheses explains the unfinished
that narrative.
My explanation

of these
state

of

that

the

that

Poe

story has

himself

foundation

for

foundation

in

learned

more

never

the

portion which

fact, and
than
he

is
next
to
leading character
Pym
Dirk
Peters, a sailor, mutineer, etc.
is my
and
Peters
theory that Pym
either

fact, but

of

had

who
he heard
in the

them,

that

from

he

though

known

Poe

Dirk

did

wrote.

Its

in

is

one

It
isted
ex-

met

never

ors
sail-

meet

Peters, and

that

the first part of the story,

in which
it grew
to be repeated

form

them

by seafaring

along the New

England
in the '30s and
coast
'40s. Having heard
what
he supposed to be sufficient,with the
aid of his own
teresti
inan
imagination, to make
began
story for publication, Poe
continued
write.
and
to
Then, as he progressed,
he found
that his imagination was
embarrassed
frustrated
facts
by the known
^whilst it was
assisted
not
already employed
facts which
he was
positive existed,
by new
men

"

"

but

which

to

written
what
in the
'

page

he

could

he

had

close
was

not

Sailor's Home,'

of

he

tempted
at-

the

narrative, the

cold,

very

different

from

it would

conceived

tap-room

As

procure.

New

some

with

thing
be

as

he

sat

England old
couple of glassesof

48
Burton
the
of

ale

afternoon
'

old

some

table, listening through

the

on

drowsy

the

Discovery

Strange

to

tar,'as

the

the

looked

two

floor

white-sanded

at

fiction

fact and

the

across

old

moss-

dock
without, and listened to the salt
grown
timwavelets
splashing against its rotting bers,
and
outer

It is not

sea.

self

difficult

very

Poe

searching
sailors' lodging-houses for Dirk
to

one's

is it unreasonable
search
seven

Poe's

seventy-seven
Note,' that
'

he

nor

did

so

twenty-

was

the mutiny
1827, when
only forty-nine at the time
in
be
fact, would
only

"

if
'

Peters;

in

was

death

these

among

Peters

the

on

picture

to

that

assume

If Dirk

old

occurred, he
of

to

for him.
years

sails

the far-distant

watched

now

alive.

Peters, from

Poe

in his

says

whom

some

formati
in-

expected, is still alive,

of Illinois,but cannot
and a resident
be met
be found,
He may
hereafter
with at present.
material
for a
and
doubt, afford
will, no
I have
conclusion
of Mr.
Pym's account.'
doubt
that Poe
eventually learned
no
actly
exwhere
Peters
resided; but no
matter
be

might

how

much

with

Peters, he could

the

'40S it

Poe

may

have
not

desired
have

done

to
so.

meet

In

long, tedious, expensive

York
Illinois.
to
journey from New
Still,
Poe hoped some
Peters, and did
day to meet
not
to say to the public exactly where
care
was

Strange

he could

be met
sad

As

Discovery

with.

Then

49
Poe's

came

utterably
un-

death, leaving the narrative

Bainbridge

neared

heard

the

close

complet
in-

of his

marks,
re-

heavy and rapid step approach

along the hall. It stopped before my
and
door;
to
just as Bainbridge ceased
with
the
speak, a loud rap, evidently made
of a heavy cane,
head
sounded
the panel.
on
we

The

door

rushed

flew

the

into

and

open,

middle

of

the

the
across
rather, bounded
I instantly arose,
and
forward

mine,
he

take

to

and

to

waved

not
"

"

if to

bridge
Bain-

and

No,

in

hand

and
no:

stepped
but

cane;

time

no

"

ing
patients waithe
glanced at Bainbridge, as
the effect of his speech on
a

minute

"

or,

"

room.

his hat

for

off.

me

room

Castleton's

Doctor

care

Castleton

Doctor

to

here
observe

spare

^three

"

if he yet posfortunate
was
beginner, who
sessed
like to keep my
a
single patient
fine evening." He
seated himself
word
on
the edge of a chair, and projected his glance
better
the room.
No
diately
around
subject immepresenting itself to mind, I remarked
had justbeen talking of Edgar Allan
that we
"

"

"

Poe,

and

his

of A.
Dirk
"

unfinished

Gordon

story,

Pym

"

and

"

The
I

rative
Nar-

spoke

of

Peters.
I know

old

man

Peters

"

know

him

well,

50

Castleton, without

sir," said Doctor

"

hesitation;
man

now

been

seventy

"

farms

few

or
acres

short
four

about

"

have

must

Discovery

Strange

fellow

old

feet six,

ment's
mo-

faring
sea-

"

seven

or

"

old man,
day
eighty; no hair, no beard;
sick
the Bluff; very
on
devil in his

"

right now."
Bainbridge and I had cast at each other a
tleton
plainly said, Isn't that Casglance, which
he continued, and
for you?
But
as
had time to consider, the probabilitythat
we
Dirk
Peters
bility
alive, and the bare possiwas
and
in the neighborhood,
that he was
man,

"

"

that, if he

did

Castleton

would

be

Quick

as

it

saw

Gentlemen,"

whereof

thought

of Peters

of

cases

carried

books

newer

and

book.
bound

genius ever
prolificand
Still,I

never

It is true,

"

Of

it.

In

stand

of books
to

make

need

to

have
room

the
two

been
for

glance twice
I have
Poe's
works,
the grandest
too
humanity by the
upon

never
course

in morocco,
bestowed
liberal

books

know
before

never

in this connection.

attic,

my

"

continued,

Thousands

into

exchanged,

we

understood

library, the

my

deep.

rows

at

speak.

and

met

minds.

our

on

glance

yes,
he

"

have

likelyto

very

the

was

Castleton

Bellevue, Doctor

near

dawned

gradually

him,

"

reside

"

hand

happened

to

of
read

our

the

Creator.

grand

and

Strange

mighty
which

effort

of
'

refer

you

Discovery

"

that

colossal

The

Narrative

that

"

of

miles
illman

and

us,

which

I refer

whose

The

efforts

Peters

now

three
science

have

ten

end

By this time

mighty

to

man

time-limit

go

but

By

this

the

past

years;

"

even

I mean,
I and
the

ginning
be-

is at hand."
Castleton

Doctor
the

from

was

pacing

and
stopping now
then
at an
to look
engraving on the wall,
taking up and replacing books, seeing everything.
I could
but feel that already the
not
had
run
impelled him to
curiosity which
up

down

kept

limitations, and

our

of the

and

ten

returns.'

for him

and

score

"

Omnipotent

country

I have

long

Creator

his

by

certain

is within

traveller

no

superhuman
set

of

Peters

man

Literary

am

undiscovered

bourne

alive

ing
Snort-

The

to

ready, in fact, to visit a land

will be little likelyto return.

he
'

to

of

is at this moment

almost

"

from

this

intellect

'

Thing,' though I recall

Life of Thingum
Bob.'
But
certain as the unerring fiat
Power

51

room,

"

in

"

was

satisfied,and
A

going.
words,

minute

Dirk

completely
with

Peters

that he would
after

his

last

seemed

to

have

his mind.

from
the

might

be

within

really

was,

it

was

thought
our

reach;

be

recorded

dropped
sorbed
wholly ab-

was

that

soon

Dirk

and

possible that

Peters

that
we

if he

might

52

learn

whether

South

Discovery

strange

and

Pym

reached

had

what

if so,

Pole, and

he

they

the
there

had

plainly evident that the

mind
of Doctor
gaged
deeply enBainbridge was
anxious
with the same
subject. I was
know
what
he
to
thought of Castleton's
discovered.

It

for

statement;

within

matter

the

more

myself,

believe

to

making

was

the

that

mistake.

But

discussed
I

more

Castleton
Castleton

the

felt inclined
was

not

was

tainly
cer-

I could,
thinking of Peters.
thoughts, hear him declaiming,
my
is a mighty
Yes, sir; England
power.
not

now

amid
"

Her

sir, can

navy,

France

sweep

Austria

and

and

"

Russia

mark
and

me,

it will

Prussia

and

"

and

Italy from the ocean

as
as
a
shar
sworda wha
a
huge and voracious
fish sweeps
before
its imperious onslaught,
with unerring certainty and
cyclonic power,
school of sneaking mackerel
a whole
fish
codor
from the pathway fixed for it by Eternal
Destiny."
His
intended
be
prognostication was
to
a
graceful compliment
paid to the country
of a visiting stranger, and, in the absence
of other foreigners,not discourteous
to anybody.
"

"

"

never

flow

of

before

or

since

knew

his natural

eloquence to waver
in this
as
instance
a
rarity that of itself makes
the
remark
worthy of record.
"

THE

ton

to

at

promise
I

front

of
of

home

At
I

to

hotel,

my

old

the
minute

and

Doctor

Castleton

four-wheeled,
for

me

We
mile
town

road;
rather

on

us.

away

small,

that

if

o'clock

two

be

for

start

to

drove

the

street

Then

trotted
black

o'clock

two-horse,
made

room

started.

we

direction
before
struck

we

54

in

the

to

two

He

off

fixed,

entrance

up

westerly

wiry,

time

the

precisely

at

main

the

behind
and

main

left, and
in

drove

along

at

top-buggy.
his

Dirk

see

saying

before

the

at

House,

to

prepared

two

or

Loomis

his

sailor.

standing

was

same

made

him

would

he

the

had

message,

me

of

he

and

expect;

noon

with

sooner

came

to

me

past

me

received

agreeable

led

which

on

take

to

Peters,

had

little

day

him

accompany
he

Castle-

Doctor

from

summons

than

in

Chapter

Fourth

The

the

for

full

leaving
a

superb
horses.

level

the
turf

team

Doctor

of

Strange
said that

Castleton

^which

"

miles

from
and

turf

into

estimate

four

narrow

or

than

ten

utes;
forty min-

part of the

three-minute

tination
des-

our

more

within

"

Over

should

^^
reach

rather

was

did.

traversing some
south

should

we

city limits

we

road
about

at

the

Discovery

that

drove

we

five miles,

after

but

gait;

turned

we

road, which

level

came
be-

soon

it
here
hilly and tortuous;
yet even
was
only on particularlyrough or uneven
ated
portions of the way that the doctor moderour
speed to less than a four-minute
gait.
rode
As
we
along at this exhilarating
the
acute
buggy
whirling around
pace,
and
the mighty oaks
curves
maples,
among
and then dashing down
a forty-five-denow
of fifty or
descent
sixty feet, again
gree
sonant
a
dilapidated bridge of rethundering over
to me
planks, the doctor remarked
certain to die, it being only
that Peters
was
a
question of days, or perhaps of hours.
"

Old

visible
three
has

Peters," he

of support
The
Lord

means

years.
lived since

unable

to

be

making

"

has

past two
only .knows how

period when
Even

without

been

for the

his

for all it is worth."

he

or

he

became
farm

small

is

expressed

surprise that he
twenty-mile drives to see

doctor

the

the

work.

mortgaged
to

said,

should

some

lonely

56
old

whose

man

and
fee.

Discovery

Strange

illness he

from

I had

whom

Castleton

could

he

take

to

grown

unable

was

to

expect

no

ing
in hear-

interest

an

lieve,
re-

his

opinions. Many
of his conceptions of life were
unique; his
so
mental
vision, always intensely acute, was
servatio
oboften so oblique; his station
of mental
tered;
alterable, and
so
so
quickly alhis sentiments
often so earthy, again
exalted

so

have

express

that

"

interested
less
those

were

to

he

such

should

his time

tax

without

extent

and

sweltered

'mid

You

not

are

child

Granted.

fancy imagine
Columbus, on the
are

about

of the Unknown

first time

that

suns

ourselves
third
leave

to
"

vast

about

to

expanse

sandy

on

in the

us

of

are

ponds.

by

in the

day
the

mighty

mere

out

cry

You

Rockies

our

Yet, sir,let

of

We

to

ergies
en-

mountains,

lakes

great

our

"

the

over

you

and

pecuniary

crossed

tropical

To

derment
won-

traveller.

dashed

desert-wastes.
mole-hills

are

and

seas

have

you

time, in

this

to

"

main;

than

expression of mild

an

sailed the

stances
circum-

monotonous

stay, up

gain, he replied :
My dear sir, you
have

would

man

under

quiet and

that

the

even

me

of my
To
my

Bellevue.

believe

ness.
darkstretch

place of

August,

Known,

1492.

in search

penetrate

for the

of water

which

Discovery

Strange

for uncounted
the

world

we

"

few

We

The
say good-by?
the well-wishes
of the

whose

comfort?

lowly

is alone

home

alone.
this

leaving

Yet

gather
sympathy
brave

This
we

The

to

land

unknowable

to

of the kind,

approaching,
his last journey,

on

he

state.

And

learned

professions live.
when

man,

journey,

therefore

he

True,

you

our

present

start

the

the

worldly
this last

upon

the

sympathy and
kindness
of the loving, and
the expressions
of hopefulness that come
from
the good and
pure.

not

perhaps
known,
only un-

it, sir, that

Even

to

comes

does

is

not

in

us

shore

the

on

day begins that journey is

but

the

is it not

which

to

search
re-

they not
fellow Peters,

now

start

fore
be-

are

"

poor

are

he is about

"

not

friends

to

always

are

and

away
baffled

alone.

not

are

that

solace

vision

wondering
Europe.

of

stretched

has

ages

57

professions

he

may

say

for the

man

frail supports on
well as the
as

die but
wise

are

disdain

man

fears

that

death

that
who

which

learned

is about
to

ignorant

is near,

the

The

lean.
man,

reaches

to

when
out

for

knowledge of his future.

for his physician, who
cannot
He
sends
the
number
cannot
promise him anything
days or hours of his remaining life;for his
him
cannot
assure
beyond all
lawyer, who
help

or

at least

some

"

doubt

that

his will

can

be

made

to

endure

58
for
he

Discovery

Strange

single day beyond

for

sends

spiritual
expert?

the

says

of God

minister

old, old

that

back

history stretches
the dark

beyond;
hold

spiritualpower

all

old

last,
what

and

"

he

Perhaps

resents
rep-

organization, whose
for centuries
through
brilliancy

of the

the borders

to

ages
that

At

his death.

claims

hierarchy that
which

to

man

to

may

hope. What
says to
appeal with reasonable
heir
this representative and
the dying man
and
of the accumulated
spiritualresearch
He
with
of the past?
culture
honesty
may
than
if he
but
more
Hope;
says
say,
Hope, he does it as the blind might sit and
labyrinths
guide by signs through unknown
'

'

All

the

blind.

the

learned

professions
continue

and
the

their

masses

in

greater
nations

You

cannot

time.'

And

man

Peters

into

come

live and

the

from

draw

support

tax

"

income

istence,
ex-

of the

I shall

me.

Later,

if there

is

the

want

that

upon

fact that

that

wants

religion which

hand

have

the

they meet, and genuinely

I say genuinely, for
demand.
fool all the
people all the
friend, this poor
so, my
young

time, he will

my

but

material
than

shows

"

to

amount

meet,
'

this is true;

he

representative of the
he reprofesses, or which
members

his mother

or

his

father

stand

fessed.
pro-

by his side and place

his throbbing brow
and he
"

A
will

Strange

hope,

whether
in

our

strange

some

to the

through eternity?
'

How

little do

How

less

But

here

that

old

we

As

Byron

know

we

what

we

there

of

and

mortised

he

soon

our

for

As

me.

"

voice

say,

afloat

"

of

bed

the

beardless
that

Dirk

mutineer,
and
me.

with

walls

of which

one

upon

the

house

but

I had

friend

of the

not

of the

explorer of
of A.

body
old

up

buggy.
signalled

I heard
hulk's

still

of the

corner

one

tor
doc-

in the

door, and

the

other
an-

The

corners.

direction

Peters

an

building

Yes, doctor, the old

man.

His

small

seated

I entered

in the

in

the

water-logged,

Looking
on

to

are,

still lives."

man

logs piled
at

came

we

by the face of
looking from the

entered, leaving me
But

says,

I know

feet square,

huge

spiritin splendor

be.'

in front

up

sixteen

consisted

that

ent
pres-

the

that which

may

and

are;

drew

some

it blooms

neighbor-woman

doorway
We

link the

to

way

future, carrying forward

soil in which

to

59

knows
despair. Who
hope and our faith have

not

not

or

power

seed

and

Discovery

still

afloat."

voice, I
room

an

second's

saw

old

doubt

'

Grampus,' sailor,
the Antarctic
Sea, patron
Gordon
fore
bePym, was
to

blanket;

the waist
but

was

ered
cov-

I felt certain

6o

Discovery

Strange

he

felt

quite positive

was

would

that

he

four

and

than

more

measure

height, and

five feet in

less than

that

then

not

His

half feet.

height in 1827 was, Poe states, four feet and

of the old man's
arms
One
eight inches.
lay exposed by his side, and the finger-ends
spread

out

the

of

area

indicative
the

and

there

was

as

by

there, too,
there

the

to

the

of
the

was

his head

the

moved
re-

and

woolly sheepskin;
in the

indenture

the

and

crown;

from

spreading

lips which,
wrinkles

he

as

about

his

eyes

face

lower

protruding teeth, and

smiled
no

tleton

to

and

of

gave

passing facial contortion, I saw

wholly wanting in pliancy. There
expression, fixed at least as far as

mouth

was

to

of

movement

mouth,

with
and

chuckle,
evinced

his hand

enormous

ear,

visible,were

arm

semi-automatic

section

shoulders

strength. There
head
mentioned
by Poe;
posed,
completely bald scalp, ex-

enormous

bare

one

His

ham.

ered
cov-

muscular

he raised

respect

the

the

have

would

blanket,

hand,

his

while

knee;

small

of vast

was

be

the

on

neck, and

and

ear

the

below

reached

smile

over

such

as

ruined

of
possibility

glanced

confidently;and

at

grotesque
demon

innocence.
a

me

the
the

concerned,

was

the

was

mistake.

ance
appear-

might

have

Oh,

there

Doctor

Cas-

questioningly,

I lowered

my

head

in

but
as-

62

Strange

Discovery

tain
Captucket, on the brig Grampus,' under
others,
in company,
Bernard,
among
'

with
a

I wished

later

moment

And

Pym?

Gordon

A.

named

youth

less

been

I had

that

age
abrupt in my questioning. Peters did manquite coolly and rationally to answer
the
at
all my
Yes
to
questions. But
Bernard,"
words
Grampus," his
Pym,"
"

"

"

in

began,

eyes

"

"

their

sockets;

from

that

awful

those

demoniac

teeth

mouth,

cavernous

gleamed
he

as

raised

yell,and

yell on

from

start

to

appearance,

uttered

himself

to

I thought his
sitting posture in the bed.
certainly burst, as he looked
eyeballs must
of
off into nothingness wildly, as if a troop
him.
fiends were
rushing upon
a

"

God

Great

there

she's

"

"

screamed,
Ah," quieting

gone.

"

ah ; the old
cubes
and
the

with

man

of

loves

her

called

they

and

"

more

than

man!

you,

I loved

him

and

"

the

god,
limpid

again

raised

him.

I love

from

she's

Oh,

and

gone,

Now

human

man,

baboon

loved

the

boy

first.

the

"

be

I tell

"

I saved

him

once
"

"

there,
little;

of

eyes

his voice

the

you

the

crystal with

Oh,"
liquidof heaven.
to piercing screams,
he

"

he

"

not

aye,

from

climb

dozen

hell.

the

lava

of fire at the bottom

times
Scale

"

but

the

cliffs,and
"

the old

like this

not

chasms

of salt,

but

"

man

"

the
and

lake
the

abyss,
beard

Discovery

Strange
God,

my

the

"

quieting

the

godlike

for

few

abyss

63
The

"

eyes

snow-drift

his voice

"

then

"

words.

Ah, mother,
Then
in a deep, earnest
mother, mother."
I'll be a human
tone,
baboon, and I'll do
what
beast
man
never
yet did, nor
yes,
a

"

"

and

what

Then

he
He

Castleton

quickly
had

in time

never

completely
from
jumped
stood

moved

vanished.

the

his side.

Peters

do

man

lost control

the

near

to

will

again."
of himself.

bed.

Doctor

doorway,

and

The

poured

old

woman

forth

yell on
conceived
it possiyell,such as I had never
ble
for a human
throat to utter.
He grasped
broke
it as I might
a
strong oak-pole, and
have broken
I afterward
a dry twig.
placed
the longer fragment of this pole with
each
of its extremities
on
a
large stone, the two
about

four

air

rock

feet

apart;

and

liftinginto

the

or
more
weighing a hundred
it on
the middle
of the
pounds, dropped
what
bend
fragment; and it did not even
this man
of awful strength had severed
with
a

his two

hands

as

one

would

break

wooden

the fingers. Then

Peters
toothpick between
picked up a stove which stood, fireless,in the
dow,
winand
he cast it through
an
room;
open
into the yard
or
seven
eight feet away,
dred
it fell,breaking into a hunbeyond, where
pieces. I need scarcely say that Doc-

64

Discovery

Stmnge

myself had left the room

with
decided
alacrity. Well, to terminate
too
agreeable, Peters'
a
description none
Castleton

tor

wild

and

continued

delirium

his

some

directions

left for town,

"

we

Strange,"
had

driven

thought

that
is

half

Doctor

for

perhaps
do

can

Castleton

to

gave

and

woman,

soon

Castleton, after
mile,
strange
"

things ! A

such

of memory
it vibrates

and

him

carried

being asleep.

said

century

old

Peters

said, the thread

suggestion,

the

to

the

house,

the

we

Doctor

bed.

to

we

Then

in

out

fiftyfeet from

door-yard, forty or
he fell,exhausted.
back

until,

word

is touched

by
through

back

some

of

scene

terror

the brain
if
ineradicably upon
or
where?
the brain, then
not
and, lo!
upon
the reflexes spring into action, and
a maniac
Samson's
with
strength takes the place of
docile invalid.
the
Ah, who
a
can
answer

stamped

"

"

mystery

of

mysteries,
is!

consciousness
rests

the

secret

and

tell

Behind

of

that

life,and

as

Peters

Even
not

we

were

his secrets

if his

of secret

past

to
"

learn

if secrets

held

import,

from

this

gift of

of

probably of Eternity itself."

We
rode
along, returning
had
leisurely than we
come.
how

what

us

God

death, and
little

I sat

such
he

more

ing
wondera

man

possessed.
only important facts
had received
striking

Strange

evidence

that

sea-voyage

Dirk

to

Discovery

the
not

was

Peters.

of the matter

more

bridge, whom
awaiting my
that

Poe's
and

As
the

until I should

I knew

would

Bain-

meet

be

anxiously
return, hardly daring to hope
Dirk
Peters
ence
was
really in exist-

neared

town,

being

strange
who

could

learnedly
heaven

subject of that wonderful

to be carelesslybroached
concluded
to say nothing

discovered.

we

man

65

and

and

at

mind

my

side.

my

think,
; and

Here

and

poeticallyof

earth

turned

yet who

was

think

the

to
a

both
of

wonders
could

of

talk

business
driving from town
a
competitor!
Surely that part of his talk which seemed
so
in spirit wholly dramatic
laughable was
"

intended

rather

to

fillthe

assumed

tions
expecta-

of his hearers, than

truly representing
speaker's feeling. Then
thoughts
my

the

reverted
"Pickles"
of

the

to

talk

I had

made

was

"

to

ovei'heard, when
veritable

see

"

greenbacks
raining into
I smiled
to
myself;
pocket.
spirit of audacity coming over
to

say

to

me

on

to

through
on

my

ascertain
the

that

open

window

matters

then

be

no

vacuous

and
me,

Castleton

question.

currency

admit

monetary

would

what

his

showers

had
the

then
I

termine
de-

would
I

cluded
con-

overheard
conversation

alluded

opportunity

to.

for

There
him

to

66
evade

responsibilityof assuming as
pecuHar opinions expressed by

his

the
the

own

occasion.

that

on

Discovery

Strange

he

when

Now,

him

could

not

consistently deny the advocacy of views to

me
apparently untenable, and could not
so
self
without
lowering himseriously adopt them
of a
intellectually in the estimation
stranger
that

he

I did

and

"

the

believed

for

not

glowingly represented

to

poor

"

old

Pickles
he

would

means

which

nonsense

so

"
"

instant

an

think
had

he

demonstrated

and
then

by

extricate

what

sible
pos-

himself

from

the dilemma?
I broached

When
seemed
as

to

"

himself

not

have

not

been

subject

at

but

once;

the fact of my
overhearing
incident, he seemed
slightly

"

He
only momentarily.
again so quickly that I should

"

was

question, he

money

to

Pickles

disconcerted

the

to

warm

I led around

the

the

but

noticed

his embarrassment

closely observing him

had

for that

very

purpose.
"

Well, now,"

he

"

said, blithely,
of

high

as

you

and

irreproachable
honor, sans
reproche
peur et sans
I know,
and
who
will not
in
place me
one,
home
an
equivocal position here in my
by
true
position I don't mind
divulging my
I
tellingyou, in all confidence, the truth.
dear sir, an
am
not, my
ass.
(What I say,

are

stranger,

man

"

"

Strange

remember,
I

"

sir, a
farther.) I am,
practicalpoliticianof great
what

only repeat
of

(men

67

no

goes
and

theoretical

Discovery

many
mental

supreme

of

friends

my

attainments,

and

able
judges) herald forth as undenitruth
a
politician,sir,of great depth
tion,
combinaa
rare
exceeding cunning

the

best

of
"

and

"

What
a humbug
philosophers tell us.
this whole
greenback question is ! Why, sir,
of scarcity over
it is to that very
element
which
or
they howl, that money,
anything
Diminish
value.
its commercial
else, owes
earth to
the general scarcity of anything on
the point of a full supply for everybody and
commercial

the

value

at

nil.

becomes

once

real value
than atmospheri
nothing of more
air; yet the supply is so great
that all demands
filled,leaving an enormous
are
air
hence
atmospheric
surplus; and
There
is nothing
value.
commercial
has no
less service to humanity
of much
earth
on
diamonds;
than
are
yet the possession of a
is

There

pound
a

of

Croesus

of

Greenbacker
childhood

are

fancies

pure

gold,

whole

world

the
be

The

beggar.

with

but

of

its value

when

we

are

"

of the
of

of

make

the

to

to

but, alas ! what

have

our

mountain

it is conceivable

gold
v"re

phases

new

which

make

dreams

finding

of

happy;

mountain

would

diamonds

fair-sized

found

it?

find
will
Take

68
actual

should

is

metal

the

not

so

standard

The
be

the

enormous

so

to

object to
the
making

do

we

not

of

trouble
"

change
"

if

changed,

time

time

from

even

may

or

ble.
impalpa-

of value

the unit

make

to

as

of bulk,

because

it impossible to handle
scarce

provided only
plentifulas to make

call money,

to

agree

world

the

which

money

as

metal

Any

instance.

for

money,
be used

might
that

Discovery

Strange

paused for a
object to the robbery

I remarked,

And,"
"

if we

moment,
of either

the

do not

debtor

he

as

creditor,

the

or

one

or

the other."
"

the

Not

all,"he replied.

it would
the

be

that

assume

I have

said

great inconvenience
without
benefit; it
any

very

and

world,

in fact be

would

"

fairlymade.

shall be

change

that
to

at

great

so

task

make

to

the

standard
that it would
change in our money
be practically impossible to make
it. But
we

are

of? the track

primary
money;
greenbacks, that
as

you

process

man

of

of

our

reason

that

it
you

of

currency;

to

were

we

of

was

to

and

why the most

very thing. Of

currency,

unlimited

sensible
course,

is

man

my

or

it

puzzles
by what

of

man

yet there

talk of

to

conceive

another

advocate

not

Now

spoke.

sense

thought

bring himself

"

sense

can

inflation
very

may

dear

good
do

sir, I

reader

when

morning

one

of

Newcastle,

of

the

of

the

in

The

Castleton!

of

ticket,

however;

anti-liquor

drew

we

sidewalk
then
in
1

as

if

nodded
his

eyes;

linked

his

Doctor
the

way

in

up

Doctor

House,

ticket

awaiting

and

stepping

Castleton
my

for
room.

own,

his

on

the
of

out

my

Loomis

the

return.
to

the

on

"

stood

afifirmative

within

arm

our

ocratic
Dem-

of

front

Bainbridge

an

to

things!

all

back
Green-

the

on

"

Prohibition

or

the

on

not

of

but

.ticket;

As

not
"

the
made

had

doctor

The

ocrats
Dem-

caught

eye

my

the
had

the

and

Governor

for

race

in

Republicans

Then

lost.

read

had

contest

Greenbackers

had

the

The

copy

paper

political

Illinois.

of

name

which

of

results

aside

laid

just

had

smoke

far-distant

the

as

looking

library

my

at

later,

years

some

in

sat

Times,

won.

that,

say

window

the

through

State

Discovery

Strange

yo

the

smiled,

question

the

buggy,

and,

ing
thank-

kindness,

ed
pilot-

The

Fifth

opening

ON

Chapter
the

sittingin

conversation

ing,
even-

in
The
evidently interested
of A. Gordon
I observed
Pym."

also

that

upon

my

of

bottle

cognac
I
which

table, and

was

not

than

more

I left the

when

hotel

which

sat

could

have

one-fourth

tied
emp-

directlyafter

ner,
din-

The
phere
atmosquite empty.
of the room
was
pervaded with the
of
dead
brandy; and Arthur's
eyes
unusually glassy and staring for so

was

were

preceding

was

Narrative

odor

of the

"

and

sworn

large easy-chair,

my

of my
in
volumes
of Poe
He
had overheard
part

one

his hand.

of the

of my
sittingtum,
Arthur, the facto-

I found

room,

with

door

now

"

"

"

early an

hour

as

Then

p.m.

he

settled

the

of a doubt, with
beyond the shadow
a hiccough.
Well, Arthur," I said, pleasantly,as he
his seat
in part from
^into
clumsily rose

matter,
"

"

71

72

Strange

Discovery

he
as
back, however,
dropped
knew
heard
of address, and
kindly tone
my
there was
be no
to
severity of reckoning
well, my
boy; been enjoying yourself?
Yes, sir," he replied, in a fairly steady
voice
the
words
that
followed, however,
being rhythmically interrupted by an aldermanic
and most
vociferous
hiccough, which
which

he

"

"

"

"

"

shall

be

from

omitted
about

reading

this

and
Pym
they saw

record

"

been

"

Wasn't

Barnard.

shipful of dead
? Just think of that ship, full of dead
corpses
of them
not
alive, and all dead
men
one
and
the sails set, and
the old ship wabbling
around
the ocean
just as things might please
! When
the ship got close up to
to happen
their
that
from
brig, and
scream
came
the corpses,
I just jumped,
myself!
among
But
wasn't
it terrible when
that gull pulled
its bloody old beak
of the dead
out
man's
then
flew
the
back, and
over
brig and
that awful

when

the

"

"

the

dropped
hungry
1

now

Parker's

"

and

Yes,"

brandy
down

sink
your

comments,

listened

it

Why,

heart

my

piece of human
feet?

pretty
throat."

longer

"

blood

my

and

fast

at

poor

Gee-whillikens,

just made

lungs."
thought,

and

flesh

it

in
was

sink

in

just made

my

bottle

and

my

amused

at

another

to

his talk; but

time

at

his

might have
now

I must

Discovery

Strange

73

with
Doctor
making some
arrangement
Bainbridge regarding a possible interview

be

with

Peters;

might

take

for two

or

the

and

of the

eye

described

Peters'

for
that

few

and

the

he

keep it
gladly

and

Poe

I seated
late

repeating

room,

all that
a

of

that

offer he
days, which
with an
ing
involuntary wanderthe brandy bottle, he
toward

Bainbridge

word

vohtme

Arthur

to

room.

Then
and

said

three

accepted;
left the

so

had

been

minutes,

his versatile

scene

almost
He

said.

during which
imagination was

ourselves,
in

Dirk
for

word

pondered
I could

see

in active

he said,
play. Then
have
him ! My, my,
what
Well, we
a
discovery ! This will be like reaching across
of death
and taking by the hand
the decrees
I
But you were
dear Poe himself!
as
hasty
Well, we must
see
myself might have been.
and
must
Castleton
that is, you
get his
for us to go right out and stay with
consent
for a night and a day, or
Peters, if necessary
"

"

"

"

even

old

We

longer.

fellow, and

glean from

him

were

that

swift

rushed

receive

watch

the

of the

care

our

as

moment

poor

opportunity
when,

to

age,
voy-

borne

Pym
that opened to
the mystery
the white-shrouded
figure

ocean

into

them,

take

the facts of that strange

from

onward
on

can

current,

he

and

74

in

arose
'

he?

Did

understand!

country,
civilized

mysterious

very

exists.

tradition

holiday,

time

day
Library,
pleasure

hand

and

stood

the

of

book

the
the

that

understand,

and

self
my-

from

time

I found

most

unfrequented
shelf

I carried

in my

camp-stools

which

and

whenever

look

it

so

of

high

its

About

You

this
the

myself in one
the library
that

me,

over.

dissipatingin

was

afternoon

New

particularlyinterested

of the

on

I allowed

custom

room,

of books.

treasure-house

There,

ago,

books.

small

sit down

would

in

day

one

my

Such

around

found

years
was

among

one

antarctic

an

study. On
period of severe
the
Astor
speak of I entered
at my
permitted to wander
was

after

the

as

England,

of whites?

race

Now,

three

about

York,

rather

or

"

to

delightful,peopled by a
by a highly enlightened

and

warm

"

almost

"

of

'

salt

"

in

ever,

tradition

of the Peruvian

hear

to

you

'

'

'

Fire
pathway.
I begin almost

their

ice,' said

and

Discovery

Strange

great

middle
of the
alcoves.

I could

just see
of the library
on
one
strange little book,

edge as I stood
a
step-ladders, I found
purporting to have been written

It

had

fallen

It

had

was

over

came

down

leather

behind

the

in 1594.
other
books.

that it
back, well-worn; I saw
1728 Leipsic publication; and possibly
to the Astor
Library by presentation

A
from

its wise

library
read

far

so

it
"

its end,
two

much

I did

and

book

had

have

assumed

it

I should
was

other

at

in

statements

second

did

fiction in it.

To

work

to

of

admit

nation,
imagi-

that

the

third

or

Francis

the

little book

hand,

pretended

but
to

"

truth.

tell,and

tell,the story of a sailor under

this
Drake, who
accompanied

English navigator
You

the

of artists, exceeding,

artist

this little book

I believe
Sir

had

read

not

his

the

behind

Now

have

it to

satisfied that

the

wholly

at

artfulness, in naturalness, all

fiction-writers.
truth
No; there was

through

truth

an

than

time,

read

later. I had

I became

truth

more

The

look

to

arise until I had

not

pages' before

author

I sat down

went.

three hours

some

private

this is pure
surmise.
like other tales of the

its form

as

75

liberal founder's

and

though

"

book

Discovery

Strange

will recall,as

on

his

matter

1577-1580 voyage.
of history, that,

mentioned, Sir Francis crossed

passed the Strait of Magellan,
returned
to
crossed
the Pacific, and
land
Engof the Cape of Good
Hope.
by way
the
Now
during this three-year voyage,
lost his
bearings for
story is that he once
that a hiatus
in fact, it is intimated
a month;
in his
months
of two
log really did exist.
could easilyhave been
This hiatus, however,
We
in the ship's log-book.
covered
may
in the voyage
the Atlantic,

'

'

'

'

76

Discovery

Strange

conceive

of

for which

reasons

have

might

he

silence concerning
keep a temporary
the discovery of a strange people, in
The
times.
little book
those
early, savage
in the Pacific, after passing
said, that, when
for two
weeks
the
strait, Sir Francis
was
in a southerly course
and
driven
a severe,
unusual
in every
storm
most
prevailing.
way

preferred

to

"

When

winds

the

was

surprised

the

mouth

which

of

stood

London

or

and

the

find

to

himself

harbor,

city,by
as

even

into

looking

means

large

so

Paris; but

of

shores

the

on

no

he

subsided,

waves

exceeding

as

in

the
Paris
of that
or
grandeur the London
in elegance
day, as the Paris of to-day exceeds
the comparative
squalor of the Paris

of

three

centuries

According to
ago.
little German
book, the

leather-covered

the

city

beautiful

with
beyond comparison
any
of the
cities of that period.
I
European
should
that the author
thought of
suppose
it as we
in the days of Pericles.
do of Athens
much
is said of the inhabitants, who
Not
were
probably infinitely superior, socially,
the rough 'voyagers of that date.
to
And
was

for

once
'

nor

richer

'

the

natives

converted,'
than

he

were

Francis

arrived,

valueless
it seems,

Sir

'

save

gifts. One

insisted

on:

neither

bullied

departing
for

few

thing
Sir

mercially
com-

the

Francis

no

tives,
na-

ar-

Strange

78

even

if lie does

Discovery
which

the wonders

disclose

I most

assuredly believe that he will if he

lives but another
day. Really, I am, for the
first time

in years,

excited.

keeps

cool

so

so

and

this matter,
what
seem

over
over

nothings, I
hunt
sir, you
be

doubt
Get

his

be

to

me

him

"

office

consent,

Castleton

comparative
Now,
comprehend.
again he will no
up

to

his

in

Castleton

apparently indifferent
he is always excited

when

cannot
.

How

as

the

across

before

street.

suggested

"

is

always obliging when

you
peal
aphim
directly; then take your
per,
supbe ready.
I will be here
at
eight
and
with
horse
piano-box
a
my

to

and

o'clock

It will be
buggy.
let us
night, and

We

to-morrow.

beautiful
risk

not

will

moonlight
waiting until

take

with

us

some

ice; also wine, beef extract, and a few other

old felthe poor
low's
to sustain
things intended
vitality at least till his story is told.
We
for twentymust
go prepared to remain
four hours, or
for thirty-sixhours
if
even
"

necessary;
I will find

have

have

your

ready, and

overcoat

in case
couple of blankets
lie down.
Good-by till eight."

to

And

off he
the

at

began

so

to
to

"

as

beginning

think
pray

went,

he

him

excited
of

an

as

we

boy
school-

adventure.

allowing his imaginations

tricks
purposely allow-

was

"

Discovery

Strange

79

ing himself to be deceived, as a child that

is Hearing the age of reason
still delights in
the old fairytales and the Santa
Claus
myth,
has penetrated
the deception
long after its mind
Still,in the
far

very

far indeed

very

"

end

it

proved we
from
being

were

upon

idle quest.

an

By

eight

Castleton's

I had

consent

that

should

obtained

myself, early in the

I
and
do what
Castleton,

we

the

old

Don't

man.

get into the old fellow

highfalutin
not

don't

ing,"
morn-

"

life in

keep

out

run

said

Bainbridge

that

say

but

you

until

not

and

views,

the

"

of his
if you

"

to

can

let Bainbridge

any

remedies

for

answer

in time, mark

his

desire.

I will

will

Doctor

Bainbridge and
remain
as
long as

visit Peters, and

might
"

o'clock

fangled,
new-

do, I
I

consequences.

will not

in time

"

dazzling therapeutist;
experience has modified
be

him

shown

that
with

Rome

was

toothpick,
I say, please
what
Don't
tell him
either.
his young
like to hurt
I wouldn't
feelings,
built

not

in

day,

nor

"

know."

you

of

front
and

we

Peters

in
Bainbridge drove
up
hotel, I was
waiting for him;

Doctor

When

the
were

soon

domicile.

on

our

way

toward

the

Chapter

Sixth

The

required

time

THE

ton

reach

to

Bainbridge
minutes,

forty

times

of

short

horse,

that

relation

bore
was

for

their

Castleton

action,
of

welfare

his

drove

never

pressing
So

we

we

drawing

his

whilst

horse

ways

interests.

with

bridge
Bain-

Castleton

as

admirer

an

of

without

horses

Bainbridge

everything,

was

"

horses

master's

animals,

gle
sin-

bay

most

as

his

own

was

rapidly

the

and

particular

he
and

necessity.
drove

of
until

of

of

lover

not;

was

to

dappled

which,

those

learned

had

do,

minutes

drove

large,

animal,

excellent

an

one-half

twenty

Bainbridge

beautiful,

utes;
min-

Doctor

by
and

two

only

or

hours.

two

required

was

Dirk

forty

about

time

the

of

home

the
been

had

Peters

Castle-

Doctor

by

Dirk

had
out

in

along
Peters

the

leisurely

and

arranged
of

So

man

Pym
of

plan

old

the

an

way,

action
account

versing
con-

story,
for
of

A
that

the

voyqge,

coming
him

Discovery

Strange

mere

suddenly

in the

upon

terrible

witnessed.

explained

to

me

had

him,

which
Doctor

that

of

thought

manner

afternoon

8i

the

which,
affected

I had

that

Bainbridge

wild

tions
demonstra-

made
were

those

by Peters and described

by me
of any thought of
result, not so much

adventures

on

which

he

have

must

of times
in the fortypondered thousands
eight or forty-nine intervening years, as it
of the manner
in which
the thoughts or
was
been
mental
pictures had
brought to his
mind.
"

I need

single

only remind

mental

characteristic

of almost

clear, and

matter

with

the

old

you,"

man

every
to

within

person,

indicate
must

he said,

what

be, and

to

"

the
make

our

of

perience
ex-

this

course

why I said
long stay.

prepared for a
lost
to have
Suppose, for instance, a woman
her husband
extremely painful
through some
accident, his death being not only sudden
to

to

you

come

horrifying nature, and that several

widowed.
have
elapsed since she was
years
ten
over
she has thought the matter
Now,
thousand
times, as the suggestion to do so
different
mind
her
entered
by a hundred
for instance, by the seeing of
routes,
as,
in life possessed,
something that her husband
thought bringing
or
by the drift of her own
but

of

82
her

to

mind
scene

direct
or
by insubject by association
paths of suggestion.
Every day her
has many
times
pictured the horrible
of death, until she is dry-eyed and passive
the

amid

and

of

voice

the

the

horror

old

terrible

the

follows

tears, all,as

It is the

denly
sud-

mind,

remind

her

of
the

immediately

the sobs

now,

suggestion,
voice, and particularly

^and

"

But

of

stranger,

scene

demonstration

let

"

her

to

route

strange

ideas.

bring

years,

by

same

of sad

storm

after all these

the

Discovery

Strange

of

anguish,

day of the accident.

of approach
the mode
of
the

on

method

"

but
tent
lathe fact is known
suggestion when
in consciousness, that is responsible for

the

demonstration.

nervous

In

another

stance,
in-

visual

the

lar
suggestion might have a simiresult and
audible
less.
suggestion be harmI anticipateno
serious obstruction
in
path to Peters' confidence.
Patience,
deliberate

care,

mind
and

'

that

The

shall

we

action

the

haste

more

win

"

the

fact
the

in

ever

less

speed,'

prize for which

we

strive."
As

we

drove

after
"

method

of

felt confident
tact

of
in

along

we

had

approach
that

Bainbridge
our

in the

determined
"

to

with
we

bright

the
should

efforts; and

Peters'

light,
moon-

on

our

mind,

knowledge

and

certainly

began

to

ceed
suc-

think

Discovery

Strange

along

other

lines.

which

I had

been

in

met

from

down

thoughts. I
foreigner, except

had

me

from

man

America,

more

another

cities and
of

certain

from

for

that

Germans

to

keep

and

each

individual

The

English
I went.

and
in

the
the

say,
hearI

existed

can
Ameria

Chinaman.

taken

feeling
Of

everybody
were

his

after dark.
and

own

merits.

universally liked,

were

True,
to

the

there

was

the

thought

numerous,
on

ticed,
no-

ever
wher-

little tendency

Hill
gloriesof Bunker
evinced
the like; but this tendency was
rather amusing than objectionable
manner
If there exists in
to an
Englishman.
for
American
heart a drop of bitterness
discovered
it. I am
English, I never
to

allude

Irishmen
was

from

of his reach

out

judge

to

the

among

the

Italian,

acteristi
char-

observation.

actual

for

that

able

only

not

mopolitan,
cos-

only the larger

therefore

working-classes there

enough

In

are

have

towns

example,

of repugnance
lower-class

as

Union.

towns

England

questions

but

into

treated

of the

inland

in

was

coal

own

State

seaport
I

millionaire

been

not

the

while

I had

bell-boy, came

my

of

even

in

advantage, the
the
town
seeming to
as
they might look upon

to

residents
upon

the

the

to

my

look

friendlymanner
by all whom

treated

America,

operator

older

The

83

-A

84

writing

Discovery

of the

American-bom

now

I
as

Strange

America,

in

seen

educated

ously;
seri-

scarcely taken

were

all Americans

though

Frenchmen,

that

idea

the

gathered

can.
Ameri-

to

been

have

admire

and

respect

tematical
sys-

Spaniards, the prevalent

ter
betidea seemed
to be that they were
ture
literaat arm's
length. (Anglo-Saxon
unkind
has been
to the Spaniard.)
very

the

Nation.

French

I did

hate

not

meet

for

American

an

anybody

I do

"

American

an

Of

not

to

it

possible
feeling of

conceive

harbor

to

seemed

that

the

hatred.
As

jogged along,

we

mind

that

write

"

Customs."
"

Bainbridge
book."

few

No

few

it.

at

So

that

I said

minutes
facts

enough

1 decided

ask

mind
my

leading questions, noting

"

And

I will

to

make

to

my
to

and

myself,
from

quite
the
was

tion
intenfilled

companion
well

first,"I determined

"

my

home,

procure

abandoned

moment

entered

Manners

doubt,"

I afterward

; but

American

on

in the next

can

with

"

idea

I returned

when

would,

treatise

the

his

plies.
re-

in
with-

myself,
inquire into the mooted
point
of an
aristocratic
concerning the existence
States.
Some
of our
feeling in the United
American
Manners
and
English writers on
Customs,' and our
most
acute
analysts of
American
character, say that the Americans
'

86

Discovery

Strang

duke, but

to

money

knew

never

see

one,

American

the

unless

spend

American

an

was

all.
for money
at
beastly rich to care
do
And
not
wear
then, hereditary nobles
be followed
Let
well here.
visiting duke
a
within
a year
by anything less than a king,
and the visitor will fail to excite anybody
out
too

of

walk.

of this

of

You

subject

certain

of the

not

United

Great

from

judge

people
visit; for the people

remote

which

England

effect

the

on

our

feelingof respect
present royal family of
other royal family or
no

have

for the

Britain

in

not

States

affection

and

must

individual, past or present, has ever

duced.
prohum!
Our
Hum,
mean
people
will not
well; but
curiosity and imitation
die

of the

out

of the

more

Still with
for my

human

till an

race

spinal column
a

intended

-view

inch

or

two

drops off."

the

gathering of facts
treatise,I asked
Bainbridge
to

distinctive
the
explain in what
manner
States
benefited
people of the United
were
of government.
by a republican form
He
replied that he knew
nothing worth
tioning
mento

had

of the

science

been

outside

never
"

But,"

something
country
as

I have

he

of government,
of the United

continued,

of what

enjoy. And
intimated,

the
to

"

can

and
States.

tell

you

whole

people of this
begin with, there is,

in the United

States

but

Strange

Discovery

87

class of

people, aside from the criminal

class common
to all lands, and
that vicious
but not
element
which
relativelynumerous
one

lives

the

on

and

actual

sometimes
I

why,
to

but

can

the

land

the

are

I have

to

and

seems

Europe^

heard

the

labor.

to

that
a

father
In

control

in

thirtyyears,

to

son

the

United

direct

our

commerce?

it is rather

reach

earned

has

States,

our

our

Europe

the

to

among
from
those

Congress,

and

navy,

of

from

in twenty or
shall then
govern

National

"

attempt

school-rooms

come,

exception for
when

in
would

approximation

our

and

army

truth

of the children, select

that

men

sit in

Who

nurseries

any

whom

This

questioned

guess.

bility
respecta-

to-day, and, by inquiring as

parentage
them

between

crime.

be

to

enter

our

borderland

the

exalted
a

position
ual
livingby man-

States

this is not

the

exception, but the rule. At this moment

the positions alluded
here filled by the
to are
of

sons

wealth

fathers.

poor

to

appears

With

be rather

us,

inherited

detriment

than

than
of more
politicaladvancement
And
a petty kind.
yet,'you may say, your
ing,
people are not always satisfied.' No advancsatisfied.
upward-looking people is ever
is a
With
such
a people, too, the demagogue
natural
period
product; and the demagogue
an

aid to

'

of this

country

'

is at

hand.

But

there

will

88
never

be

land.

The

have

Discovery

Strange
tom-fool

universal

they've pulled the

last hair

rule

majority

and

suffrage

they

that when

know

people here

fair

in this

revolutibh

of

end

of the

out

the cat's tail for them."

I made

remark,

Bainbridge

which

to

plied
re-

:
"

Yes,

managed

we

fair revolution

Pardon

'R.

years

caused

by

was

"

I said

me,"

pretty

twelve

the R. of B.

about
"

some

revolution

that

but

here

finish up

to

"

Now
what

but

ago;
agreemen
dis-

the

was

ofB?'"
"

Oh,

R.

of B.

excuse

"

Relic

of Barbarism,

answered.

only relic the United

the

slavery

he

the

was

"

me,"

The

human

States

has

had, too."

ever

prided myself that the

book

piling up

was

to
"

How

heard
that

so

great

rate

persevere.

about

Americans

at a

for my
I determine
; and

material

for the
in

much

I have

had

feeling of dislike of
have
English, of which
we
Not
England?" I asked.
the

"

any

evidence

of such

feel-

ing."
"That
away

build

(a

in

on

is a

plant which has finallywithered

careful
artificial cultivation.
spite of some
The
shall attempt
to
politicianwho
such
feeling against England
any

statesman

will

never

desire

to

make

the

Discovery

Strange

attempt)

will

I suppose

it pleases some

got the best of

we
a

leafn

soon

his mistake.
Americans

mother

our

in

big, strong, wealthy mother,

bit of talk
of

some

doesn't

us

away

is in

being

won't

say

all the
the

that

half the

; and

that

if the

they

I love

"

memories,
Decent
don't

arrivals

There'll
and

must

say
over

States
take

to

in their

could
arms

up
own

divided
un-

"

has

the

The

ture
litera-

my

mental

food

aye,

from

almost

her memories
have

must

Americans

"

infancy;

! I think

of

thought

of

that

is,a

jority
ma-

and
jingo politicians;
grievance against England

listen to
with

left to
never

laws.

been

Macaulay

as

are

home

ready
Individually,as you alnot
England's
England

well-executed

England
boyhood

"

at

people; I love the literature of

I love her memories, I esteem
and

of

Athens.

fun

her

her

London

and

"

know,

her

boy

"

interest.

and

I will say to you

and I say
fullest conviction
of its truth

in any
be induced
way
against Great Britain, save

from

little

mourning

are

not

admire

such

"

it does

folks

him, why, he

think

glory

people of the United

fops, but
England,

1783

too.

But

the

the

to

any, and
of good.
When

they miss

loss.

Oh,

her

home,

missed

louder

it with

hurt

heap

from

runs

new

89

be

the

vis

another

United

medicatrix
war

States.

between
Our

naturw.

England
Anglo-

90
Saxon

element

majority

think

of

been

side

long-haired

"

Germans

Americans
of all

did.

Hawthorne
that

be

must

ing
read-

most

threerfourths

say

Irving and
tion,
descripyour
of Peters, just
as

home

the

like

hanker

don't

from

But,

"

them.

England

feel toward

"

is to

that

"

ways
al-

have

morally right
^there's nothing

that

I believe

after the unknown.

the vast

and

and

questions
cranky about
because
they

or

citizens

sensible

the

on

normally

German

our

of national

the

Discovery

Strange

of us."

ahead
He

right;

was

the old

and

we

An

sailor's house.

coal

miner,

stopped in front of
aged man,
ently
apparthe

to

came

door

as

our

him
called
and
to
us
buggy stopped. We
he told us
inquired concerning Peters, who
asked
with
was
we
quietly sleeping. Then
and
regard to stabling accommodations,

learned
the

that Peters

preceded
old

horse

last old

miner

that

its master
offered

gathered up
little log house
we

for

had

us.

our

We

At
He

had

into

the

owned

that contained

would

awoke.

he

asked

stable,

having

The
beyond.
for our
to care
horse; so
the
supplies, and entered

ourselves

Making

old unused

an

found
as

Peters

about

we

asleep.
as

awaited

midnight
a

drink

terest
of in-

much

comfortable

permit,
for

so

of

cumstan
cir-

velopme
de-

Peters
water.

Strange

A
which

given

was

and
as

the

to

remain
But

that

saw

alive and

port, and

him

it with

his

felt doubtful
Peters

in

of

cup

prepared

betokened

less

particulargaining
fellow

old

poor

might
intelligently.
little diluted

actions

ble,
fee-

was

had

in

been

of

neglected, and our efforts to

him met
with decidedly good results.
through the night we
gratified every
which
he expressed, and
attended
to

arouse

All
want

of his that

need

every

suggest.

No

from

any

him

strange

other, and

always

far

and

now

as

injury

the

on

then

we

could

the advice

to

him,

to

Peters

so

each

to

himself

voices;

our

any

sible
pos-

light in

accustomed

become

"

done

was

without

kept

we

his

of Bainbridge,

This

sailor with
do

draw

to

concerning

topics.

old

he should

that

room,

made

was

occasionally spoke aloud

familiarize
as

but,

could

minds

own

information

indifferent

on

our

attempt

voyage;
we

the
to

bridge
Baintime to time
From
appearance.
would
step to the bedside, and place
the old man's
hand
forehead; and
on

our

his
later

he

would
the

about

arm

up

voice

that

given

his voice

strength. The
necessity much

and

His

Bainbridge

followed

extract,

91

be able to talk

had

we

weakness,

to

him.

to

length of time

after

beef

Discovery

to

take

every

now

invalid's

swallow

and

body,

then
and

of nourishment

put

an

raise him
or

wine.

92

Discovery

Strange

a
morning, Bainbridge had reached
to
stage of familiaritythat permitted him
sit on the edge of Peters' bed and talk to the
his farm,
old fellow brieflyand quietly about
ity,
and of Doctor
Castleton's
goodness and abilesting
and
other
subjects presumably interon
invalid.
the
to
Bainbridge would
shoulder,
on
a
gently pat the poor old man

Before

and

as

one

making the acquaintance of a big

By morning Peters was
thoroughly

in

does

dog.

accustomed
to

head-^somewhat

his

smooth

take

to
our

and

course,

to

even

look

he

and

presence;
watchfulness
our

as

for

seemed

matter

of

attentions

our

had
slept several
fight. He
hours
through the night, and at five o'clock
awake
and
was
improved.
seemingly much
Not
the slightestdelirium, even
of the passive
form
in fact, nothing of a nature
that
as

of

kind

"

could

alarm

Bainbridge
about
of
of

the

course,

had

time

subjects

disconcert

or

mentioned
he

would

had

us,

eight
broach

to

Peters, intending,

to

lead

up

to

occurred.

it

o'clock

the
as

as

subject
a

matter

tactful
very
stract
journeys in the ab-

by

gradations, passing from

to the journeys in the concrete,
thence
and thence, perhaps, to some
to sea
voyages,
mention
of recent
arctic (not antarctic) explorations;
and
then, asking no
questions
of Nantucket,
yet, to proceed to a mention

The

Chapter

Seventh

entered

CASTLETON

DOCTOR
the

his

with

sick-room

saluting
off-hand
he

but

of Peters, and

took

jointly in

us

courteous

floor

the

crossed

an

manner

to

the

as

bedside

of the invalid's

one

petuosit
im-

usual

wrists

in his hand.

said; "better!

he

"Ah,"

has

yesterday

of calomel

dose

its work;

done
has

the

through

gone

of

quinine

The

bed-time
the

liver

of human
health
stirred-up that enemy
and
happiness, the bile; and the morning
of salts will, beyond
dose
peradventure,
a

and

be

soon

heard

whiskey toddy

the
too;

and

repeat
Now

into

we

him, and

we'll go on
with
calomel
to-night, and

the
for

Now

yes,

"

ready

something
never

in such
own

from.

belief

like
a

else

manner

in them;

as

but
9+

throw

plenty of it,
the quinine,
have

him

by to-morrow."

mention

to

will

doubtful
to

then

suggest

cidents
inmy

suspected,

A
I

and

Discovery

Strange

95

morally certain, that Doctor

ters,
Bainbridge had, in assuming the care of Pefailed to execute
medical
orders, and
had administered
or pretended
only remedies
remedies
of his own,
to prevent
Peters,
so
as
tecting
myself, and the attending physician from deomissions.
is
This, I am
aware,
any
it :
terrible charge to make
still,I make
a
Peters
did not
get a fourth, if any, of the
Castleton
medicines
left for him
by Doctor
during the time that Bainbridge cared for
am

now

"

the

old

man.

Bainbridge had, with the intention

with
of prolonging the life of Peters, and
in his own
professional
greater confidence
judgment than in that of Castleton, omitted
the remedies
soon
prescribed,it was
apparent
in vain.
I
that the deception might prove
that the older physihave
cian's
already intimated
so
perceptions and intuitions were
almost
to
canny;
unquick as sometimes
appear
and after asking a question or two,
of white
to
he began
a
upon
square
pour
if

But

he took
from
vial which
from
a small
paper,
of his vest
pockets, a very heavy white
one

perceived that the

the paper
to
to be poured from
was
tereste
ininvalid's tongue.
Bainbridge was
not
in Peters
only selfishlyand

powder;
powder
the

and

we

soon

"

with

motive

to

learn

the

facts

of the

old

96

Discovery

Strange

sailor's strange voyage;

in the poor
old
himself.
I saw
of the man
of

Bainbridge, if that
to

but

also

was

for the

wreck

tereste
in-

sake

opinion

in the

that

powder

white

the invalid

he

were

ministe
ad-

injure him
a relapse,

it would

him, and cause

probably weaken
than
death
earlier
and
an
perhaps even
that Bainbridge
and I saw
otherwise
might occur;
was
reallyapprehensive and annoyed.
At last he suggested to Castleton
to delay
of the intended
the administration
remedy,
And
when
Castleton
if only for a few hours.

"

called

attention
for

his

to

quick

action, involving the

administration

obviously
him, that

have

of the

view

own

been

of

dose,

unwise

so

Bainbridge

the

did

But, over-anxious

not

to

cessity
ne-

stant
in-

it would

contradict

risk

such

gain his point,

he did something still more
impolitic. He
by which,
suggested a remedy of his own
he said, Peters would
speedily be relieved
a
new
drug, I believe, or at least a remedy
course.

to

"

known

not

looked

for

to

Castleton.

For

explosion of offended

moment

dignity;
but
Castleton
controlled
his first impulse,
and, not looking at Bainbridge, he centred
his apparent
attention
wholly upon
myself,
and with
exceedingly grave vigor, said,
of the Clare County
I, sir,am
a member
Medical
President
of
once
Society I was
an

"

"

A
that

Strange
learned

Discovery

body,

consecutive

and

97

have
been

since

then

for

its

Secretary
to the other
penmanship
being illegible
my
and
often
members,
to
myself, preventing
disagreements, by precluding a successful
many
seven

years

reference

Now,
I

to

sir,tell
with,

consult

the minutes
me,

as

listen

"

of past meetings.
to

man

man,

can

suggestions
of a gito suggestions, though worthy
even
ganti
intellect
I listen to suggestions
can
coming from the mentality of a non-member
Before
of our
learn-ed
body?
replying, let
me
society is known
throughout
say that our
that is, you
linois
all of Egypt
know, Egypt, Ilor

to

"

"

"

When

medical

in Paris,

savant

or

alleges a discovery,we
the questions of its originalityand
determine
of our
the chief purpose
its value
meeting,
eries.
discovown
however,
being to present our
our
Now, sir,I appeal to you whether
be strictly
not
rules should or should
obeyed
London,

Leipsic, or
"

"

and

those

the

second

rules

and

and

clause

regulations
"

found

in the

well-regulated medical
over

"

that

says

consultation
human
He

spoke.

life
"

a
a

of section

codes

societies

the

shall not

member

even

of all
world

meet
to

cessity,
ne-

save

in
a

possibility."
I
Neither
Bainbridge nor
expressionof our thoughts

decidedly

In fact,an

ethical

ethical

non-member,

paused.

an

of

three

remote

98

Discovery

Strange

wholly unnecessary,
Castleton
appeared to comprehend what
in our
minds, as shown
by his continued
have

would

"

'

been

"

"

Liberality,'
should

there

be

say:
liberality in this
may

you

as
was
marks.
re-

True,
eternal

liberal
are
are
we
Individually we
gentlemen; but it is different with us when
I am
for harmony.
take us as a body.
you
do someI admit
that at our
times
meetings we
life is a conflict,
fight like very devils
is full of cursed
Sir, the country
anyway.
world.

"

"

heresies

ask

and

the

^not

"

schisms.

growing

But

"

me

I respect

here, whom

doctor

let

for his immense

learning and Cyclopsian (I

large not
single-eyed) wisdom
I ask you,
his remedy would
be?
sir,

mean

"

what

"

him."

not

Doctor

Here

Castleton

side, and

speaking
ghastly whisper, said,

my

"

"

He

then

drew

stepped
into

The

my

ear

isn't

ass

back, and

close

looked

to

in

lar
Reguat

me

expecting astonishment
on
part.
my
I then exchanged
words
with Baina few
Castleton
of the result.
bridge, and informed
Ah, ha
ah, ha
indeed," he said, with zs,
near
an
approach to sarcasm
as
was
possible
as

if

"

"

with

thinks

him.
that

nearly four

"

"

an

So

leam-ed

my

organ

pounds

"

the

is to

friend
young
liver
weighing
"

be

moved

with

Strange

hundredth
Damn
"

of

of

of

"

anything!

"

"

I awake?

Doctor

disseminate

checked,
what

him,"

an

whole

disease?

grows?
said
to

acorn

celerityof
"

dread

Ask

takes

over

oak-tree

an

"

action

In
"

from

"

this

how

long

case

we

^force and

it

quire
re-

tion."
penetra-

"

how

much

fine shot

him," shouted

Tell

liver is

to

It
they weigh.
the essence
bring down

quires
re-

of

"

disease

Castleton,
that requires

mammoth

four-pounder
don't

not

him," said Bainbridge, if the sol^r

have
celerity,and force, and penetration;
and

"

if

"

Castleton,
act.

portion
require

county,
Ask
him

Ask

rays

99

Castleton, sir,what
grain of small-pox virus it would

to

of

drop

it,sir,am
Ask

Discovery

hunt

to

the

penetrate

rhinoceros

"

that

the

twenty-

its hide.

with

We

bird-shot."

"

Say to the gentleman," said Bainbridge,

slightlyflushed, but stillwith dignity, that
is not
in this case
the animal
to be slaughtered,
"

but
"

be

to

cured."
said

Damme,"

Castleton,

"

who

says

of renown,
slaughtered? Have I, a surgeon
of the
a scholar, a member
a gentlernan and
be
County Society, sunk so low that I can
called a murderer?
Stop
stop where
you
Say to the Gentleman
are
stop in time.
"

"

"

loo

that he

has

say

crossed

"

so

"

seemed

be

to

Come,

looking

allowing
mislead

you.
air of

an

ing
pass"

another

way

field

the

"

of

honor.
"

gentlemen,"
professional

your

so

abhorrence

my

come,

even

Castleton, though

on

on

my

smile

as

appearance

lost

not

was

dangerous
Quackery, sir,is

an

am

an

mean

to

the

"

transient

smile

are

treads

dangerous
devilish dangerous
face of Bainbridge; and

the

slightand

"

he

apology
edge

an

"

friends

he

living crater.

that

say

"

that

say

"

far

too

gone
is in order

of

Discovery

Strange

"

said,

you

propre

amour

I continued,
Now,"
it seems
bonhomie,
to

suming
as-

"

outsider, that this whole

difference

me,

might

Castleton
here
easily be adjusted. Doctor
advocates
balls
firing twenty-four-pound
into
the
Doctor
patient, and
Bainbridge

peppering

suggests
shot.

There

bowlders

for

will not

one

give both.
the

dose

invalid

certainly

the

interfere with
Doctor

to

the

the

slip, and

the

other

Castleton

compromise:
hence.

obstacle
other's

the

better

let them
There

"

of
so

let

me

four
I

be

of you

one

that

whilst

given
to

seems

in the way
medicine

time.
be

I say,

"

advises

be

hence

bird-

between

room

bird-shot

with

immediately given,
to think
Bainbridge appears

hours

two

is

the

tor
Docfive

or

suggest
an

hour
also

some

giving

administer

or

the

both

102

Discovery

strange

Loomis

with

House,

meeting

of

hope

the

you."
the

I thanked

the

ofifer to

I who

have

would

Bainbridge

be

to

Bellevue.

to

once

it would

that

appreciated
not

at

return

of

myself

avail

I would

said

Bainbridge,

ing
consult-

after

and

doctor;

and
It

Peters.

manage

of missing
think
to
disappointment
Peters' story at first-hand; but I hoped to
of the afternoon, and
return
by the middle
a

was

I knew

doubted

much

intellect

and

doubt

be

from

Castleton

brisk

last words,
were,

to

he

"

his subject
could

Don't

you

doctor

back

forget
and

add

me

the

think

may

implicitly. Send
Strange man

I started

be

would

no

So

word

for town

having parted

in the best

shouted

thirty, doctor;
whatever

Besides,

warmed

and

the

trot,

Bainbridge
"

and

started

so

senile

garrulous.

Doctor
at

was

tract
ex-

aged voyager
body, quite

little information

very

till he

gained

could

little endurance.
and

say.

the

as

mind

started

once
"

in

of

feeble, and

should

man's

old

return,

my

both

was,

sailor

the

with

repeat

Bainbridge

from

before

could

old

whether

very

when

the

all that

accuracy

Bainbridge

that

of humors.
as

drove

we

calomel
to

if you

off,
nine-

at

the

best.

His

treatment

I trust
need

pleasant, and

so

you

help."
harsh;

Strange

grand,

so

small;

and

broad,

so

and

so

this

channel,

same

so

unkind.

ignoble;
and
As

103

great, and so
kind,
so
narrow;

so

so

mind

my

I wondered

could

man.

Discovery

how

and

one

the

express

in

along

ran

views

the

that

he

had

with his medical

proclaimed in connection
association, and
yet speak of Hfe and
death
he had
the day
as
spoken to me
on
did
he
really believe?
preceding. What
Could
the actor-temperament,
self
displaying itwith a
most
on
occasions, in connection
display at times of his natural self,as we say,
for all his eccentricities?

account

As

fairly flew

along the forest road,

destination
by a mile in each
nearing our
three minutes, we
to the only hill on
came
which
the
entire
route
was
considerable,
in degree of gradient.
and
both
in extent
allowed
Castleton
the
Doctor
gait of his
into
slacken
slow
horses
to
a
walk; and
we

"

active

ever

nervous,

ever

he

"

reached

into

pocket of his linen duster, and

forth
small
book, apparently fresh
a
the publisher.
"

'

the
The

whole

of the

Mistakes

The

Lectures,'
'

drew

side

the

"

volume,
Gods.'

story;

said, looking

he

reading

and

it is almost

at

far

so
a

as

waste

Other

back

the

its title.

you

and

of time

"

of

Ah,

tells the

title,sir,almost

The
and

and

Gods,

from

are

for

cerned,
conus

to

Strange

the

book

104
open

for
"

'

terrors

ignorant

'

Oh,
a

It

I do

mistaken,
that

sense

to

as

"

cow-boy
polished as

sad
very
lectures

several

contains

I think, mistaken

as

not

him;

the

misapprehends

in

soon,
'

talented,

But

mark

England,

my
hear

lecturer; for with

logic,his

words,

far

distant

soon

from

heard

him

teenth
nine-

Christian

Saxon

will

sir,you
'

of this young
del
infivincibl
his keen brain, his in-

concise

and

beautiful

be

recognized as
popular living agnostic. His home
he will

I say
in the

of

purposes

Anglo

century

workers.

the

people might apply

for our
church
people seem
him, almost
as
greatly as

misunderstand

in

from

mistaken

mean

the

were

When

man.

in

church

our

to

term

he

agnostic agitation, which

delivered
time
to
by a very

but,

"

! sad !

Sad

of

time

the

is not

author

; the

no

no,

book.
line

holy

I said.

doubt.

no

man

perfect gentleman
there's nothing
and

he's
I am;

"

mentioned,"
'

bad

'

of your

one

"

is it not?

"

be

must

so."

do

to

selves
them-

against

crime

men

I hear

that

Western

"

and

"

author

The

Discovery

Bellevue,

and

I think

lecture.

I have
platform orator
though I have twice been
eloquence of Phillips,and

best

ever

dozen

the

most

is
have
him

listened

charmed
a

oric,
rhet-

not

quently
frethe
to,

by the
times
by

Discovery

Strange

that

of Beecher.

I shall

own

and

manhood

own

my

105

not

outrage your
by alluding to

the more
anything which
partisan church
people say of this brilliant agnostic; and I
in your
I do, only because
distant
say what
home
some
day wonder
just what is
you
may
behind
such
an
agnostic demonstration
as
is certain to
he is leading up to, and
which
centralize
the dissatisfied spiritof the country
anti-church
into an
of no
propaganda
mean
proportions. I am
opposed to such a

only durable
truth's

sake

cannot

I should

"

him

Christianityhe

is

is any

Christian

were

possible

have

found

right even
opinion on
this

time

and, with
in the

aspire with

to

that

which

in

striking at
highly praiseworthy

in his belief.
or

"

with

it consistent

sincere

as

logical way,
If duplicity
if he
his

could

sense

concerning
religious subjects he would
to

keep

silence

his

been

Governor

ability,there

to
country
reasonable

which

is

of
his

by
of Illinois;

"

have

I
but

man,

reasons

are

man

for

admitted.

in his cold

this

the

the

enter

to

were

performing

enthusiastic

as

as

truth

In this belief he is

action.

as

There

believe

to

I love

history of this

the
:

truth

refuse

if liars

is fact

in

and

weapon,

into

go

this much

and

believe

of heaven

gateway

cause

but

movement;

no

he

elective

might

certaintyof

success.

fice
ofnot

io6
He

himself

know

is

our

party
for

will

an

the

again

ever

dare

him

nominate

to

office."
"

wrong," I said;
religiouspersecution."
"

This

"

True," said Castleton,

fact is

all who

are

early age of thirty-three,

he
views
were
generally known,
No
political
Attorney-General.

his

before

of all this, as

aware

At

him.

was

Discovery

Strange

is all

I state

as

office lose

it.

enough

He

"

if he

would

his

the

but

for

ran

party

own

his opponent
to win."
But, my dear doctor," I said,

of

savors

it does;

from

votes

it

allow

to

"

catch

mistaken.

You

be untrue

to

thinking

for

reasons

your

surely would

himself?

not

"

I fail to

this

man

him

have

"

"

that ! I mean
that he is
Oh, no
never
in thinking that the
intellectuallymistaken
world
is still to be benefited
by agnostic agitation
"

the

among

Voltaire

masses.

had

for proclaiming and

good reason
teaching
in France, in his day, rehis views, because
ligious
to
infidelitywas
political
necessary
had
Paine
for
a
liberty. Tom
good reason
his course,
because
Christianity,misrepresented
at that time
by mistaken
or
corrupt
was
arrayed on the side of the despot,
men,
and

so

French

good

continued

up

Revolution.
excuse

for

to

the
But

beginning
this

man

fight against

of the
has

church

no

in-

A
fluence
The

in the

influence

United

to

restrict

107

States,

of the

exerted
ce^rtainly

of

Discovery

Strange

in

now

Christian

1877.

church

is
not

for

good, and

does

the

libertyof

any

man,

that

this

now

tempt
ator

society."
"

But

did
views

election

just

not

you

say

forever

would

prevent
in this

public office, here

to

agnostic's
his

great
"

free country, in the year 1877 ^^^ onward?

We
have
and not
cannot
a free country
allow a man
if
to vote
against another, even
"

his vote

influenced

were

the

by

of

cut

didate's
can-

trousers."
"

would

man

Your

be

agnostic

influence

would

of church

judges of a
thing well by his
subject."
"

You

will

prejudices;
against this man
No
individual

be

to

person

of

cut

man's

date's
candisuch

vote,

doubt

no

is to

say

that

the

be

fought so long
man's
capability to do one
ent
opinion on a totallydiffer-

never

their

his views

if the

good object for education.

it

as

but

influenced

trousers
a

"

Yes," I said;

educate
but

the

myself

because

his

inconsistent
desires

people

to

should

vote

shows

course

with

of

out

ship.
statesman-

restrict another's

this
only combat
of their effects,as he combats

opinions;

man's

because

those

of his opponents.

we

There

agnostics, proportionally,that

are

as

would

many
not

io8

Discovery

Strange

Presbyterian, for instance, for

public office,as there are Presbyterians who,
for

vote

Hke

under

would

circumstances,

not

for

vote

agnostic."

an
"

in what

But

of belief, of

the belief,or

does

way

want

wise
agnostic, prevent an otherfrom
being a statesman?

an

"

able

man

asked.
"

doubt

No

of

some

the

best

statesmen

not
agnostics; but they are
able to
who
are
agitators. Men
and
assimilate
agnostic opinions,

living

able

are

initiate

to

and

only
and

them

are

able

Can

I asked,

you,"

in which

what
of

gest
properly dishould

state

indicate

you

the

"

as

in

masses

an

have

instance

ucation
ed-

premature

agnostic ideas,

injury to the persons

to society at large?
or
Your
Yes, sir, I can.
ignorant
lead

might

are

themselves;

to

ideas

such

assimilate

gest
di-

all."

at

"

who

men

for

ideas

those

nostic
ag-

to

so

structe
in-

"

"

"

'

the

'

cracker

element

of

the

can
Ameri-

South,

ignorant Italian, and

ignorant
your
Irishman
their
are
injured by taking away
first of these, when
religious beliefs. The
church
people, dress neatly, are honorable,
and
have
some
upward-tending ambitions;

your

whilst

those
"

men

of them
and

women

that

are
"

infidels

^to a

state

are

of

duced
ream-

no

"

Discovery

Strange

"

Still,doctor," I said,

knowledge
Ground
is

there

the

human

whole

in

too

"I

soon

nothing

see

for the

good
only

in

clear

cannot

gin
be-

Christianity but
surely you speak

true
"

If there

views.

own

my

Excuse

of cold

test

from
"

No,

I do

be

to

is not

No

for it a

just think

for

ignorant, and
are

"

to

men

who

be

discarded

^ithas

"

of

minute.

consider
have

attained

the

masses.

as

Take

reason.

^itis

"

religion

us

leave

the best
a

will
the

ever

Now

reason.

Let
what

is not

its moral

about

in man's

place

certainly as great
to

you
bear the

mind

reasoned

founder

I had

Do

side, wholly apart from

felt.

claimed

human

in intellect alone

emotional

Religion

The

not.

be

formed."
re-

"

the lives of men?

comprised
or

it should

reason,

be

but

you

think

not

it

yourself an agnostic.
that if a religion will not

thought

is

polity

or

"

doctor," I said;

me,

the

vigorously."

too

race

bars

say,

church
policy
anything in any
which
requires reforming, let
"

If

for

myself

the work

"

human

call out

to

continue

or

smooth.

mind

of

then

race,

the obstructions

away

all

by somebody.
Christianity that

final freedom

to

be

versal
uni-

to

broken

anything

way

road

cannot

be

must

the

of

mental
ever

very

the
men

vation
cultibe

sible
pos-

highest

Discovery

Strange

society in England
extent

and

its members

are

what

to

fixed

extent

sentiments

Ratiocination
actions

and

in

knowledge

America

what

to

"

controlled

by

reason,

by feelingand by the
of feeling?
growing out

does

influence

not

million.

in

There

of their

one

is not

within

my

single instance where

a purely
rational
the basis of
conception has been
practice, in opposition to feeling."
Surely," I said, you do not mean
to
not
men
are
governed in
say that educated
the main
by reason?
I mean
I say
that I do not
just what
know, in practice, a single instance in which
they are so governed in opposition to feeling.
if we
Pshaw,
pshaw! young
to
are
man;
compel the acts of practicaldaily life to conform
a

"

"

"

"

"

with
is best
best

for

for

dialectic

us

though we
physics, of

us

to

"

we

"

do

do
must

demonstration

only what
simply

continue

what

to

of what

is in

reason

to

cease

breathe.

live,

Even

in

tions,
logical demonstrathe premises are
when
tion
only a foundaunstable
than
more
quicksand
purely
provisional?
if these agnostics were
Now
truthful
consistent
which
they try to be; and were
be in a trywhich
they are not, they would
ing
situation.
Reason
shows
no
advantage
in kissing his wife; he has no
to a man
syluse

are

"

"

"

"

112

Discovery

strange

the

has

children; in fact, he

have

children

all rubbish,

sentiment,
of
And
tional

^all the

"

nature

then

and

are

reason

his

the

moral

aspirations

to

or

tellect
in-

Reason!

Pure

for

to

feeling

beneath

of man's

demands

if the

of

result

and

business

no

worships

who

man

her

supporting

for

logisticendorsement

or

such

aflfecgences,
indul-

the

great
unknown,

the
of the known,
primal cause
and (to us here and now) unknowable
ders
wonand
without,
mysteries of the universe
in
and of ourselves
within, is also justifiable
and
ought not by wit and eloquence
reason,
mind.
be juggled out
of the ingenuous
to
The
rectly
masses
governed
are
by religion, diand
much
extent
indirectly, to an
The
greater than at first thought appears.
is shaped
daily life of the agnostic himself
heredity and environment.
by his Christian
Now
this

our

Author

intuitive

furnishes

demand

no

substitute

for

of

being. If reason
can
supply nothing in place of religion,why
allow
those
who
not
viction
religious conpossess
to retain so
agreeable, and to others
Now
beneficial, a belief?
right here I can
detect
the voice of the agnostic agitator
this is his strongest situation, and
he simply
smiles when
make
this opening for him.
you
The
voice says,
Agreeable?
Agreeable to
"

"

'

burn

forever

in hell?

Well, well, my

friend

of

ideas

our

"

Discovery

Strange

that

from

suffers

It is not

hell

and

us

the

is

ner,
sinscience,
Con-

barrier

only

earth

on

it is the

"

conscience.

guilty

conscience;

This
Christian

the

fear of hell

his

through

differ.'

pleasure

sophisticaltwaddle.

113

tween
be-

Christians

are

comforted

by the thought of a loving Christ

fer."
Christians, in my experience, do not suf-

"

"

that

not

are

you

"

we

sir,"I said,

Why,

are

wanted

me,

on

the

edge

to,

preach

Once,

voice.

preach

sermon;

looked
and

more

their

faces

young
of town.

wonder

at

But

"

I could, if I

within

sound

I tell you,

their

hands

and

verting
con-

of my
I did

camp-meeting,

and

here

capable of

mighty sober,
susceptible of my
with

but

man.

sermon

heathen

every

I cannot

tian."
yourself a professed Chris-

mind

Never

"

the old ple

peothe younger

auditors
and

covered

seemed

to

But, pshaw,
griefand contrition.
pshaw; people don't go to hear either witty
agnostics lecture, or preachers preach, to
to reason
get something for their brain-boxes
ume,
Believe
about.
me
tapping the volthis sort
of thing
still in his hand

shake

with

"

"

"

"

won't

make

anybody

reason.

question is one of swapping

Illinois lawyer."

After
off Christ

all,the
for

an

The

Eighth

lacked

IT

half

drove

we

where
rooms.

Chapter

an

before

up

of nine

hour

o'clock

Loomis

the

alighted, and
I had scarcely

ran

House,
to

up

than

more

as

my

made

Arthur
in.
came
hasty toilet, when
sence,
abAfter
who
had, during my
telling me
and
after attending
called to see
me,
I expressed, he
which
wants
to some
trifling
shuffled his feet in a style that I had learned
to
recognize as indicating a desire to say
the compass
of our
something not within
business
a
relationship
liberty
purely
first two
which
the precedents of our
days
with later
of acquaintanceship in connection
had
solidified
into
vested
events
a
right.
a

"

"

"

Well, Arthur?
"

on

I read
the

the

table.

But

what

And

is it

did

whole
That

book,

sir

book

"

there

just did
of Pym
and

become

you've

true

gin' pirate?

I said.

found

"

114

that

get

it is,
me.

Peters?

old soc-doli-

I told him
"

Well,
the

see

Discovery

Strange

love

old

"

he

ocean

ante-artic

the

black

sky

bilin'

hot?

what

but

these

mouths
these
I
very

points yet?
explained to

wonderful

the

certain

on

Castleton

bile; and
was

opened

stood

did
Did

blame

he
he

didn't

get

our

find

you

out

that

probably at that
Bainbridge was sitting
Peters' cot, drinking in
and

had
to

knew

that

as

called to

Peters'

soon

see

as

me,

house, and

pected
ex-

to

main
re-

all.
"

and

don't

fall

importing points. Better take

Doctor
catch everything. I asked
that ocean
made
last night what
of
he said he guessed the mouth
and
Satin had just
that way,
down
any

time, and

hell

what

slow," said Arthur,

Go

down

we

that

I don't

"

knowed

story;

return

until
"

him

gentleman
to

And,

"

of Dirk

edge

made

say?

female

Poe

for?

Doctor

moment

the

on

points,

waterin'

to

Say

if Mr.

what

'fraid of thing
everythe hiryglificks

so

the

anybody

and

was,

meant

was

if you
curtain

What

was

marble

of the boat?

know

I 'd like to

white

the

in the way
"

that

niggers

of all,who

most

"

continued.

from

white, and
on

found.

was

what

me

down
the

Peters

four-foot-eighter. But

tell

reachin'

them

now

me,

made

that

115

the

door

it ain't heaven

to

air out.

it's got

to

be

That's
hell.

him;
But

how

if

ii6

old

Peters

Discovery

Strange
ever

this

lived

monkeyin' with him

thing. But who's that?
ton

long with Castleis a mighty

funny

"

"

on

My

door.

my

arrived.

caller had
I did

sounded

had

rap

in

succeed

not

getting

back

to

Bain-

I had
expected.
as
bridge and Peters so soon
in the town
dragged along far
My business
nine o'clock
into the evening, and it was
by
o'clock
I
ten
I was
the time
at liberty. At
sent

for

Peters'

and

conveyance,

house,

I arrived

where

driven

was

just

to

before

midnight.
sleeping soundly, and
Bainbridge dozing in a chair. My entrance
aroused
Bainbridge. He arose, smiling, and
I saw
at a
apparently glad to see me.
was
successful
in obtaining
glance that he had been
I

found

from

Peters

Peters

the

said
more,

that

of

his

arctic
ant-

"

"

"

secrets

I asked.
Well?
voyage.
I have
which
The
information
"

gained,"

I procure
no
would
suffice to explain all those teries
mysthat Poe
hints at as fact, and
much

Bainbi'idge,

he

even

could

apprehend with that sixth

which
in the
sense
genius approaches
a
union
of
clairvoyance and
prescience
guage
mysteries of which he does not speak in lansufficientlyclear for common
prehension.
comI am
At all events,
not
disapseems

to

"

ii8

Discovery

Strange

ple
strangely grand, and. its peonothing on
Oh, no
truly wonderful
the Gulliver
order; the people are not dwarfs
either
horses
giants, and they 'have no
or
that do not
talk; no yahoos
that talk or
Oh, no
Wings?
nothing in that line.
in
women
no
or
women,
flying men
no
quite in good
either; everything
gauze,
and
you'll
taste
genteel. Just wait, now;
I my^which
hear it all in an
orderly way
self
I told
did not, however.
One-eyed?
that it was
all in good taste
just now,
you,
and
genteel. No, no; nothing Homeric
I'm
Now,
really
no
sheep, and no sirens.
in starting m.e
tired, and you'll not succeed
to
on
a
story that'll take six or eight hours

that

is

country

"

"

"

'

'

"

"

'

'

"

if we

tell,even
as

we

said, we

do

not

To-morrow,
progress.
will get from
Peters

facts, and

doubt

no

particulars;
I

intend

Peters
you

in
own

to

will

better

evening
and

yours,

way.

on

the

our

to

does

that

"

the

floor.

me

town.

till

day
suppose

company.
or

rooms,

stoi-y in my
"

satisfyyou?
said; and then

fully,I
blankets, and made
me

to

go

in my

recite

before

possible
ther
gather fur-

every
and
I

keep

will meet

I will

Now

It satisfied

spread

we

dies

or

refuse

not

here

out

all other

will

we

matters

as

shall

we

then

come

gets

Every

discuss

to

stop

night

we

of it

A
The

day

next

for
of

Discovery

Strange

Dirk

the

the

started

for

than

part,

immediately
myself as

entertaining
two

o'clock

entered

promised
fact,

to

one

Bainbridge
the

And

know

also
antarctic

himself

genius,

the

earth

and
and

feels

all that

small, that

the
is

common

so

That

Peters'

"

the

that

mysteries
or

vision

save

near,
sees

Poe
the

as

of

wonders

bloom
of

and

tant
far-dis-

which

that

gems

reader

that

of

secrets

"

gan
be-

day.

to

patient
of

for

tor
Doc-

story

day

the

in

and

rooms,

secrets

"

We

evening

my

sees

far

gether,
first,to-

day

flowers

places, and

better

each

knows
"

we

home.

ignorance

seer,

and

heaven

in

died

At

could.

returned

that

region

and

country,

had

from

the

man

out,

much

we

Dirk

time

now

old

and,

continued

was

it is

should

of

edge

day;

to

came

the

next

days.

recitation

that, too,

us

noon,
fore-

afternoon

Peters

the

of

succeeding

many

the

humble

him

see

before

his

both

or

best

in

days

two

the

adjacent

leaving

town,

when

spent

sitting on
cot, listening to the
I walked
explain.

talk, describe,

about

Bainbridge

most

Peters'

explored

119

lie in

ly,
obscure-

depths,

ocean
so

den
hid-

great

it not.

"

or

The

Ninth

THERE

Chapter

be

may

who

some

have

Narrative
have

of

of

the

present

which
of

to

in

narrative,

Peters'

in

add

the

to

who

are

of

by
a

chapter,
say

of

of

brief
to

or

diary

Poe.

waste

For
time

though
any

the

narrative

chance

it

to

the

Pym

in

the

which

the

let

And

of

mine

are

it will

readers

peruse

reader

written
for

entries,

it is.

is

facts

by

such

Allan

Edgar

that

aware

furnished

journal
Mr.

with

form,

being

part

but

cidents
in-

the

understanding

entrancing

autobiographical

edited

the

knowledge

clearer

and

mentioned,

shape

of

few

lines
out-

of

purpose
a

familiar

are

admirable

most

be

that

the

story.

Those

just

review

chapter

teresting
in-

tion,
concep-

even

the

is

or

that

perused

mysterious

It

The

Pym,"

forgotten

story.

will

Poe's

have

they

that

"

read

Gordon

ago

and

readers

my

never

A.

long

so

among

present
me

ther
furwho

has

Discovery

Strange

had

opportunity to enjoy that exciting

of America's
edifying work
great

never

and
of

genius
envied

121

fiction, that

prose

he

is to

be

the

possession of the belated pleasure

that awaits
him
only a treasured
memory
of which
the rest of us.
to
delight remains
"

From

my

narrative

own

I shall omit

much

of

description and colloquy which, during its

in 1877, occurred
development
concerning
discoveries
of a geographical and geological
and

nature,

alsO' many

discussions

purely philosophical; but

discarded.

be

opinion,

no

The

of

has, in

discretionary power

the introduction

of facts.

duty is plain, and in the present

shall be faithfullyperformed.

following presents

The

my

concerning

elimination

or

fact shall

no

historian

acter
char-

His

instance

it

line
general outof A. Gordon
The
Narrative
of
Pym"
In the year
1827, Pym, just verging upon
a

very

"

manhood,

of Nantucket,

town
name,

in

the island

on

companionship

of the

Barnard
to

remain

in the

South

secretes

hidden

Pacific

Pym
until

same

boy friend,
of the captain of the
with

his

Augustus Barnard, son

they depart. The
ship on which
which
the
they embark
brig on
which
is starting for
Grampus,
voyage

in the

his home

from

away

runs

Ocean.

in the hold
so

far from

of

name

the

is
a

trading
Young

of the
land

brig,
as

to

122

Strange

make

Pym,

hidden

impracticable.

of the runaway

return

falls into

Discovery

freightage of the hold,

slumber,
probably
prolonged

amid
a

the

sel.
by the foul air in that part of the vesWhen
the brig is four
days at sea, a
ing
majority of the crew
mutiny; and after killof those who
have
not
joined them.
many
is set adrift in a small boat,
Captain Barnard
without
food and with only a jug of water.
Barnard
is permitted to remain
Young
on
the vessel.
There
is a dog that plays a leading
part in the mutiny episode by acting as
between
Barnard
and
a
Pym,
messenger
who
had no other means
of communicating.
Next
comes
a counter
mutiny, made
essary
nec-

caused

to

sailor

to

Barnard

whom

ship's cook
is about

the

preserve

is determined

life of
owes

to

Peters,

one

his life.
kill

The

Peters, and

when
accomplish his purpose,
Barnard, and a sailor named
joins the two, devise a plan for

to

Peters, young
Parker, who

"

the mutineers
of the
cook's
overcoming
in doing by,
party." This they succeeded
at the
his
right moment,
producing from
is dressed
to
Pym, who
hiding-place young
resemble

certain

corpse

is still

fright

of

Parker

kill the cook

Then

the

the

on
"

murdered

sailor

whose

the

brig; and during the

cook's
and
party," Peters

four

"

and

his followers.

Barnard,

Pym,

Peters,

A
and

sailor Parker

the

The

adventures.
a

Discovery

Strange

and

storm,

above

have

"

brig

days. The party is at

trading-vessel on its way

83"

south

Antarctic

latitude,

is made

on

cling for
rescued
by a

four
last

discover

to

Ocean.

inhabited

all

"

save

already died,

and

Pym

in

and

the

ing
land-

lose

Peters.

reach

by a tribe
through a

of strange black
people. Here,
trick of the islanders, the crew
lives

new

They

after which

soon

island

an

remains

hull

the

many

in the

in

finallywrecked

is

which

to

thrilling

many

only the inverted

water,

lands

123

their

Parker

manner

had
taining
enter-

more

in the

reader

perusal than to
Parker
in the
which,
performance; and
said forty-nine years
Peters
later, the mere
him
thought of, always made
willingto wait
to

for his supper

when
forego a dinner.

he

escaping in a
and
Peters
island, Pym
Whilst

male

is black,

nothing

even

white

has

water

his

Like

natives.

its

he
almost

The

of

small

necessityto

boat

abduct

from

of the

one

his fellows, this native

his teeth; in fact, there

on

the whole

dreads

the

even

the

And

also

like

color

white; and

anything white
frenzied or paralyzed

he

sees

small

boat
on

an

with
ocean

is

island;

peculiarities.

is carried

this

to

fellows, he

whenever

had

with

its three

current,

comes
beror.
ter-

pants
occu-

to

the

-^

124
south.

taking a white
the
pocket allows
in

day Pym,

One

his

from

handkerchief
wind

Discovery

strange

face of the black

flare it into the

to

who
of
moaned

sinks

in convulsions

tom
bot-

the

(as had
moaning
islanders on seeing white),

boat, later

the

other

the

to

ander,
isl-

He
continued
to
"Tekeli-li, tekeli-li."
The
breathe, and no more.
following day
floats by, a body
the body of a white animal
the
similar
which
to
on
one
they had seen
of the island last visited.
Then
beach
they
in the south
curtain, which, after
see
a white
their further progress
in its direction, they

reaches

observe

The

of

water

hurrying

them

warmer,

and

which

the

sky

finallyhot.
to

all

melt

around
birds

the

to

water.

which

current

along becomes

white

Gigantic

the

ocean

seems

falls

water,

from

hour

by hour

An

ash-like

as

it touches

and

fly from

is

terial,
ma-

the
them.

over

the

beyond
"

li-li,
Tekecurtain, screaming the eternal
tekeli-li
a
syllabication that dies
the lips of the islander as his soul
on
away
that last terrible day, leaves his
on
finally,
body.
The last words
of the last of Pym's entries
in his journal are as follows :

white

"

"

"

And

of the
open

now

rushed

we

cataract, where
to

pathway

receive
a

us.

shrouded

into
a

But
human

chasm
there

the

embraces

threw
arose

itself
in

figure,very

our

far

126

Discovery

Strange

ally
proceed from old age, he usuhair-like maof any
formed
terial
wore
a wig
which
presented itself occasionally
the
slcin of a
Spanish dog or American
At the time spoken of, he had
grizzly bear.
of these
bear-skins; and
on
a portion of one
little to the natural
it added
ferocity of his
no
of the Upsaroka
which
betook
countenance,
extended
character.
The
mouth
nearly from
the lips were
thin, and
to ear;
seemed,
ear
other portions of his frame, to be
like some
devoid
of natural
pliancy, so that the ruling
varied
under
the influence
expression never
of any
emotion
whatever.
This
pression
ruling ex-

which

did not

"

be

may

conceived

that the teeth

and

protruding,

pass

this

imagine
but

man

with

him

to

second

be

look

were

merriment

never

convulsed

would

even

be

with

induce
that

indicative
must

tially
par-

that

laughter ;
a

ing
shudder-

if such

an

of merriment,
of

demon.

this

anecdotes
singular being many
the seafaring men
prevalent among
These

sidered
con-

instance, by the lips. To

casual glance, one
might

acknowledgment,
were

it is

exceedingly long

were

and

covered, in any

when

anecdotes

went

to

pression
ex-

the
Of
were

of Nantucket.

prove

his

under
prodigious strengthwhen
excitement,
and
of them
had given rise to a doubt
some
of his sanity."

The
Story

o
f

DiRK
Peters

The

Tenth

Chapter

the

early evening of the

DURING
day

on

and

I returned

which

Doctor
from

Bainbridge
our

stay with

Dirk

Peters, I sat in my room

at the
Loomis
ing
House, impatientlyawaitthe
arrive.
labors
a

I knew
with

to

that

Bainbridge
he

Peters, and

prolonged

anxious

when

moment

talk

hear

at

wearied

was

I did

from
least

him.
a

not

to

was

by

his

anticipate

Still, I

beginning

was

of the

promised story. At the appointed time he

the
came
in, and placing a roll of paper
on
I had
table, took the large easy-chairwhich

placed
"

As

for him.
I know,"

he said,

"

that the

developments
of the past three
days must,
quite
naturally, have developed a curiosityin you
of some
intensity to hear the sequel of the
not
to
adventures, I shall endeavor
Pym
keep you unnecessarily waiting; but shall
a
allay at once
portion of your curiosity.
I2g

1,30
Later

"

particularsof

the

I will deal

agreeable

if

to-morrow,

"

with

Discovery

Strange

that

strange

voyage

made
by man."
perhaps the strangest ever
the
out
He picked up, and smoothed
upon
he had brought
which
table, the roll of paper

"

with
"

and

him;
In

the

continued

then

first

brieflyand

I will

place,

in

for you
the south
describe
general way
polar region, which, I feel certain, Pym and
Peters
reached, and where
they resided foir

very

somewhat

which

map

than

more

one

with

have

Here

year.

jotted down
rough sketches
the edge of Peters' cot, and each
on
sketches
I had him
verify.
from

"

Now

look

with

this way
this map.
And
move

as

sat

of which

chair, and

your

in the

drawn

care

some

is

place, I
will tell you
that at the South
Pole
bly
probanot
precisely at the pole, but certainly
within the sixth of a degree of it
is a circular
surface
of absolutely white-hot, boiling
at

first
"

"

fifteen

lava, about
surface

in

was,

surroundings,
extent

five

"

miles

of the

earth

cooled,

and

say

in diameter.

past,

ages

from

doubt

the

Antarctic

later

become

at

with

its present

seventy

No

across.

very

This

indicated

as

times

many

though
probably at some
water,

miles

to

surface
had

once

covered

shallow

points by

none,

face
sur-

seventy-

the
Pole

by

with
water

at

"

others

\S-vr\"\""

^ovOft\"?o\t
"cj""^q'Viw.VVft4\\u(xt"\ttn

\C\N(Xo^"UoV
H"i^c^

".

"fc".
YvVMV".\oYtt)i''v*v"ic*'
Wlti-t|

Ottcvn
T. F.T. HHYa-f\ri"

wlft viW*\"ii
.

U
"co,\4.

Vt

o"^ TnU^t

7"/?^ South

Polar

Region

and

c\\tf.Y.X,
Hilililand.

132

physics. One
presented by

the laws

that

Discovery

Strange

much

so

nomena
phe-

of the earliest

of

condition,

this

was

evaporated,

sea-water

and

of rockrapidly, that masses

salt formed,
creating a partialbarrier to the
I say
inroads
of the sea
partial barrier,
a

evaporated

so

"

because

the
it to

cause

the

be

poorest

Still, we

water.

of

deliquescence

salt

of all barriers

to

that

remember

must

would

the

have
must
immediately surrounding water
uration
reached, so far as salt is concerned, the satbeen
have
a
point, and would
very
several

and

masses

other

two

rock-salt

of hard

solvent

slow

enormous

in extent.

miles

conditions

in

soon

Then,
First, the

arose

like
permitted a coralsurrounding water
by present apdevelopment, as shown
pearance
and
action
gan.
besecond, volcanic

warm

"

Now

look

at

my

This

map.

inner

circle

of boiling lava,
represents the present area
fifteen miles
which, as I have said, is about
in diameter
the

South

the

Pole, according to
the point correnatives, being at about
sponding
a.'
The
this dot, marked
to
"

'

ring

next

without

represent a zone
edge white-hot,

the

of lava

which

and

its outer

hot, its width, let

arbitrary,about

circle I have

us

four

at

say,

miles.

as

made

to

is at its inner

the
The

edge

red-

division
second

is
cir-

Discovery

Strange

cle represents
red at its inner
its outer.
from

Of

but

of lava

zone

edge, and
within,

I thus

which

is dull

black, but

the

course

white-hot

133

lava

blends

barely

to

hot,

at

away

out;
with-

warm

it,the better to picture

The
next
reigning conditions.
circle,some
four or five miles in width, represents
a ring
of cold lava-blocks, masses
of rock-salt, and
animalculine
remains, from
twenty-five to
hundred

two

feet

mentioned

Outside

high.

zone,

volcanic
and

map

have

we

rings of
intervening valleys,

mountains

with

active

craters

many

mountains;

while

numerous

several

at

the

on

of this last-

the

summit

mountain-sides

lie

of rock-salt, thrown

masses

of

from

below

by eruptive action, glistening in the

brilliant volcanic
light,and slowly deliquescing.
This zone
of mountains
and valleys is
from
miles in width, and whilst
ten to twenty
in the
from

main
half

its mountains
a

mile

to

are

mile

not

than

more

high, it contains
height, and there

peaks of five or six miles in

is one
peak which rises nine miles

above

the

sea-level.
"

I want

you

to

look

larger mountain-ranges,
the other
which

as

into two
and

the

particularlyat
one

the left side of my

into
it stretches
out
at

smaller

chains.

comparatively

Upon

at

map

the

the

right,
each

"

sea

these

diminutive

these

of

divides
ranges,

height of

-^

134
the

the

is

there

fact that

connection

in

mountains,

intervening

with

Discovery

Strange

wind-

constant

(generallyof longitude 74"

the west
speaking, from
and,
W.), depends the habitabilityof this large islthe Island of Hili-li (here represented in
other
ands
islabout
longitude 75" E.), and many
from

current

which
from

this
that

say

stretch

there

but

than

is another

mountain

bay, which,

makes
lava

"

than
animal

the

ring

temperature

see

the

greater

will

glance
of

midst

represented
mountains,
zone

of hot

it by little more

of lava-blocks, rock-salt, and

remains,
a

I believe;

so

in the

among

its way
close to
very
in fact,is divided
from

to

inner

winding

If you
map,
will

the

depends

for their

cause

you

zone

surface-crater.

islands, and

these

direction

same

conditions

tropical warmth:
the right of this
on

here
the

active
such

habitabilityof

in the

out

enormous

upon

Pacific

lower

the

width

which

at

this

of about

two

of the

water

point is
miles.

of this

bay

rowed
nar-

The
its

at

extremity is probably about 180" F.

the boiling-pointof distilled
say 32" below
and it flows in a steady current
water;
past
the Island
of Hili-li.
This
edly
bay is undoubtfed from
the opposite side of the great
crater, and its supply flows for miles in contact
with hot lava.
It is probable that this
water
current
extremely warm
greatly as"

Discovery

Strange

sists the hot-air current

tropicalclimate
"

And

in

creatingthe

super-

of Hili-li.
I

as

now,

have

curiosity,and

your

135

with

as

part

satisfied

somewhat

am

days'

two

my

in

hausted
ex-

nights'

and

will
Peters, I know
experience with
you
suitable a stoppingto rest
at so
permit me
point. To-morrow
evening I will take up
the

of Dirk

story

sudden
carry

in

break

along

you

of Hili-li
of

other

some

Peters

where

Pym's

journal,

the time

to

thought
land

it

and

the
will

when

tants
the inhabi-

the

atmosphere

that

would

joins

be

cive
condu-

more

Peters'

longevity and health, as well

I assure
to their own
as
tranquillity. And
Sultanship, that the story I shall relate
your
esting
interto you
to-morrow
night will be more
I
than
the dry physical facts which
which
it
have
this evening imparted, and
to

best

seemed

that

you

I
him

to

for the

clear

map

was

of
he
"

the

that

room.

suggestions, thanking
description which he had

strange

rwhich

and

his

taken

had

about

opened,

particulars

voyage."

assented

given
pains

before

know

detail the

hearing in consecutive
of Peters'

should

to

to

Doctor

draft

of it

he allowed

map

ask

region, and

so

the

accurate
to

me

question,when
Castleton

for

retain.

the door

rushed

into

136
"

Well, how's

We

of

few

the

just imparted
I asked
the
question which
abrupt entry had delayed.
had

Bainbridge

"

But,"

asked,

"

he

asked.

has

not

and

condition;

Peters'

recounted

"

man?

old

the

described

even

Discovery

Strange

facts

which

me.

Then

to

Castleton's

Peters'

ination,
imag-

of
owing to the administration
There
drugs, been unnaturally stimulated?
believed
it is commonly
are
drugs which
effect in stimulating
have
wonderful
a
may
the
imagination to flights of marvellous
grandeur."
"The
doctor
said Bainbridge.
"No,"
No
here will say the same.
drug on earth
could
an
produce even
approach to such an
efifect."
"

Certainly not,"
of laymen are

mass

"

only ignorant

not

I know

sir,but

me,

"

Castleton.

said

you

cuse
ex-

"

facts

the

want

The

only ignorant, but extremely and persistently

ignorant on this subject. I have
it said that Byron
drank
heard
twelve
or
the night
bottles of wine
perhaps twenty
not

"

"

he

'

wrote

'

wrote

I have

The

Corsair.'

The

Corsair

heard
when

is not
could

only
not

an

'

it stated
he

'

wrote
untrue

possibly

If he
in

spite of

that

Poe

The

Raven

statement

be

did, he

true, and

wine.

the

cated
intoxi-

was
'

^which

"

but

ply
sim-

one

which

that
cer-

Styange

Discovery

who
man
every
under
the influence

tainly
write

knows
alcohol

which

"

what

of

might

term

only stimulate

They
play
only

of

state

late
stimu-

to

imagination,
fancy.

irrational

cause

they reallyproduce
action

nervous

including

"

afifected to

person
of imagination, but

to

ulant
stim-

rational

a
an

the

to

seem

alcoholic

an

Drugs
supposed

are

we

attempted

ever

false.

be

to

137

which

causes

their

wise
subject to feel appreciation of otherselves
pictures that in themtriflingmental
fected
afare
flimsy nothings. Let a man
so
his fancies,
try to impart to another
and
has not
been
bored
well, who
by a
drunken
man?
Did
De
Quincey, with that
in fancying anything
superb mind, succeed
that even
he could tell? He
speaks of glowing
drug-born fancies, but he describes
Milton, the old Puritan
nothings. Now
"

"

the
he

cold-water
able

was

worthy
Greeks

were

to

write

and

which

which

are

The

early

treasured.

forever

'

'

the
not

'

Iliad
and the
sang the
with a sober tongue, and a sober
The
who
of his utterances.
man
Homer

'

back

gets drunk

transmit,

fancies

exceedingly temperate, and

Nostoi
the
were
composed
"

Odyssey

brain

had

he

"

'

drunkards
'

to

be

to

who

men

man

to

write

his poetry

poetry, will find it easier

on

spiteof headache,

the

following

blue-devils, and

ing,
morn-

all."

138

Strange

Discovery

this
then
and
paused for a moment;
continued
:
p.eculiarman
drunk
"And
I know!
sir, I have
Why,
I
barrels of the stuff.
barrels
of whiskey
in
have
squirming
whiskey-snakes
seen
into a
I have
three feet deep.
masses
gone
she saw
me
parlor, and had a lady say when
pockets : Doctor,
fumbling in my
your
is in your
back
handkerchief
pocket.' Bless
her ! I was
ets
only putting back into my pockthe snakes
the jim-jam snake-heads
as
I pity a weak
devil
would
try to emerge!

He

"

'

that

and
goes home
of delirium
attack

vipers

away

about

my

with

shut

shut

his

all in

ears

life-time.

poetry, either in

go

or

draw

Well,
me,

in prose,

the

laugh
A

but

But, believe
verse

hand, and

roosters.

roosters.

mild

the

may

snakes,

of

I brush

myself

who

man

to

eyes
to

But

quail before
his

because

of my

sweep

business.

will

may

bed

tremens.

line at roosters.
snakes

to

at

fellow

he

can't

well:
no

it's

good

is drunk-

poetry."

enman

With

which

final

remark

he

shot

out

of

Bainbridge took his

I retired
to
to
departure, and
sleep and
dream
of fierycraters, with snakes
crawling
of them, and
out
gigantic roosters
picking
one
by one and dropping them
up the snakes
the

over

room.

Then

mountain

Doctor

of salt into

lake

of boil-

The

Chapter

Eleventh

ON

the

following evening Bainbridge

to

came

room

my

arriving
I had

o'clock.

him
who

Arthur

that

his

eight

day

visit

ised,
prom-

to

panied
accom-

Peters,

daily gaining strength.

day in reading, except that
spent my
had repeatedly come
to my
maining
reroom,

it

I had

had

about

at
not

on

he

as

was

seems

for

fifteen

or

minutes

twenty

at

rious
permit, being cuof the things
from
to learn
some
me
that ante-arctic
about
country," etc. He was
studied
much
in the subject, and
interested
with close attention
made
the map
by Doctor
asked
Arthur
had
permission
Bainbridge.

time

as

his

duties

would

"

to

be

present

when

the

should

doctor

come

in the

evening, but I thought better to deny

him
that privilege. Doctor
Bainbridge was
thur
Artaking the matter
seriously, and I knew
too

reticence

well
at

to

any

expect

from

him

I could

time.
140

decorous

imagine

the

A
effect

Strange

Discovery

Bainbridge as
description,should

on

remark

"

"

about

whallopin

gee

he dosed

jump up with
niggers," or

ante-arctic

big

females."

judicious, and

that my
to condemn

of firmness

maintaining

ing
glow-

some

Arthur

later to know

in

141

I had

caution

sion
occa-

most

was

for

myself

want

sensible

so

cision.
de-

Doctor

Bainbridge, without
unnecessary
tion
delay or preliminary remark, began the relaof Peters' adventures
cated
at the point indithe
the evening
before
by him
as
place of commencement.
proper
"

The

white

great

curtain

already surmised

doubt

of dense

fog,
plane

due

to

to

the

be

have
you
clear-cut

fact that

of

no

line

perpendicular
air in that

extremely cold
situation cuts through an atmosphere which,
both sides of this sheet of frigidair,is exceedingly
on
and

warm,

the

saturation-point.
thin

so

that

double

of

arms

was

through

Peters

rushed,
which

figure

of

whose

arms

person

such
on

with

an
a

of

of

on

half-delirious

as

by

side

passing between.
opening that Pym

carrying them
large, pure-white

is

upon

much

either

of

cross-current

to

fog

wind,

it aside

was

their

moisture

curtain

gusts

is thrown

curtain

the

water

sudden

This

of its surfaces, drive

either
a

laden

along.
woman,

fancies

It
and
warm

The
into

pict-

142

Discovery

Strange

simply a large
rushing, was
at
stands
which
of spotless marble,
statue
like
ashThe
of the bay of Hili-li.
the entrance
for days had rained
which
material
upon
ured

them

them

and

as

into

the

around

ocean

them,

was

been
It proved to have
a
longer seen.
crater-ash, which,
or
peculiar volcano-dust
carried into the upper
air, fell at a distance
sometimes
Hili-li; but rarely
directly on
close as within
eighty or ninety miles of
so
no

"

the

fire.

central
"

They

when

curtain

party

had

of

scarcely passed the white

accosted
by
they were
men

yoimg

and

foga

gay

women,

young

in an
eight or ten persons,
some
numbering
ing
elegant pleasure-boat. Pym and Peters beignorant of the language of Hili-liland,
and the Hili-lites being ignorant of the English
of course
impossible for
tongue, it was
them
to hold
beyond that permitted
converse
by signs. The pleasure-party, however, saw
that the two
almost
at once
men
were
ready
of food and
to
The
rest.
expire from want
Hili-lites took
them
into their own
spatious
to a landing-place in the
boat, and hastened
suburbs
of the capital and
metropolis of the
barked,
nation, Hili-li City. There
they all disemand
the strangers
were
supported
across

lawn, the

palest green

"

grass

of which

was

of the

(so nearly white, in fact, that

its greenness
noticed
been

by

Discovery

Strange
of

tint

but

for

brilliant

many

here

and

would
the

scarcely have
afforded

contrast

white
there

143

flowers
amid

that

peared
ap-

grass)

the

"

palace, the equal of which, for size

and
had
beauty, neither of the Americans
before
familiar with
though Pym was
seen,
to

up

the

external
in

those

York;
sea-coast

about

and

the

Hudson

whilst

Peters

on

They were
immediately

taken
escorted

declined

the

Boston,
River
had

cities of the

"

Peters

of

appearance

and

also

of

New

in most

of the

habitable

to

dences
resi-

just above

been

into

finest

this
the

world.

palace, were
bath
(which

furnished
enter), were
with liquid nourishments,
and
lowed
then alwere
^which both
of them
to sleep
did, uninterrupted
for twenty-four hours.
When
furnished
with
they awoke
new
they were
clothing of the best (the Hili-lites dressed
something in the style of Louis XIV.), and
to

"

then

invited

they

treated

to

that

felt

quite as
they had

as

"

full repast.
in less than

strong
on

and

leaving

So
a

well

week

otherwise
the

harbor

were

they
natural

tucket.
of Nan-

ple
elegant and expressive, yet so simof Hili-li,that Pym
the language
was
understand
and
in two
weeks
could
speak
for ordinary converse;
it sufficientlywell
So

144
whilst

"

Peters

able

was

The

just about

the

twice

in about

in

century

exterior

undertake

hazardous
in

come
"

ship

(you

small

none

"

will

As
lites had

any

there

Pym

and

or

in eral
genin that
on

one

of the strangers
land so beautiful,

both
long and
voyage
the persons
who
had
save
nearly three centuries before
what

recall
I

there

was

to

not

much

Peters

were

I told

read

desire

was

once

similar

to

that

book

that

pair had arrived

small boats, and

region, generally in
occasion
in a ship; but none
had desired to depart from
to

month.

happened

had

what

strangers

this

to

palace seemed

It appears

strangers.

ficientl
it suf-

employ

to

for his purposes,

residents
of the

comprehend
to

Discovery

Strange

in

of

you

the

Astor

little which

the

learn

from

the

brary).
LiHili-

the strangers,

be

said, anyway.
permitted to roam
to

will, and

many

them.

palace in which
they were
mitted
perreside belonged to a cousin
of the

king,

so

that

no

inflicted upon

was

fact,
that

so

troublesome
these

completely

look

at

their

on

the

island.

surveillance

wrecked

isolated

feelingsexcept a
and
curiosity were

no

presence

took

to

came

The
to

at

Hili-lites

at

were

sailors
the

mild

degree of
excited
by

small

boat

in

"

two,
pathy
sym-

their
was

almost
disposal,and they soon
daily
the liberty of rowing across
the har-

Strange Discovery

A
bor

to

the
of

street

wharf

the

at

Hili-li,where

and

wander

145

end

of

they

for

the

main

would

hours

bark,
disem-

around

this

old

its
city,viewing in wonderment
its mysteries.
beauties, its peculiarities,
Hili-li is a city of from
to two
dred
hunone
thousand
yond
people. But, oh, lovely beof language to describe!
power
past
all conception, and
alone
with
comparable
fancies such
float through the brain
of
as
poet-lover as he lies dreaming of his sotil's

strange
"

"

desire.

I draw

of mind

state

conclusions

my

when

he

the

subject,

which

than

from

of

what

he

remarks

Pym's

Peters

Peters'
describe

to

attempts

this strange city,rather

some
says; and also from
on

from

able

was

to

repeat.
"

In
two

area

imagination, compass

your

in diameter

miles

of ancient

Greece

Persia; then

surrounding
Dante

and

scenery

Milton

Egypt, Rome

them

with

such

might

and

natural

Homer

as

and

dreamed

have

an

ties
beau-

the choicest

and

brighten

within

of

"

and
feel a little of what
Pym
may
you
this glorious
first they saw
felt when
Peters
and

island.
would

In

ancient

have

been

Greece

democrat

true

displeased

with

the

treme
ex-

the grandeur of
discrepancy between
public buildings, and the poverty of private

dwellings;

but

in

Hili-li these

two

bore

146

Discovery

Strange

of

perfectlyjust relationship
in its way
being perfect.
"

Yet

least of all.
never

"

to

whom

even

he

of death

arms

Peters, old

Even

man

whispers

beauties

inanimate

mere

'

elegance, each

art
was

he

when

dying

and
in

spoke

the

were

than

more

from

aroused

spoke of the

"

the

women

'

I asked
they blondes?
No.'
him.
No.'
Were
they brunettes?
to be
never
simply entrancing
They were
of them, like
forgotten. Each and everyone
tion
the adoraHelen, won
by her mere
presence
of man.
And
the men
even
they must
been
have
superb
were
types of perfect
manly elegance.
in trying to draw
I spent
hours
many
I might put together
from
Peters facts which
and
become
to
explain the
so
competent
for they
perfection, physical and mental
of the Hilipossessed both of these charms
what
And
after combining
Peters
lites.
he could
recall of
could
describe, and what
of
two
or
Pym's sayings, with a statement
the natives that clingsin the old man's
ory,
mem-

of Hili-li.
'

Were

'

'

'

"

"

"

"

"

"

what

I formed

is

lite
"

reliable
race

At

barbarian

am

able

to

assure

you

opinion of the origin of the Hili-

about

the

invasion

most

of

trying period of the

Southern
Europe

certainlypreceding the foundation

"

of Venice,

148 A

Strange

without

labor,

Discovery

light
vegetation

round, and

heat

and
is

the

year

literallyperpetual.

of the initial difficulties

They met with none
of primitive peoples.
educated,
They were
edge
of knowland
they possessed the treasures
of

born

from

supremacy;
that
other

the

for

beginning

Roman
had

they

merest

hands

of

hundred

years

with, and

contend

to

the

"

first five

the

enemy

time

the

Hili-lites

million

souls,

they

in

lesson

lasting
pay

"

for

the

memory

the

price a
prolonged

indolence.

of

would

and

This

almost

But

people

have

must

or

are.
they now
they possessed, the rest
comparatively little had
as

downfall

with

then

even

"

by that

many

human

no

weaklings
^weaklings in the
people at that period very strong ;

numbered

to

of

years

that
priceless treasure, leisure
essential
of perfect culture; they had

real

for

thousand

that

all

have

been

retained

not

of
is

as

Rome's

compelled

unbroken

lesson

of the

urious
luxfall
down-

of Rome

they never
forgot; and to-day,
with all their beauty and refinement, physical
and
mental
effeminacy is left solely
to the women.
each
True, it requires from
inhabitant

but

few

hours

of labor

in

the

supply all purely physical material

but, beginning with the year of the
wants;
settlement
of Hili-H, up to the present time,
year

to

A
the

Strange

wealthiest

share

of

man

of death.
and

land

after
their

the

young
too, take

that matter

in hfe

and

men,

the

young
But

study of astronomy

he

has

exhausted

facts of astronomy,
of anatomy
to please his

study

Hili-lites
live

claim

an

or, if earlier

"

all desire

know

to

perhaps begins a
whatever
it may
pen
hap-

fancy

that

make

he

or

"

to

to

investigate. The

in this way

those

who

or
eighty acquire a fairly
seventy
general education, but of this I have

to

good

doubts.

does
to

performed his
tiously
quite as conscien-

seventy, concludes

at

exhaustive

my

has

college course.
the college course,
they go on with
study. A great juristat forty,or for

women,

the

149

has the poorest.

Then
with them,
is educated
woman
up to the time
The
children
are
taught as with

or

us,

in the

physical labor

as
a

Discovery

After

devote

not

branches

new

the age of twenty,

than two
hours
more
of

learning;

but

two

man
a

day

hours

day is sufficient time, if well employed, to

and vigorous;
keep his mind
always young
shown
and it has been
by this people that a
a

under

person

the

the
"

much

In

do

than
age

of

we

retains

freshness
in

Europe

of
and

more

of

youth

at

America

fifty.

Hili-liland
farther

system

and

buoyancy

eighty
at

such

than

the
we

people
in the

have

gone

development

150

Discovery

Strange

in fact,
purely reasoning faculties
far that they now
ignore
so
they have gone
almost
completely, having carried
reason
found
to
its development
finality, and
a
in the
it comparatively worthless
practical
and
claim
afifairs of life. They
seem
by
their lives to prove
ciety
that, practically, soit exmoral
when
is happier and more
ists
of

the

"

"

"

without

by anything
a

of

matter

feeling.
must,

pretence

any

it is controlled

by feeling that is, as

by properly educated
kingdom, but its people

can

else than
course,

Hili-li is

from

that

what

"

learn, have

as

pure

constitutional
liberty as it
perfect a
erty
libis possible for mankind
not
to
enjoy
the accident
of a royal whim, but such
as
perfect liberty as the people of England
a
approaching, and in which
by another
are
selves.
century they will be able to indulge themThey claim that as liberty does not
of self by feeling
license, so government
mean
and not
need
license
not
mean
by reason
and

"

and

"

never

will

understood

yet that

such

license

mean

and

properly

when

ly
correct-

directed

alone

"

brings
happiness. This
putting aside
dwarfing of the reasoning faculty seems

have

resulted

in

an

intuitional

state

plete
com-

and
to

of mind.

says that the Hili-lites always seemed

know
what
he was
thinking about, and

Peters
to

government

and

A
were

his
"

Strange

Discovery

151

always able to anticipate and thwart

when
acts
they so desired.
As I was
able to gain from
Peters
in so

brief

time

which

very

make

to

I did

limited

correct

of fact from
range
deductions
of importance,

able
of that valuexpend much
in seeking for descriptions of ings;
build-

time
but
direction

not

did

learn

sufficient

in

that

that, to the fund of

satisfyme
architectural
cestors
knowledge brought by the anof this people from
Europe, they had,
that is new
during the centuries, added much
and
sublime
and
valuable, even
vellous.
truly mar"

to

But

there

here

even

is

criminal

in this
class

"

paradise
not

very

on

earth,

terrible,

class.
It seems
that
but, legally,a criminal
old, restless, warrior-spirit
a portion of the
have
trickled
must
along in obscure
ways
by-

sanguineous system of many

the youths of
of these
people, for amiong
thousand
of the
out
each generation several
ands,
islwhole
population (residingon a hundred
large and small), would, despite every
eflfort of their elders, become
unmanageable.
of

These

and
were

after

"

given

the

two

in

end

banished

surround

young

man

had

been

opportunitiesto reform,
been
judged incorrigible
the mountain-ranges which

three

or

the

each

the

"

to

great

active

surface-crater

al-

152

Strange

miles

eighty

Hili-li.

"

bridge,
the

lives

The

shall

relate

of

Pym

and

adventurers

two

that

take

they

and

crater

mountains

and
in

nature

pause

I
upon

Do

you

promised
two

Five

minutes

and

saying

morrow.

of

the

of

derful
won-

shall

we

of

strangest
after

Then,

the

surrounding

where

valleys,

it not

were

region

peculiar

these

her

see

many

second's

fellow,

old

ignore,

the

its

guises."

strange

"

one

of

experiences

into

us

Hili-liland.

in

Peters

should

in

particulars

some

personal

purely

or

Bain-

concluded

evening,"

"To-morrow

freeze

either

dictate.

should

taste

as

of

Capital

the

might

they

thirty

from

are

from

distant

There

roast,

which

and

described,

ready
to

Discovery

o'clock
later

the

see

poor

"

to-morrow?
that

to

me

accompany

and

would;

as

the

Doctor

good-night,

time

we

for

agreed

starting.

Bainbridge
left

me

arose,

until

the

The

Twelfth

THE

evening at the appointed

Doctor
in.
Bainbridge came

next

hour
I had

him

Chapter

been

not

able to

accompany

As
dailyvisit to Peters.
Bainbridge took his seat he said a
few words
concerning the old sailor,who,
to the surprise, I think, of both
physicians,
appeared to be recovering. They hoped for
than
a
scarcely more
ment,
improvetemporary
but a little longer life for the poor
old
seemed

man

in his

assured.

now

Doctor

Bainbridge glanced at the map of

I had spread out on
the table,
Hili-li,which
and began :
In the ducal palace," said he,
in which
of the younger
bers
memthrough the kindness
of the household, Pym
and Peters were
at first only in the serpermitted to reside
vants'
"

"

"

quarters

"

the

servants,

least in social manners,

there
besides
were,
strangers
at

"

153

ing,
however, beequal to the
the

imme-

-^

154

Discovery

Strange

diate family of the

duke,

less

or

more

many

these was
Among
family connections.
od
corresponding in her peria young
woman,
in their
of life to New
England women
twentieth
twenty-first year, but really in
or
I should
Now
her sixteenth
imagine
year.
from
the actions of that old sea-dog, Peters,
close

lying
ninth

in

been

had

the

cheeks

laughing
adamant

"

of those

broad

stand

to

when

home
to

then

cendently

Her

lightestof

allowed

what

thunder-storm.
faces

in which

out

world.

very

island

was

am

hair
pure

in the
she

sat

beautiful.

"

amid
in

liken

rose

Aphrodite;

the trees, and

rippling waves
it?

I think

or

of

warmth

extreme

fall away
I to

golden, but
gold
a
golden

was

It

was

that

like the

it
"

transcan

its appearance.
looked
It must
have
the
sun's
shimmer
the
sea-foam
on
which

old

roundly, supporting in
hundred
a
changing forms, and
dimples enough to steal a heart of
it is lovely,
the loveliest face, when

white; and
her

land

tropical sky
occasions
sembled
they re-

in

in all the

of the

on

she

the

eyes,

like

tropical sky

one

merriment

Her

general
but

calm,
a

She

in

in

being

the loveliest

were

says,
dead

that

woman,

young

loveliness.

exceeding

man

the

on

eyes

have

must

seventy-eighth or seventyafter he
forty-nine years

and

year,

last set

of

in his

there

feel
like
from

glint from

156 A
"

Her

that

It appears
time a handsome

of

fine

Need
maiden

would

say

sinks

softened

From

insignificanceby

into

deed
in-

fered!
suf-

had
heart

of
this

to

Peters

Juliet

and

the

the

was

what

Romeo

as

artificial

he

have

episode of

the

then,

What

loved.

of

he

more?

not

stranger youth?
Well, these two
tells me,

that

and

of natural
And

combined.

beauty

spoken

I have

respects
Louis
XIV.,

example

this

six feet tall;

many

habitues

at

was

fellow, almost

in

resembling
a

Pym

young

attire,of which

in his

court

Lilama.

was

name

"

and

Discovery

Strange

side

of the

with
With
leisure and
story of their love.
months
to
love, for several
opportunity

these
heaven

True
amid
is the
than

the

lot of

to

"

'

The

of true

course

love

did

never

smooth.'
"

It

that among
exiles to the Volcanic

young

say

earthly

an

enjoy. But alas ! and alas !

in the
days when
as
moonlight fell
the palaces of Babylon
and
Nineveh
older
old poetic expression
^itstruth
Shakespeare, older than historic man

that

run

"

which

couple

young

"

people enjoyed
it is rarely indeed

young

and
in

seems

man

of

of
course

passing

good

the

so-called

Mountains

family, who

loved

that the

"

Lilama.

youths who

had
And

inal
crimwas

known
I will

comprised

A
this

class

would,

have

never

Discovery

Strange
been

the

157

larger part

of

exiles,if Hili-li had

them,

required

forbidden
not
standing army, or had even
by law the more
rough and dangerous games
to be played
I allude to some
rough
very
bones were
quently
fresports and pastimes, in which
a

"

broken

which

games

"

these

youths

and

itiated
preceding generations of youths had inand developed. But there was
in Hilili,aside from
means
boating, no allowable
for the gratification
of that desire to contend
with
is inherent
in manly
danger which
Hence
these young
youths the world over.
men
were
by their very nature
compelled to
violate

thus

laws

happens,
The
alluded
the

had

exiles.

in

unnatural,

doing

and,

they

so

as

went

ally
generto

tremes.
ex-

Hili-lite to whom
I have
young
been
for more
than a year with
His

name

Ahpilus.

was

Lilama

reciprocate his love. She had known

him
from
no
infancy, and for her there was
in poor
romance
Ahpilus. But the young
with her, and
Hili-Iite was
madly infatuated
it seems
forced
by later developments that his endid not

absence
if not
"

after the
It will
Poe's

arrival
be

her

had

driven

him

most,
al-

wholly, insane.

stood

Thus

from

matters

three

in Hili-li of the

remembered

account,

about

Pym

months

Americans.

that, according
and

Peters

to

passed

158

Strange

through
22d.

'

the

months

their

"

never

to

summer

our

the

By

latter

before, the antarctic

But

period of the

The

year.

white

sun

this

beautiful

in Hili-li the most

was

to

Three

about.

"

the horizon.

above

rose

is

statement

midwinter.

for weeks

time, and

March

on

corresponds

date

equinox
corresponds

later

solstice

That

correct.

autumnal

their

this

that

says

'

curtain

great white

Peters

probably

Discovery

son
sea-

and

joyable
en-

crater
open
lava which
I

have

boiling
described, and which
presented a surface
of the most
brilliant light,covering an

area

of

of almost

pure

than

more

sufficient

light from
"

two

within

from

Hili-li received
hundred

miles,

square

light islands

to

distant.

miles

150

its

or

greater illumination

45

some

came

ply
am-

to

75
direct

volcanic

more

shores; but

own

was

from

fires

by far

the

the

reflected

lightof the great central lake of boiling lava.

The
sky, constantly filled with a circle of
of volcanic
dust,
high-floatingclouds formed
the

circumference

beyond
which,
which
of

the

horizon,

covering
was

light of

of

about
about

which
but

space

blended
in

the

the

away

centre

of

diameter

of

circle
thirty miles, was
a
the same
brilliancy as that

of the moon,
but in appearance
of
thousands
times larger. From
this overhanging cloud

(the City of Hili-li lay under

part

of its

circumference)
winter
than

Discovery

Strange
mild

the

during

came

and

moonlight,

159

beautiful

antarctic

light, whiter

lighting the island to

times
the brilliancyof the brightest
many
in commoonlight, though quite subdued
parison
with
derived

from

Peters

that
the

that

says

its midwinter

and

which

have

would

if directlyin the

sun

the illumination
about

was

zenith.

in Hili-li at

intense

as

been

with

as

densely cloudy day; the light not,

however, being grayish, but of a pure white,
and
now
again briefly tinted with orange,
us

on

red, blue, and

green,

caused

by

those
"

the

local and

colors
I will

shades

in the

out

of those
of

moment

longer

occurrences

which

Pym's

love

of

fires.

crater

enormous

colors,

outbursts

temporary

digress for

relation

of other

affair, to

from
veloped
dea

say

word

of the physical effects

concerning some
of this artificial light,and to explain certain
facts related
by Poe in his narrative of the
earlier
of

say

adventures
our

determine

Pym
hero
"

younger
in my
own

of

our

mind

be

of their strange adventures.

On
the island of Hili-li the

temperature

about

higher than that

steady temperature

Fahrenheit
almost

was

of the two,

which
to

"

I cannot

hero, because

Peters, deserves

or

hero

younger

called

mean

12"

mer
sum-

13"

or

of winter.
of the

the

The

island

in

i6o

Strange

Discovery

occasionally dropping
93" F.
ing
rarely, risthree degrees, and, very
two
or
in
extremes
two
one
or
degrees. The
caused
by
during the year were
temperature
light
sunthe sun's
relative
position constant
in summer,
and
its complete absence
the
Each
in winter.
by December
year,
month
vegetation
south-polar midsummer
its delicacy yet
has
become
colored; and
brilliancy of tintage is then very beautiful,
other
and
varied beyond that of perhaps any
winter

was

"

"

"

"

spot in the world.

travelled

has

Peters

over

of the

tropics and subtropics, and he

has
he seen
that only in Florida
says
thing
anywith the beauty of Hili-li
to compare
and
November.
I
vegetation in October
should
imagine from what he says that the
coloring of vegetation is in great part the
of white
merest
tintage,the large admixture
giving to it a startling luminosity, and permitting
much

the
tints which

fullest

effect

of

those

neutral

at
capable of combinations
restful and so pleasing to the refined
once
so
In the vegetation of Florida
there is
eye.
luminosity; but chromatic
depth, as in most
tropical coloring, is the chief characteristic

of its visual

the

flowers

after

he

are

effect.

hear

of Hili-li,almost

himself

treat

To

to

viewed
my

sense

Peters
half

them,

is

of color.

a
a

talk

of

century
thetic
sympa-

But

for

Strange

strangeness

Discovery

and

"

it

of

beauty, too
of July and August in
exceed
anything else
Think

man.

for

rich soil,and
!

From

its close,

faintest

middle

to

effect

and

on

moisture,

absence

of their

of

light
sun-

winter

to

is luxuriant, it

is to say, it is

shades

light

very

known

of the

white, though,

pure

kind

vegetation

is colorless; that
a

of the

complete

the

though

that

of warmth

the

its element

vegetable growth
peculiar land must

moment

vegetable growth
a

the

"

without

not

was

161

of

on

hue

and

gray

apparently of
comparison, the
discernible

are
a

color

cream

"

vailing.
pre-

The

peculiar grass of Hili-li,probably

indigenous yet certainly different in

not

form

from

other

grass, is very tender and

in their summer
but, even

any

luxuriant,
has a pale, almost
months,
very

luminous

green

; whilst

hueless

in winter

though

it is almost

white.

flowers
in the winter,
bloom
Many
from
but
another
they differ one
only in
form
and in odor
they are all quite hueless.
"

And

this effect
with

effect
birds

on

absence
animal

being
of

produce

of artificial heat

pure

animals
much

in

tion
connec-

of

sunlight has a
life, the plumage
But

white.
the

summer

change

"

in

similar
of

the

in the ance
appeardoes
not
sun
that

of

birds,

whatever.

none
"

This

brings

me

to

the

point

in Peters'

i62

story

at

A.

most
I may
statements
Poe's

Gordon

caused

more

statements

comment

than

Hand
Poe

now:

other

any

part of

Poe, please.
"

quoting

says,

have

^which

"

your

me

rather, of

or,

"

Pym's

the narrative.
Here

naturally explain

which
of

certain

Discovery

Strange

Pym's

from

diary :
"

'

On

seventeenth

the

February,

[of

of
1828], we set out with the determination
of
thoroughly the chasm
more
examining
made
had
black
our
we
granite into which
in the first search
(this,you will recall,
way
which
the last island
they set
was
on
upon
and ocean
foot before being driven by winds
then
in
farther south.
currents
They were
of that island,
hiding from the barbarians
'

and

were

South
the

only
Pole).

fissures

a
'

few
We

in the

hundred

miles

remembered
sides

of this

from

that

pit had

the

one

of

been

anxious
into, and we
were
partially looked
with
to explore it,although
expectation
no
found
of discovering here any opening.
We
of
no
great difficultyin reaching the bottom
ciently
suffithe
hollow
before, and were
as
now
calm

It was,

to

it with

survey

indeed,

one

some

of the most

tion.
atten-

lar-looki
singu-

places imaginable, and we could

gether
believe it altoto
scarcely bring ourselves
the work
of nature.'
He
proceeds to
explain that the sides of the abyss had ap-

164 A

Discovery

Strange

closely
analyzed more
the indentures, they might have
gained at
idea of the meaning
of. an
least the shadow
made
a copy
of these representations. Pym
of them, as you know, and Poe here gives us

Pym

and

of

fac-simile

Peters

in

indentures
moment

that

I drew

up

has

"

Now

chair

my

this fac-simile."

at

the

to

together
of

us.

side of Doctor
looked

we

at

the

indentures

which

Bainbridge

ued:
contin-

these

furnished

look

Narrative.

general way of what

were
significant,and I will
their general
explain to you

Bainbridge, and
representation
Poe

his

first look

but

meaning;

in

copy
in

knows

now

these

had

Peters

at this first

figure,which

Pym

'

tional,
might have been taken for the intenman
though rude, representation of a hued
figure standing erect, with outstretch-

says

arm.'

The

forearm,

and

the arm
observe, is here
to
mind, separated; and
my
is
and
parallel with the arm

arm,

directly above

points of
described
in the diary, we
the compass
as
find that the arm
is pointing to the south,
in
is pointing to the north; or
the arrow
other
words, the arm
points to Hili-li; the
island on
to the
by inference, back
arrow,
an

arrow;

which
most

and

the
savages

if

"

we

ti'ace

indentures
the

arrow,

out

exist.
as

the

Now

symbol,

among

repre-

Discovery

Strange

sents

war

fight

"

165

individual

"

or

even

tribal death.
"

centuries
Many
preceding the time
virhich Pym
and
Peters
stood
examining
indentures

in the black

centuries
natives

after the
of that

three

were

afifected

foundation

hundred

Pole
to

by one
perhaps once

which

thousand

years

inclinations

common
some

which

reason

mystery

of Hili-li,the

at

of those

of feeling

thotisand

sweeps

aside

them

to

of

miles,

waves

of

rounding
sur-

distance

people,

lies buried

moves

almost

hundred

seven

in

the

at least five

of islands

zone

South

the
from

marl, and

at

or

eral
sev-

all

the

and

for

in unfathomable
concerted

tion
ac-

in the past of those

only unknown
who
be
participate in it,but, so far as can
of
to the ancestors
conceived, also unknown
Such
of impulse, when
it
the actors.
a wave
not

comes,

of every
to which

to

seems

division
I

am

spontaneously

afifect all the

of

In

race.

individuals
the

example

alluding, the impulse

to

move

the

seemed
of

inhabitants

munication
apparently not in comnication.
certainly not in direct commuWith
the singleness of purpose
in an
and
uniformity of action seen
army
of a leader, the natives of a
command
under

islands

far apart, and

"

hundred
thousand

antarctic

islands

fragile boats,

swarmed
and

into

directed

ten

their

i66

Strange

south

the

union?

arrived

boats

of

of

Hili-li

after five hundred

lites

that

saw

barbarians,

as

had

ancestors

conflict
The
so

had

they been

must

fight

four

to
an

hand

to

return,

not

been

able
formid-

engagement.
had

even

they

must

win,

and

die.

or

than

one

inches

inch
in

invaders

The

hundred

thousand

forty thousand

fight in such

themselves

long,

two

their

fight and win, or die.

had
no
place of retreat, even
willing to flee; and they too

able to

feet

overrun

have

not

Hili-lites, about

armed

handle,

hand

more

were

latter

history told them

in distant
lands,

they

so

Hili-lites

that

their

could

The

the

by

were

to

invaders

men;

Hili-

fortunately those of the

eflficient. The
scarcely more

came

numbered

the

but

were

desired;

and

they

Hili-lites did

weapons;

invaders

be

few

the

at

Then,

to

to

lost

were

of peace,

ten

every

arrive

to

group.

years

once,

The

overrun.

of

journey

continued

the

converge
The
first

Nine

the

began

boats
still,

islands

not.

Hili-li.

at

that

those
but

"

knew

They

by such

that

would

bands

various

the

toward

Why

south.

instinct tell them

Did

course
a

the

toward

course

Discovery

with
in

clubs

diameter

diameter

The

battle.

at

about
at

the

the
ther
far-

of a wood
similar
extremity, and made
the dense
tropical lignum-vitas (almost
inconceivable
growth in that compara-

Strange

tively sunless

region); and,

behind

weapons,

Discovery

natural

and

167
for

additional

artificial barriers

they heaped piles of lava-blocks, sharp,

to five
jagged, and weighing each from one
The
invaders
had a few very flimsy
pounds.
bows, scarcely six arrows
bow
and
to each
From
nothing else in the way of weapons.
"

sides,

all

on

came

the

invaders

in their

frail

mad
rush upon
the main
island
boats, in one
of Hili-li,where
the Hili-lites had, including
their

"

women,

The

children, and

invaders

were

aged

men,

ill-fed,tired

out

ered.
gathby

exhausting almost past comprehension,

weaponless, and
ignorant, almost
making a charge in small boats; whilst for
in the coming
them
the favorable
elements
that they possessed five men
for
battle were
of the defenders, and were
each two
impelled
impulse to advance,
by a mad, instinctive
similar to that of a swarm
of migratory locusts,
advances
which
even
through fire,and
ty-nine
though it require the charred bodies of ninesea-voyage

thousand
the

remaining

Hili-lites

were

of their number
thousand

well-fed,

may
not

over

which

cross.

The

gent,
fatigued, intelli-

comparatively well-armed, and were

land, prepared for the battle; whilst they
on
Roman
spirit,
possessed also the inherited
but by the delost by their ancestors,
once

i68

scendants

"

Discovery

Strange

amid

recovered

Before

be

could

landing

and

new

roundings.
sur-

pure

half

made,

incident
to
invaders, in the confusion
thrown
with lava-blocks, were
bombardment
knocked
from
their boats
and
drowned,
or
the

head

the

on

other

as

half,

they

third

killed

were

land, and

to

ashore.

swam

another

as

Of

the

they

tempted
at-

third within

five

the shore.
Then
they reached
the
thousand
fifteen
or
more
remaining
back
rushed
to their boats, only to find them
minutes

sunk

after

in the

shallow

been

water

the

shore

"

for

eight or ten
Hili-lites to sink each
boat, by bearing in
their weight
imison
a
on
one
gunwale
thousand
Hili-lites having
two
or
young
been
the poor
assigned to that duty. Then
it

having

quite

near

easy

"

wretches

who

remained

threw

down

their

the
on
flimsy bows, and fell face-downward
the
ground, at the feet of the victors. Under
circumstances, what could so noble a people
the Hili-lites do?
as
were
They could not
sand
slaughter in cold blood nearly twenty thouSo it was
creatures.
trembling human
build
thousand
to
finallydecided
a
largesized row-boats,
and
it being the best time
of the
to

year

their

for that

own

in punishment

purpose,

islands.

This

take
was

them

back

done.

But

for their oft'ence,and

as

con-

reminder

stant

Discovery

Strange
(who,

lites
"

of the

number,

of the

knew,
savages
eighty thousand

than

with

existence

these

as

more

169
Hili-

had

stroyed
de-

of their

loss of

only twelve of their

killed, and
own
thirty-seven seriously
wounded
^which
fact, by the bye, Peters
in the City
on
a monument
says is inscribed
of Hili-li,as well as recorded
in the official
history of the Hili-lites) as a constant
minder,
reI say, of a people so powerful, they
a

"

"

cJrdered

were

"

display any

to

group,

the

national

strict and
the

with

the

to

to

color

Hili-lites.

to

take

as

his

with

an

retain

and

ten,

The
that

statement

allowed

white

So
that

each
teeth

ation
oper-

closed

natives

the whites

peared,
ap-

thereafter

command
the

of

indelible,

dye, repeating the

up
every
year
in five years.

once

the

soon

them

color

blue-black

metallic

be

as

of

in their

this command,

was

descendants
and

of

ordered

were

island

any

object

color

inclusive

natives

their

on

never,

would

of their eyes,
they looked

that, as
only for the reason
other
each
there, and only
at
they would
there, see the national color of Hili-li,and so
the promise of the victors,
have
always in mind
but

attempted,

ever

woman,

In

descent

if another

that

or

addition

child
to

"

no

on

single

^^vould be

this, the

Hili-li
native

allowed

Hili-lites

were

man,

"

to

live.

engraved

lyo
on

of suitable

number

Discovery

Strange

rocks

inscription,briefly recording

an

heading each
representation of

conquest,

the

rude

extended

with

north

find
"

death

quick

So

with

man

and

which

arm

lel
paral-

'

"

extermination

and

was

in which
to

over

minder
re-

placed an arrow
pointing
There
is the direction
meaning,
foolish people may
a certain
go

which

the

to

the south,

to

of this attempt
inscription with

of the terrible results

at

and
isl-

each

on

effective

from

there

comes

war

'

the

were

employed

means

by the Hili-lites to prevent future raids, that,

of these islands had
though the inhabitants
again increased, probably to a million or
no

more,

by
of their

invasion

second

the

even

had

been

ever

strongest

and

tempted
at-

bravest

chiefs."

savage

"

Well," I said, as Bainbridge paused, and

seemed
to be thinking just what
to say next,
"

of the

what

have

to

Lilama

by any
Bainbridge,
careless

untoward

those

Hili-lites

of their loveliest

girl of sixteen,

"

say

orphan,

when
and

I tell you

had

event.

royalty itself."
Well, my cold-blooded
you

and

the

Ahpilus? I hope poor Pym

so
charming a love-feast

into

beautiful

beautiful

is not
broken

must

say,
fully
wonder-

were
women

and

of

"

close

so

friend, what
that Lilama

inherited

from

fatuated
in-

her

was

to

will
an

father

172

of such

hear

soon

Discovery

Strange
a

thing

as

between

love

they did hear of

have
little doubt
of being able to
it,would
control
the situation
they should please.
as
Then, with the ideas possessed by the Hiliserious
arise any
not
lites,there would
very
objection to a union
by marriage ,of Lilama
Hili-lites believed
and
The
Pym.
young
the feelingsto be a guide to true
happiness;
and
whilst
trolled
they would
certainly have conthe circumstances
leading up to the
seemingly unwise
marriage of a girl of
sixteen
also in a proper
for they believed
education
of the feelings
not
they would
have
a
prevented even
seemingly unwise
marriage, provided the feelingsof those concerned
I
such
union
loudly demanded
a
that
if in reason
such
mean
a
marriage
should
unwise
But
The
seem
enough.
these

and,

two,

even

'

when

'

"

"

"

hour

is late, and

evening
of

the

beautiful
the

before

to-morrow

eight o'clock begin a description

the
exciting scenes
through which
at

Lilama

adventures
so

I shall not

terrible

was

of

Pym

that

so

soon

and

for

to

Peters

centuries

pass,
"

and

ures
adventto

come

they will descend, a thrillingromance,

from
generation to generation, in those usually
quiet and peaceful islands."
And
then, against my protest, he took his
departure.

The

Thirteenth

following morning,

THE

the

hotel

the

looking
work

Chapter

on

after

errand,
trifling

some

returned

find

to

He

awaiting

me.

table, and

occupied himself

leaves

of

with

much

of my
interest

one

Arthur

stood

books.
at

ing
leav-

by

my

in

ing
turn-

He

was

picture

in

which
paleontology, a book
by
chance
had
few
accompanied
a
lected
sethat I had
works
brought with me
The
ested
picture that so interEngland.
on

some

from

him, I

saw

skeleton

as

I drew

of

nearer,

ed
represent-

prehistoricmammoth
with
a
man
standing by its side, the latter
figure placed in the picture, no doubt, for
the purpose
of showing relations of size. As
I stepped up close to Arthur's
side,he turned
the

page

in

the

book

and

disclosed

startling representation, that

reconstructed
mammoth,
wool, long
more

hair,

enormous

tusks, and
173

the

rest.

still
of

coarse

Ar-

-^

174

his

thur, with
be

about

desire

the

searcher

things

that
found

far from

Missouri,
in

seen

it.

mastodon

of

British

our

Of

Arthur

had

concerning the
I
I had actually seen.
the

memory,

best

that it

him

length, about
seemed

whilst

feet

liked.
he
I

you'd

of

sense

displayed

speak

to

him, from

gave

so

look

at my

of

the

pause,

with

he

ing
want-

usually

those

desired

he

all Arthur's

not

was

ments,
moing
morn-

for with

"

He

on.

several

propriety,which

gave

feet in

twenty

for

he

in his relations

whom

permission,

said,

just wanted
let

to

of cultivation

lack

gigantic-cus

somewhat

permission

had

tions
ques-

many

high, and

I sat down

After

paper.

was

"

"

than

more

thoughtful

very

in

ing
description possible,tell-

was

ten

where

ask

to

giganteus,

we

Museum,

course

moth;
mam-

stood, over
before,
century

where

third

the

ally,
him, incident-

to

American

an

not

now

remarked

then

between

elephantine

the

and

and

when

"

"

differences

the

over

mastodontine

in

after

"

running

asked

my

"

brieflygave

"

of little

even

mammoth

which

with

it," and

teach

to

to

though a
little thing
is scarcely a
him
some
insight of the subject,

knowledge

he

curiosity,wanted

usual

"all

told

usual

Discovery

Strange

me

come

to

up

say,

of

an

sir, that
evenin'

I wish't
and

sit off

A
in the

I
me

he'll

there

corner

Doctor

tell

Discovery

Strange

on

that

175
chair, and

hear

ters.
Bainbridge tell iabout Pym and Peknow
you've been mighty good to
the most. of it so far, but to-night

tell how

that

beautiful

female

loves

Pym, like you said early this morning he was

hear
to
goin' to; and I'm awful anxious
soon.
Something big'sgoin' to happen, and
I pity the natives if they rouse
up that orangoutang
Peters.
the

flowin'

You

said

of Doctor

I would

disturb
retorick

Bainbridge's

I
by goin' out and in. But I won't go out.
just won't go out; if the Boss don't like it
he can
the
lump it I can quit. Right down
I can
little shop-room, and
rent
street
a
a
feller and
has been
me
talking of startin' a
"

ice-cream
can

saloon

quit if the

Boss

for

the

don't

summer

like it.

"

yes,

I work

I
all

night; I can't keep up my

there's a
system with a single drink without
if I can't have a little
kick a-coming; and now
it's right in the house, it's
literature when
I'll not
No:
a pity.
interrup' the retorick."
Well, the end of it was, I gave my consent;
off delighted. I mention
Arthur
went
and
these facts in explanation of my
position. It
who
said by one
has been
ought to know,
has
been
often
and
the statement
enough
some
general belief in its
quoted to evidence
truth, that consistency is a jewel. I had
day,

and

half the

176 A

Discovery

Strange

tations
Bainbridge's reci-

said, that, during Doctor

not

in

the

that

be present ; and now

of my
room
corner

he

will be

seen

evening after
reader

the

that

I desire

should

story, Arthur

Peters'

of Dirk

ing,
even-

shall know

all

circumstances.

That

Bainaccompanied
I was
the aged sailor.
lusus natural
sittingin

afternoon

bridge on his visit to

pleased to see the old
Bainchair, and seemingly quite strong.
a
himself
agreeable, delivered to
bridge made
Peters
small gifts of edibles, and then
some
of questions
I
proceeded to ask a number
from
their
concerning
nature,
presume,
under
minutice
relating to the adventures
"

consideration.

Then

we

returned

separated.
Promptly at eight o'clock

to

town,

and

and,
cast

in the
"

as

glance
corner

took

his customary
sat
Arthur, who
on

he
at

Bainbridge

of the

tered,
en-

seat,
a

chair

room.

ment's
began Bainbridge, after a mowe
were
thought,
remarking that
within
our
own
knowledge and experience,
love
has
been
true
exceedingly likely to
with obstructions
tion;
fruimeet
to its complete
and
Lilama
and
with a similar
Pym met
Peters
experience in far-away Hili-li.
took a great interest in Pym's love aflFair;in
almost
to
fact, he had grown
worship the

Well,"

"

Strange
fellow

young

whose

preserved, and

life he

who

his eye,

under

Discovery

from

grown

thoughtful man.
Pym
of his old companion

such

sentiment

had

was

had,

year

careless

returned
and

times

many

in less than

Peters'

177

boy

the

to

liking

benefactor; but
of infatuation,

one

'

who
close to
only those persons
are
nature
seem
capable of feelingin its fullest
When
the feeling of which
development.
I speak exists in its most
intense form, it includes
devotion
a
equal to that of the dog
it is wholly instinctive, and
for its master:
the certainty that death
stalks in
not
even
the path between
can
keep it from its object.
One
ment
excitemorning early, there was
ing.
missin the ducal palace. Lilama
was
Search
Pym was
was
diligentlymade.
and
the morning
wild with
excitement;
as
as

'

"

(I shall
speak of morning, afternoon, evening, and
night. The degree of light in Hili-li did not
in the twenty-four hours ; but it is
now
vary
wore

on

the

best.)

the
about

ten

what

young

to

method

himself

do

vide
di-

manner

some

usual

our

o'clock, by which

question.
something,

son,

in

Duke

The

ceased, and

had

at

day, and

mad.

almost

grew

I should

that

necessary

the

Peters

arrived

time
next

seems

the
had

at

search
become

The

Duke

appeared surprised

and

spoke

man

few

of twenty-two

words
or

to

his

twenty-

178 A
three, by
made

feel

to

and

now

look

his

be

able

him

to

"

of

movement

prearranged.
people that a
talked

to

was

was

it

on

uttered,
the

followed

Then,

down

to

of

moment

the

shore,

starting, every

Hili-lites

the

seemed

if

as

peculiarity of this
number
of them
gether
acting tolittle,each of the party
very
It

was

the wishes
appearing to know
of the others, without
a word
so

gain
re-

boat.

the

From

to

again spoke
Pym, motioned

them.

accompany

entered

Pym,

Duke

The

by Peters, they walked

and

assist him

to

turning

who,

son,

for

his sweetheart.
to

pity

peared
ap-

"

might

mind,

his

Duke

the

at

Duke

The

guish,
picture of intense anthen
casting a beseeching
^the only person
who, to

dejected,

sat

has

who

does

of

touch

real

thereupon

who

Diregus,

name

slightlyfoolish, as one
puerile mistake.
some

looked

who

Discovery

Strange

this occasion.
and

wishes

each
of

the

and

intentions

spoken. And
Scarcely a word

seemed

to

hend
compre-

others, mainly

by

glances and by semi-involuntarymovements.

In the present instance, father and
did
son
not
once
glance at each other, yet the son
wish
of each
of the
evidently aware
was
father.
to
a
They
finally came
landing,
the bay, in the suburbs
of the city
across
distant from the localityin which
stood
most

i8o
"

the

He

Discovery

Strange

passed through the

followed

two

entered

It

square.

and

globes.

they

thirty feet

with

odor

strange

vices,
de-

strange

six colored

lighted by

was

room

almost

"

crowded

was

and

The

him.

spacious

was

doorway,

ing
swing-

filled the

of the

The
room
apartment.
illuminated, though
brilliantlyenough

mosphere
atwas

the

and
its shades
light was
variously colored
and
confusing; whilst the
blendings were
also helped
strange, intoxicating perfume
If the apartment
had
to perplex the senses.
contained
than
several
not
more
objects,
have
the visitors might
and
detected
soon
all of them; but, as it was,
observed
Pym and
Peters stood gazing confusedly about
them,
momentarily
beholding fresh objects, all of

them

strange,

of them
same

and
that
then
cold

of them

many

frightful.It

instant

of time

that

fell upon
an
their hearts almost
bounded
blood

with

on

apparently

was

Peters

bizarre,

at

the

the

sight of Pym
object so awesome

ceased
throbs

leaping down

some

to

that

beat, and
sent

the

their

spines and to
their scalps in chilling
that ceased only
waves
when
their
reached
terror
the
numbing
before
There
six feet
not
them,
stage.
away,

among
retorts, and
the

great cubes
enormous

floor, stood

an

of

crystal,and

vase-like

aged

man.

vast

objects on
How
aged?

A
He

Discovery

Strange
when

old

was

the

its home

to

those

on

was

they did,
Some

that

on

said that

the

nucleus

on

of

dreary

Masuscelili

with

man,

the

on

before

erect.

times

I learned

words)

did
'

of

himself

voice

Duke

the

to

it

if

or

the
the

others

Rome,

aged

an

"

vessel.

There

he

unlike

(and

even

by inference than by
sink into delirium, muttering,

eyes

small

the eyes

"

The

gods.'

Roman

without
any

this fact

more

Peters

of

at

from

race

learn

Oh, those

god

not;

the

I could

ere

then

old

how

beard
visitors, his white
the tilingat his feet,his shrunken
the terror?
Three
But, whence

trailingon
form

knew

live

to

silent.
subject they were
the ship which
brought

came

stood

islands

rulers, knew

their

oldest

back

sent

None

the

they,

"

barbarians

remnant

in blackness.

forever
he

antarctic

their

slain, and

were

181

god

"

seated

man

table, and, turning

a

other

aged

of

in

question, said

voice

in all the

world

thin, high-pitched, sharp,

steady, but
penetrating and agitatingdepths within the
reached
hearer
before,
never
of The
You
for knowledge
come
Lily.
"

"

'

Behold!'
"

pointed

He

him, which, Peters

to

of

cube

will swear,

was

earlier

perfectly transparent.

looked

as

if filled with

milk

crystal near
a

moment

But

of purest

now

it

white-

i82

As

ness.

the

Strange

Discovery

they gazed

at

and

centre;
and

nearest
"

'

'

stood

Lilama

he has
"

the

on

"

circular

side

two

of

tains,
moun-

of these

one

screamed

her away

stolen

of

range

the

"

persons.

Ahpilus,'

"

fire there

the

around

soon

being

into

sprang

it,a fire appeared in

Diregus;

'

had
and
Peters
Pym
the exiled lover, they recognized
never
seen
surmise
the
X-ilama; and
even
they could
Yes

for

though

rest.
"

'

'

The

We

is mad,'

youth

must

rescue

said

from

darling

our

Duke.

the

the

maniac'
"

in

Pym,

rush

from

his

the

the

years

the

approach.
the aged man

Peters
the

way

of

Pym
spoke perhaps

young
as

the
of

man's

boy,

some

burning
a

ear,

human

hundred

years

somewhere

great cathedral.

hand

to

him

of
of

ear

trums.
lus-

in his

me
over

the

millenarian
words

sired.
de-

as

the

came

into

the

of

reading
description of

in South
The

oned
beck-

yet four

reminded
ago,

to

thousands

for

'that

was

did

not

that

He

into

words

described

one

man

it down

change

as

old

lived

lived

about

was

placed

drew

had

who

whispered some
had
youth who

homely
face

head, and

man

As

the

to

Then

Pym's

but

room;

for him

upon
and

impatience,

America

fire occurred

dur-

ing

the

doorways

morning

obstructed

service, and
of the

by

Some

The

two

for ten

from

into

feet

gazed,

their

gala day,
As

he

saw

from

faces
he

saw

would
eyes,

who

stood

efforts

which

sons
per-

the

speak

outside
heat

at

caust.
holo-

wrote

the
had

said
thedral
ca-

come
be-

ceased,

rescue

through

glass had

the

the

crumbled

the great window-sills

raised
the cathedral
floor, looked
of the

all

of

by their
in

were

horror-stricken

And

doomed.

faces

the

looked, within

a
(it was
their best attire).

brief ten

eyes
at

side

he

as

maidens

many

gaze

other

"

minutes
at

the

victims

already burning; then

the fire approach the owner
him:
reach
him, consume

away

alarm

terrible

spot he looked

lovers
and

he

fire, and
feet

this

fire of which

that

the

thousand

surrounding

raised

across

the

with

the

from

looked

eight

in

the

intense

windows
"

three

or

minutes

after
so

with

correspondent

description of

and

mass

183

at once
building were
of struggling humanity.

consumed

were

that

Discovery

Strange

he

proachin
ap-

sixty
quickly

of those
And

in

the face of a young

fleetingmoments
through every stage from
girl would
pass
in
youth to extreme
age, and then sink down
As
the aged mystic whispered to
death.
man's
face turned
ghastly,
Pym, the young
then worked
convulsively, then settled into
those

184 A
firm

of

the love

man?

secret

have

revelation
in

a
"

loved

he
a

saw

father

in

with
one

"

old, careless, boyish

man

"

shall

call him

we

whisper into Pym's

stich a
of eternity? Would
changed youth to manhood
man

seconds?

hundred
As

old

did the old

"

the

ear

the

the

of

and

again

never

whom

youth

saw

Did

smile.

Peters

mother

again

never

And

resolve.

the face of the

on

Discovery

Strange

Pym

by Diregus

led

was

started

follow;

but

from

the

the

aged
for him, too, to approach.
mystic motioned
he had just seen
Peters
that after what
says
like taking to flight than
he felt much
more
but
the summons;
he
he did like obeying
of
pointed to one
obeyed it. The old man
the smaller
would
have
crystal cubes, which
Peters

room,

measured

gazed
hue
says
were

the

five feet

some

it,it began

upon

which
that

he

had

at

first he

of solid

strange

to

before

alterations

take

on

milky
Peters

these

after he
of which

Peters

the

witnessed.

thought

crystal,but

As

across.

cubes

witnessed

they

were

believed

hollow.
He
they were
continued
he
to gaze
directed, and soon
as
sittingat a table, with a lighted candle
saw,
old mother,
by her side, knitting, his poor
from whose
side he had, fifteen years before,
when
a
thoughtless, wicked
boy, ran
away
He
to sea.
had
he
her again
never
seen

capable,

he

to

"

A
has

Discovery

Strange

not

her

seen

again

185

the

to

day.

present

that aged, wrinkled

face
gazed upon
face (his mother
that hard, Indian
was
a
civihzed
that look
which
Indian), he saw

As

he

"

man

nowhere

else

mother's

face.

sees

only in

face-downward

forgiveness;
knitted

force

Alas
of

when

and

grounds,

few

party,
He
human

Her
would

return

advice

explained
force

to

depend

was

never

them,
upon

to

the

warded?
unre-

into

out

the

of the

boat.
me

say

in

of her
The

of the

Duke,

that

so

concerned,

the

rescue

and

strategy,

the

to

prepared

power

alive

only

that

returned

Peters

full

got from

he

Ahpilus.

exiled

never

ever

goes

immediately

the

on

could

men

it be

Let

party
the

was

sacrifices

in the

the

lover, the

mere

face

remainder

on.

in

wrung

all feel the

love

hasten

from

himself

pleas for
old, fragileform

and

the

save

out

must

that

and

Lilama

small.

threw

we

Why

that

palace,

rescue

must

love

saw

I must

words,

ducal

moaned

already seated

were

But

He

how
scarcely knows
He
staggered

room.

"

why

land

or

floor, and

of all unselfish

Peters

party

sea

poor,
and
the

on,

late?

too

the

the

mother's

deepest
"

and

but

and

on,

raised.

the

on

his hands,

agony

on

to

carded
discue
reswas

far

as

sand
thou-

maiden.

in
or

health,
pos-

i86

Discovery

Strange

sibly might be accomplished as a result of

He
effort.
individual
superhuman
some
and he judged
of opinion, he remarked
was
told by government
what
he had been
from
Crater
tains
Mounfrom
officials latelyreturned
and
also from
changes in the young
observed
tence
man
by himself preceding the senthat Ahpilus was
of banishment
a
"

'

'

"

The

maniac.

really felt

Duke

but

went

little

hope

'

Crater

the

from

miles

side of the

central

there

large animal,

the

far side of the

exposed

antarctic

to

freezing-point, and
no

animal

could
poor

it for

Lilama
should
if

her

save

to

spots

on

hour.

^which

perature
tem-

the

cold

that

so

antarctic

"

roast

far below

sometimes

an

far

ranges
radiation
and

crater

lost, unless

was

the

mountain

always

life, even

endure

other

were

eight

air-currents, the

almost

was

enough

ing,
see-

spots

five to
on

he

Then

were

crater,

remoter

protected from

where,

cousin.'

there

hills,hot

nearer

again

from

Mountains,'

that

say

ever

young

explained that, whilst

on

of
'

alive, his loved

he

to

on

animal
He

some
was

life,

said

that

other

ile
ex-

unlikely,

could
invent
possible or unless we
fle
some
plan of capture so peculiar as to bafthe madman
a
by the bye, of
man,
with
enormous
physical strength, and
a

even

"

"

madman's

cunning.

Peters

stood

drinking

i88

Discovery

Strange

founders

of

'

Hili-li

It

Olympus.'

Mount

possible to sail (or to push their boat) to

the lavawithin
miles of a point where
seven
was

bed

hot

still red

was

miles

thirteen

about

"

ing
edge of the central, white-hot, boillava.
This, however,
they did not do;
which
the pass mentioned,
first,because
was
from

the

the

best

about
inner

three

the

within

miles

mile

of the

water

the

quite unendurable."
Here
Bainbridge
then

mountains,

of Volcano

boiled, and

and

the

four

or

extremity
because

into

up

course

short

or

of the

and

Bay;

paused

tremity
ex-

ually
act-

there

would

for

ond,
sec-

of that

two

bay sometimes

heat

gan
be-

be

moment,

continued,
'

"

Well, my attentive friend, the witching

hour
time in
approaches. We lost too much
discussion
this evening
^What!
only ten
o'clock?
he
said, looking at his watch.
at a good
Well, I am
resting-place in the
'

"

"

"

story,

evening
into

those

will

you

as

anyway,
admit.

Why,

mountains

if I

to-morrow

started

you

up

should
to-night, we
No,
sleep before
no:
daylight.
get no
sufificient unto
the day is the evil thereof;
I would
how
does
it go?
more
Well,
it means
that the evils of two
days should
be
not
crowded
into
The
tempted
atone
day.
quotation
as
generally happens
'

'

"

"

A
when
is

Strange

of

repetition; and,
For

deal

and

I have
"

But

more.

I must

"

had

been

his

silence

the

and

and
not

and

had

not

the

me

"

Arthur

on

to

bounced

general way
the developments
His

curiosity

it

or

so

tiently
pa-

Peters

fully
wonder-

was

Still,he liked briefly

suppressed.
from

learn

great

minutes,

Bainbridge had
laboriously gleaned from
intense,

propriat
ap-

morrow

Doctor

seem

well
to

in

story, up
of the evening before.
what

not
a

the

Castleton

knew

in

commendable

otherwise

He

room.

"

his chair

five

gone

drift of Peters'

hear

did

and

more,

behavior, vi^hen Doctor

to

best,

at

just complimenting

was

Bible

simply

rising from

"

not

and

the

the

depart. So adieu until

good-night to you."

He

into

189

I attempt
quotation from
double
failure: not
a
success

accuracy

"

Discovery

outlines

failed to meet

me

of the
at some

story,

period

formati
day, and t.o hint at a desire for inwith
what
Therefore, I knew

of each

object he

had

this

evening

come

to

see

me,

the facts developed

rapidly over
those
the preceding evening, and then over
of that evening.
Rich
Yes, yes," he said, I see, I see.
no
good; poor people,
people, but money
BainThat's
but
hardship.
no
poverty
he never
got anything
bridge's nonsense
and

ran

"

"

"

igo

Discovery

Strange

but
Money,
value!
Oh, well; Bainbridge is
no
money
The
next
and
full of theories.
thing
young
in
he'll be saying that they've found
a way
and agreeable
life as valuable
Hili-li to make

lazy and

for the

"

the

people

will

will invent
than

for the industrious

as

ing
just philosophizWhy, a people would
it out

to make

would

money

of their

have

value,

No
labor-purchasing value.
all they want,
for they
have

and

yes,

line.

He's

if they had

money

hides, and

own

vile

the

suit himself.

to

have

that

classes.

moral

and

too

along

of Peters

out

ever
new

wants

the

old

forever, and
wants

more

be

can

idly
rap-

gratified.

They may
get all they require of food and
for
that, too, in exchange
clothing, and
next
to no
work; but they will always want
unable
to
things that they are
procure.
So long as people do diflferent kinds of work
with
different necessaries
supply the community
they will trade; and when
they
"

"

trade,

will

common-sense

medium.
is the

mental

than

community
than

of
the

and

their

culating
cir-

so

of the

another,

man;

different

demands
he

gratifying more
other

man
long as one
the physical superior of another,

fills more

and

means

or

And

invent

soon

will

of his

and

as

"

have

own

some

the

wants

differences

temperaments

varying propensities

of the

crease,
in-

develop
anticipat-

ing

Discovery

Strange

191

their

ability to expend, others desiring

for the everlasting rainy day
to accumulate
there
arise
will, and
necessarily must,
of preserving values.
stable methods
Oh,
Who
all men
make
wants
to
pshaw!
"

"

and

all women,

too

in

"

and

single

mental

and
physical mould?
a
mighty
that?
The
world
at
insignificantmould
is not
made
better
and
by ease
plenty,
but by hardship.
Ease
and plenty come
not
but as a reward
of striving. When
every
"

man

is like every

lazy

to

other

man,

and

the

reign

anything,

want

all

are

too

of money

will be ended.
"

Why

have

great army
with
command,

under

their

and

"

men?

for the

people

and
the floor.

if I do
or

of its wants

the

to

only

get rid of

ulated
reg-

these

I know

way

dium,
circulatingme-

live."
for

in his walk
Then

moment,
back

he resumed

both
and

in his locution,

forward
both

across

otic
anything quite so ididirected
is this howl
against the possession
I myself am
of wealth.
a poor
man
:
gry
not
earn
a living each
year, I go hun-

I do
as

the nature

That's

paused

He

world, and
in civil life,constantly

fixed or
gratification
^well, by a majority of

dough

and

whole

of

form

by

"

the

enroll

not

go

not

know

in debt.

of

But

I would

not

trade

192
off

see

rich

every

plebeian,
cast

This

hell.

to

sent

earth

of

not
or

"

to

even

mark

of

childish

wickedly

I know

of intellect.

starve

of

every

no,

"

is the

howl

least of

at

or

America

on

man

for

ambition

and

England

and

competency

reasonable

"

in

man

of

chances

my

wealth

Discovery

Strange

nothing quite so

nothing half so brutal. The

sense.
nonJew-baiting follyis a phase of the same
It is foolish,because
if the possession
of capitalis denied to the men
who
best
can
to employ
acquire and hence best continue
foolish, and

commercial

it,then
back

seat

this
but

of

take

must

in

fact, go, and go to stay; and

abject poverty for everybody

"

means

handful

civilization

of

and

state

church

it is

It is brutal, because

crats.
aristo-

unreasoning

and

It is the howl
mistakenly vindictive.
of the mentally weak
of the mob; and the
is always brutal.
mob
"

"

If

we

to

are

evidence
of
demanded
useful

of

the

possessions
but

wealth;
swear,

were

from
and

from

this world

past

or

service

some

and

those

suppress

gained,
know,

not

who
and

present

formance
per-

cast

know

we

those

sessions
pos-

that

paid for, we
earth:

whose

can

the

world

aside
that

the
their

from

the

held

material

most

per,
pau-

solemnly

personal experience, that in

ing.
nobody gets anything for noth-

"

first

the

Oh,

French

And

order.

class

in

law.

statutory
and

foolish

With

class.

the

us

realty

this

at

surplus

their
control

them

of

world

the

it's

but

who

land.
the

quired
ac-

with

us

of

have

Oh,
business

the

need

are

owners

who

not

or

have

for

wealthy

into

money

whole

citizens
who

men

be

commercial

them,

commercial

are

the

those

the

time,

in

away

through

wealth

good

it would

wealthy

and

people,

commercial

here,

only

the

class

of

that

of

social

every

regulation

take

to

but

that
:

accumulations

the

part

and

state,

claim

only

fight

wealth,

immaculate
the

The

The

maintains

under

come

wrong

is

right.

church,

nobody

commercial
should

all

commercial

corrupt

revolution

was

against

against

193

French

revolution
not

was

Discovery

Strange

put
yes:
men

looking

most

after."
And
down
rest.

with
the

that

stairs;

he
and

shot
I

out
soon

of

the

after

room

retired

and
to

The

Chapter

Fourteenth

evening

next

THE

Arthur

of my

corner

as

Bainbridge

he

seemed

his own;
entered

early hour

an

in the

seated

was

which

at

spicuous
con-

room,

have

to

and,,

least

spot

selected

usual, Doctor

as

promptly

eight

at

After

the customary
minute
two
or
of thoughtful quiet, and a glance at the map
each evening I kept spread
of Hili-li,which

o'clock.

on

my

in the

table

his recital

continued
"

Last

evening

when

Volcano
of the
Hili-li
name

miles

the

of the

centre

bridge
Bain-

room,

brought

the

to

us

ment
mo-

party, having entered

rescue

about
to land
at the foot
Bay, were
called Olympus
the
great mountain,
"

for

synonym

Olympus
high, was

will examine
will observe
of Volcano

Mount

when

the

referred

this map

here,

Bay,

an

with
the

near

preceding the
peak, some
eight
Now

to.
a

little

inner

apparently
194

if you
care

you

extremity

narrow

inlet

196
"

As

the

about

are

hundred

rapidly

the

water

they gradually approach each

certain
points the walls actually

At

the

overhang
at

and

below,

stream

spot approximating

one

feet of each

ten

as

and

other.

meet,

arated
sep-

but

walls

the

far above

become

soon

are

distance;

same

is ascended,

mountain

rise, and
between,

high, and

feet

the

bay, its walls

the

leaves

canyon

by about
the

Discovery

Strange

other.

Three

almost
within

to

from

miles

the

bay the walls are twenty feet apart, and for

the remaining five miles
they do not at any
place approach closer, but on the other hand
sixty feet
gradually separate to about
very
the

at

walls

bay the

that

from
"

Our

point

side

of

the

to

the

up

this

Diregus

canyon,
appearing in some

that

was

one

this

When

they
a

way,

but

on

was

the
were

fellow

dressed

having
better
the

some

in

width

of the

Lake.
on

know

to

way
to

miles

pursue.
on

their

approaching,

seen

of the

chasm.

He

of

prepossessing appearance,
plain, coarse
clothing, and

the elastic movement

classes.

height

giant chasm,

or

three

man
was
young
the opposite side

young

in

mountain

course

proper

the

feet in

edge of Crater

started

party

less

nowhere

are

from

thousand.

fully ten

are

altitude, and

five miles

At

top.

extreme

Peters
chasm

and

observed,

grace

when

separated the

of the

only
two.

A
that

the

He

exiles, by
ascertained

that

Ahpilus

be

his

had

mania
not

but

he

mile
"

the

had
or

anxious

the

two

of the

Diregus

soon

had

an

hours.

earlier

Crater

party

gravate
ag-

preceding day
attack
of raving

abduction

hours

from

much

the

several

of the

the

gence.
intelli-

one

become

on

from

three

When

had

lasted

two

and

was

exiles

that

know

of

eye,

long known
fore,
insane; that, three days be-

suffered
which

did

He

condition
and

he

also

Medosus.

name

to

laughing

Diregus,

to

conversation.

197

mischief, but

known

was

began

Hili-lite had

young
latent

full of

"

Discovery

Strange

Medosus
of

Lilama,

Ahpilus

seen

Lake.

heard

this, they

were

in turn
proceed, but Medosus
had
a few
questions to ask, and in common
compelled to wait and
courtesy Diregus was
reply to the poor exile's interrogatories.
Whilst
the
Medosus
two
conversed,
took
from
his pocket some
dry, brown,
crumpled leaves, and put a wad of them into
much
would
American
his mouth,
as
an
raises tobacco
and
chews
the
planter who
Peters was
of
a lover
unprepared leaf. Now
tobacco, and the sight of this action, so suggestive
him greatof his loved weed, excited
ly,
to

"

as

tobacco

he

had

not

for months.

so

much
When

as

it

seen

scrap

developed

of

that

198
it

that

tobacco

was

Discovery

Straitge

his mouth,

in

that

and

had

Medosus
some

between

these

tobacco

determined
Peters
was
grew,
of it,the craving of months

have

some

mountains

placed in
of the valleys
species of wild

to
ing
seem-

gratification;and he asked
Medosus
to give him
a little of it,to last until
he could
Medosus
a fuller supply.
procure
was
perfectlywilling to grant this request;
but on
rolling up a wad and attempting to
to

near

so

throw

it

the

across

the

it fell into

chasm,

to the water
abyss and fluttered downward
He
miles below.
about
to
was
nearly two
make
second
Peters
efifort,when
a
stopped
ble
him, and then a pretty, though a really territhe
to relate which
thing happened
was
"

real

of

purpose

this

digression

from

my

story proper.
"

Peters

the

at

was

fifteen feet from

some

the

chasm

feet

in

being
width

"

here, where

even

less in

depth

than

the

twenty

feet

it

two

it

was
was

least
to

eight thousand
the raging torrent

lava-bowlders

below.

quickly

that

become

alarmed.

he

hung

them

none

of the chasm,

edge
point

this

at

standing

moment

about

in

thousand

mile

higher

feet in descent
and
It

of the

the

to

"

feet
at

up,

sheer

huge, jagged

was

all

party

had

Peters, whose

reached

twenty
width, and

within

arms

done
time

so

to

when

four inches

Discovery

Strange

of his feet, stooped

hands

to

the

using

crutches

199

just enough
Then,

ground.

bring

to

as

lame

his

man

might swing himself along,

but
with
lightning-Hke swiftness, Peters
took
two
the edge of
rapid jumps toward
the chasm, the second
rectly
jump landing him diits edge.
Then
he shot up
and
on
into

out

landed

the

the

on

cat

lands

seem

to

air

the

leap back.

he

in

and

he

eyes
"

how

of
I

legs, or

'

the

the

me

cumstan
cir-

only because

made

been

so

the

getting

snow-drift

the
it

was

but

old

get

beard

and

no

both

"

that

fellow

I should

as

an

with

tereste
inbacco,
to-

the

he

did it

is all there
does

not

just
the

impelling

I believe

use.

know

Peters

^whether

"

or

of

out

leap

arms,

himself

The

to

the

made

not

his age,

make

to

forgot the occurrence;

to have
impressed his mind
almost
as
deeply as did the

instinct, and
said.

turned

was

of

efifort.

force; but
does

unusual

to

was

incident

god.'
attempted

he

it

it did not

never

seems

with

man

as

an

leap, it

memory

old

him

of this
time

abyss, and
gently as a

leap; and

mentioned

the

that
in fact, it

side

Peters

the

at

of

awful

his tobacco, and

When

had

six-foot

require

received

"

opposite

from

He

that

over

that

by

an

is to

he
mal
anibe

really know

place it,at the present

200

time,

Discovery

strange
from

at

seventy-eight

eighty

to

years,

indicate that he
which, if correct, would
twenty-eight or thirty at the time he was
Hili-li.

He

three

as

You

that

that was
pole; and
nearly eighty years
have

been

and
six

or

the
of

Samson

of

act

the

in

men.

how

he

the

oak

invalid

an

Oh,

age.

in
erally
gen-

such

yourself
telling me
iron poker, and
broke

remember

twisted

five

as

strong

as

men,

average

strong

as

arms

been

have

must

was

he

must

twenty-eight,

at

and

I could
draw
agile as a tiger. What
of him
me
concerning the leap, reminded
descriptions I have read of the Simiidcr
particularly of the Borneo
orang-outang.
as

"

But

to

return

Medosus,

who,

feet away,

shouted

with

us,

hide

away

(mentioning

the

about
*

back,
We

"

You'd

do

better
here

not

stay

have

to
'

at

or

of two

names

hundred

two

play

we

of

party separated from

when

Diregus.
when

The

out

very

rough

prohibited by law on all the islands of

the Hili-li Kingdom
corresponding
games
foot-ball
to
and
our
our
wrestling). The
ing
restparty continued
up the mountain-side,
as
No preparathey felt the need of rest.
tion
games

"

for the darkness

for here
some

the

night was
crater-lightwas
very

unshaded

brilliant.

of

spots

it

was

even

necessary;

bright ^in
painfully
"

Strange Discovery

A
"

the

After

several

small

party

with

away
that
the

along the shortest

travellers might pursue.
It was
time known,
and therefore never

that

through
that

(Diregus had
the boatmen)

measured

whether

glimpse

at

of four

ascent,
taken

of
only one
came
plain sight of the rim of Crater Lake,
mile ahead
of them, and
almost
pendicula
perabove, though nearly two miles

known,
a

of laborious

them

within
half

hours

201

of her

Lilama

at

will be

had

piercing

air from
saw

not

caught
approaching friends; but
not

or

moment

the

Lilama

route

scream

above.
of the

some

the

quality of the scream

was
an
impression that she
convey

Peters

rang
thinks

party, because
not
was

such

as

to

in instant

not
danger. The signal,if signal it was, was
did the party wait for a reperepeated, nor
tition.
onward
with
They all hurried
newed
reing
vigor; and, in a short time, considerthe severity of the ascent, had
reached
which
the
a
point near
they supposed
must

scream
"

The

have

party

searching

among

been
had

uttered.

scattered,

the

mammoth

and

were

ers,
lava-bowld-

side

valleys and fissures;

tively
Peters, however, as he then always instincThe
did, keeping by the side of Pym.
and

two

the

in the small

separated to quite a distance from

others, when, being then quite close to
had

202

Discovery

Strange

a
edge of the great chasm, they heard
deep though penetrating voice say the one
Hili-H
word
in the
(of course
language),

the

'

'

Well?
"

voice

came,

chasm

the

dressed

from

in the direction

Looking

they
a

and

young

much

as

the

on

saw

was

There

could

not

for

in the

minds

of

Pym

opposite
handsome

the

the

side of
man,

exile, Medosus.
be

moment

Peters

and

which

any

doubt

concerning

but if there
identity of this young
man;
had
been, it would
immediately have been
dispelled.
the
voice
further
Well, gentlemen?

the

"

'

'

said.
"

Pym and Peters had stepped up close

here
the edge of the abyss, which
to
as
was,
of its
the upper
third
it was
throughout
feet in
forty-five to fifty-five
length, from
width
(Peters thinks that at this part of its
it was
fullyfiftyfeet broad).
course
Well, gentlemen:
are
why
two,
you
and
to my
people, also, I
strangers to me,
think
why are you here?
far
The
speaker would have seemed
very
for his large
from
insane, had it not been
black
shifting and glittering in the
eyes,
bright volcanic
light.
At last Pym
spoke :
to
Sir,'he said, very calmly, we
came
"

'

'

"

"

"

"

'

'

204

Discovery

Strange

untold

for

Here

agonies.'

his

moment

to a gentle whisper.
softened, almost
shall, of
Ah, Lilama, once,
only once,
you
around
free will, clasp those arms
own
your
A
in terror.
in love, then
if not
ment
mome
and over
this abyss together we
more,
in his eyes,
With
terror
shall go !
Pym
the phlegmatic
glanced at Peters; and even
startled.
moment
Peters was
Yes, for one

voice
'

"

'

'

other's

in each

for

then

and

arms;

of Tartarus,

everlastingdarkness

me,

or

the

of endless

oblivion.'
"

of

As

he talked, he

the

continued

chasm's

to

edge

before

wrist

upon

the

face,whilst

her

and

rave,

and

away

the

dropped

crouched

her hands

with

ground
Ahpilus

she

and

Lilama,

had

to

pace

back

from

again,

in

beaten
strides, until he had almost
he paced a pathway.
There
where
not
was
the slightestnecessity for Ahpilus to guard
than
Lilama, for the awful chasm
was
more
maniac

twice

width

the

that

any

even

an

athlete, would

leap, even

to

preserve

man,

distance
the

to

chasm

be
so

narrow

dare

attempt

miles

down

the

reach
away.

was

of

at

normal

dare
own

attempt to
life; and the

gain a point in
that an
ordinary man
several
to leap it, was

traversed

would

Lilama

his

and

sane

to

mountain-side;

least

Pym, though

ten

miles

less than

so

beyond

that
the

eighty feet

A
"

Discovery

Strange

The

mental

strain

enough
There

to

the

strode

on

205

Pym

poor

make

him

maniac,

madman.

from

and

to

most
al-

was

the

of the

abyss, rhythmically, rarely varying

the distance
by a yard
twenty yards oflf,

edge

"

then

back

again, then
approach

fourth

or

the

edge

of the

thousand

ten

looked

On

away.

he

stepped

feet to where
finest

the stream

into

again the
a fury, and

and
into

Lilama,

who

"

but

Peters, the

moved

to

inwardly chafed,
by turns, at the impotency

fear.

He

whilst

Pym
despair. How
of terror

last ?

leap into space

end

the
in

and

frozen

seemed

her

canyon's
moved

griefor

to

raved,

madly

of his
into

longer would

much

ing
crouch-

the

than

at

gaze

stoic, was

rather

anger

to

from

Now
himself

lash

feet from

ten

crater,

fissure.

moment

moved

Hghted

giant

would

stop for

some

Even

brink.

madman

never

position

the

smallest

every

below

silver thread,

by the dazzling light from

reflected

literallyto
glanced down,

and

chasm,

like the

third

every

position;

statuesque
this

scene

Oh, the thought of that awful

!

scene

that

maniac

The

each

"

rush

wild

might
time

any

as

backward

he

ment
mo-

proached
ap-

and

slightest
might be the last. The
the slightest sound, might precipitate
move,
well
Lilama
and
as
the dire calamity
to feel this truth.
as
Pym and Peters seemed
forward

"

2o6
The

beast, appears
stimulus, be it ever

like the wild

madman,

need

Discovery

Strange

extraneous

an

Has

Ah!

"

insane

to

He

'

Has
inaudible

Yes,

pauses.

the

is

he

to

going

"

to Peters, in
friend,' wailed Pym
she
her, save
her, or where
voice, save

Oh!

'

low

there

goes,

Then
upon

brink

at

than

the

I.'

go

looks

Peters

down

the

this

is ten

Lilama

and

them

and

It is

Ahpilus.

powerful form
wild

upon

of him;

in front

animal

that

its prey.

her.

He

to

seems

has

feet lower

Peters

impossible
that

to

the

Ahpilus
as

swell,

as

move

of
say

time
stands

maiden

and

arms

stand,

view

who

he

his
gazes
does that of

determined

has

His

opposite

excellent

an

just why, but it is obvious

which
they dread has come.
beautiful
the
at
looking
crouches

chasm,

The

twelve

or

Pym

spot where

gives

the

across

beyond.

scene

point

which

something.

be

sound

some

word,

come?

moment

caught

man

of

act.
"

the

others?

the

it must

sufficient,but

be

may

so

ing
crook-

the

slight,to suggest an initiative:

of a finger, the whispering

to

to

spring

forward

fear of

to

interruption
he has for the moment
forgotten the strangers.
He
slightly alters his position ^hisback
grasp

no

"

"

is toward
person

the

chasm-

of his prey.

"

^his hands

Lilama

touch

the

partly raises her

A
head.

She

those

as

glances past

at her

look

Discovery

Strange

She

lover.

vise-like
so

within

iron

that

might

does

hands

not

close

embrace

maniac

the maniac

slowly, but

slowly, oh,

207
for

last

scream,

even

her, and

upon

steadily,draw her
slowly, slowly, as

"

devotee

in the

move

ecration
des-

of his idol.
"

But

why

does

are

her

eyes

on

the

madman,

What

fastened

is that

man

move

be

silent

as

glaring
does

not

object?

from

"

from

her
from

take

"

garment,
feet

panther, as
balls of living fire
face?
Surely not a

face.
She
Yes, it is a human
the pallidface, the wild eyes of

lover, looking, too,

if she

that

that

thing
embodiment
of animal
human
agility.
she has not time to- look, for though the
eye is quick, that thing is quicker;

her

any

color

twenty

than

not

"

ground

backward

"

see

lover

of drab

the

to

swifter
abyss
death, with two

face !

human

Why

another

streak

casts

shoots

then
the

her

on

upon

that

that

yonder thing
from

not

"

but

man,

scream?

not

Can
object? Is it a man?
that thing moves?
Surely

as

cannot

she

her

will
gaze
it her gaze

from

eye

lose
"

at

"

it for half
She

it.

No:
man
hu-

and

second,
take

cannot

is fascinated.

she

that

Within

of time an heroic resolve has

past second
drama
has
and
been
formed,
a
begun; in

the

the next

two

seconds

an

act

in the drama

will

2o8

completed;
whole
tragedy

in

be

human
"

be

Discovery

Strange

seconds

sixty

added

will be

more,

list of

the

to

sorrows.

No

tongue
A

seen.

the

shoots

out

awful

in the

air

gulf that might

portal of Tartarus.

that

over

the

been

have

indeed

that

it rises

edge;

quite

cannot

toward

of color

rush

it reaches

gap;
and

tell what

can

It is in the air
Fifty feet as flies the bird.
has
and
it is half-way over
yet the maniac
is turning with
it not.
But the maniac
seen
"

"

in his

his victim

passed forty feet

has

is

The

arms.

to

reach

if it fails
ten

in

feet

brink

space

^with

"

distance

already sunk
feet

ten

if it

thousand

ten

"

it has

it; and

reach

to

of drab

feet further

ten

"

other

the

streak

of

more

it is

already on
it
level with the edge of the abyss which
a
The
maniac
has
must
safely reach, or
horizontal

turned;
the brink

and
"

the

to

is that

could

be in such

of. Peters
a

invincible

surface

above

the

fingers

fasten

upon

menaces

him

the
his

arms

the

"

only

yet live

is thrown

chasm,
the

madman

has

reached

the surface.

situation

of those

now

of drab

streak

but, ah ! below

form

And

cover,

sees

and

man
on.

upon

those

immovable
the

danger

The
who
One
the

long
lava.
that

but too
ters
design
late, for Pethe unconquerable
stands erect
between
and
the chasm.
Then
Ahpilus quickly
"

A
sets

the

on

Peters, the

ground

his

human

bird

But, for

Hving burden;

and
risks

passage,

Had

risk.

in his baffled
less savage
have
spared the madman

be.

There

that

could

scarcely a
physicallycope
match

no

was

sailor

of

act

that

apparent

with

he

but

been

Peters

would

it

not

was

Ahpilus
For

few

protected himself

aggression;

test
con-

to

in all Hili-li

man

for Peters.

Ahpilus

rage,
; but

was

the
any

of

like Peters, such

man

scarcely

was

he

209

his life.

again
"

Discovery

Strange

it

; but
ments
mo-

without
became

soon

stroy
obliged to dehimself be destroyed.
Peters, or Peters had

would

his

be

adversary, or
Ahpilus had pushed
himself
shift his own
to
carelesslyallowed
position, to within dangerously close proximity
the chasm,

to

noticed

Peters
saw

that

he

and

this

at

when

the moment
he

circumstance,
between

was

Ahpilus

also
and

abyss; and Ahpilus, in all his furious

his advantage.
ters
Pemadness, also observed
in his possession a very
had
long and
ing
said in talkkeen
knife, but, as he afterward
this incident, he had never
over
yet seen
he was
when
the time
compelled to use an
the

artificial

in

weapon

single combatant;
he
his

never

have

adversary

an

and

used
were

a
a

with

encounter

particularly would
knife, even
though
maniac,

if

maniac

without
that

T"

Strange

210

"E^Y

COY

IS

Peters

artificial weapon.
had
found
Pym,

an

Diregus

and,

saw

as

was

of
Pym
were,
I should
viewing the struggle.
course,
in the
included
have
Pym
not, however,
the

also

of

party
how

combat
in it.

but

Lilama.

saw

his

But

As

sorbed
ab-

anything
Ahpilus
effort

supreme

he

brink.

the

the

endeavored

had

sailor

At

his

to

that

force

precise

right hand

closed

the top of Ahpilus's left shoulder, and

left hand
just beneath
Ahpilus's right

on

on

the

left hand

his

and

then

the

ground

so

the

to

He

side

his
arm

quickly
the hip;

of

those

raised from
great gorillaarms
the body of the madman,
swung

it overhead

the

exile's chest.

side of the

shifted

he

all his great muscular

strength,
the
motor,
by that invincible

over

moment

much

for

return:

well

too

be

to

eyes

no

to

madman,

Peters

had

He

knew

end

advantage, by

aided

will of

he

would

"

summoned
and

for

observers;

the

and

he

boatman,

another

as

body of

might

man

swing

three-year-old child, as he did

ward;
bringing the back of his adversary downand

then

power

came

in

with

which

movement

the

long

of Herculean
arms

proximat
ap-

twisting,bending effect;
in Ahpilus's back
two
vertebra;
at the
point
of least resistance
separated, the spine was
of helpless, vibratdislocated, and
a
mass
a

The

Fifteenth

Chapter

""V'^TELL,"
%/\/

ton,

said
as

".Peters

fifty
done

Castle-

Doctor

Bainbridge
could,

closed.
he

when

years
younger,
that
thing
very

was

have
to

any

dred
hunthan
a
weighing not more
and
and
ninety
eighty or a hundred
him
throw
I myself have
to
seen
pounds.
the ground
powerful horse, and the little
a
been
older
than sixty at the
have
giant must
that
time.
Then
derful
wonagain, he possesses
which
of certainty in action
instinct
life. It is said that
belongs to purely animal
it strikes
the tiger when
misses
its
never
aim ; and
American
that our
panther makes
unusual
ing
makthe most
leaps without
ever
I have
an
beyond its powers.
attempt

living man

many

that

observed

times

even

our

paratively
com-

domestic
cat
degenerate
rarely indeed, if ever, fails to accomplish
purpose

of

possess,

that

stroke.

Peters

instinct."
212

possesses,

or

very
the

did

A
"

Strange
said

Yes,"

Peters

shipped

ever

agility,he
of

he

on

"

"

as

short
his

he

vessel

every
'

right.

are

you

the

physical
we
know,

great

extremely
in fact,

large mouth
striking
many

213

called

was

but

says;

his

almost

on

of his

because

"

Bainbridge,

that

says

Discovery

'

baboon
and

power

rather

cause
behis

stature,

resemblance

in

the

gorilla, or the
perhaps, also, in part, to
in Pym's description of
to

ways

and
orang-outang;
his habit, mentioned

aberration
him, of feigning mental
ing
assumto be' simple.'
This
won't
do," said Castleton, with
"

"

"

that

peculiar look
he
appeared when
serious

the

should

was

the

to

his face

on

about

which
to

always

deflect
"

humorous.

from

Whilst

old friend
object to hearing my
Peters
called a gorilla,I draw
the line at
object to the appellation
gorilla. I should
not

that

of baboon.

for in many
least
if

we

the

once

I should

and

orang-outang,

limit
skeleton

ways

the

was,

the

But

source

of the

the

resent

our

phasis
em-

gorillaI will
gorillais, or

superior of
of

with

truth

at

Even

man.

deductions

animal, the

cept,
ac-

to

of my

In the
strongly evidenced.
sedate
and less
first place, the gorillais more
this is proved by
pettily curious than man;
his having only three, instead of four, bones
in the last division of his spine, giving him
a
last assertion

is

214

proving the animal

than
are
monkey
place, the gorilla
would

the

whatever

of

by-gone

search

for

limited

not
"

"

"

gorilla's first
operations was

chest."

are

you

doctor;

well,

very

little

severe

blamed

ever

Eve

Eve.

she

slave.

If Adam

procession,
had

didn't

as

business

no

I'd wager
after the

was

him

to

purpose
to

keep

over

in
for
posing
ex-

tic
agnos-

anybody's

be

up

he at first did decide

whine

in

instinctive

an

decided

to

Not

for his weakness

him

apple incident; but I do blame

his garrulity,and his paltry cowardice
and

on

Adam.

witK

sympathies

no

the

"

but

I said.

I have

that

the

cestors
an-

handsomer

were

field of

own

do

think

you

Adam?

the

his

to

will

That

don't

wife

be, his

gorilla may
ages
in

because

man;

second

ribs, which
evidence
that,

rational

present

the

thirteen

has

be

to

seem

the

in

then

we;

from

farther

be

to

and

man's,

than

appendage

caudal

shorter

than

Discovery

strange

the

with
to

the

do, he

outcome.

freely that Eve earned the living

pair left paradise. Cain took after
I hazard
his mother;
and
the opinion that
Eve
in sympathy
in the Abel
with Cain
was
that
Eve
episode
is, aftei- the tragedy.
Cain had the best of everything all the
and
through, for they acted in harmony
way
with
their feelings;whilst
old feeble.
poor
"

Discovery

Strange

vacillatingAdam
old

and

brain-box,
His

ensued.

conflict

natural

to

get him

out-and-out

would

his worthless

use

feelings,which

enough

pure

have

consequence

constituted

he

did

into trouble

safe; and

properly

to

the

always in
was
just
when
animal

unreasoning

been

will

enough
when

the

to

part of his mind, were

with
his intellect, which

strongest
strong

tried

215

he

never

correct

an

had
error

it."

see

We

this conceit
of Castlelaughed over
ton's, and Bainbridge said :
Speaking of biblical characters, I have
would, with even
thought that Moses
slight
far surpassed
the
literary training, have
"

modern

style
but

of

writer
be

may

His

adventure-fiction.

open

criticism,

adverse

to

question. If
purely original

originalityis beyond

his

material
for a
left any
it. He
story, I fail to detect
he

'

the

erature

sea-story,

the

to

gave

litand

war-story,

love-story^stories that hinge on all the

human
passions, and stories of the supernatural
He
first prein all its phases.
sented

the

to

the
man,

giant

innocent
and

for the

the
man

woman

she

ture
of fiction-literathe

dwarf;

the

and
strong man,
fortitude; the honest

the

king, and
wait

world

the

that

of

man

man,

knows

loves; voices

brave

the

preme
su-

ful
truthhow

to

in the air,

Discovery

Strange

16

in
short, everything.
sky
vi^asn't in time to grasp
old ^sop
Even
poor
modern
reputation for originality. The
a
orate;
combine,
extend, and elabstory-tellermay
for a display of
but
all opportunity
in

signs

the

invention

"

forever

be

to

seems

barred."

dently
By the bye, doctor," said Castleton, evisilence
impatient at his enforced
of your
canoes
volwhilst
another
do any
spoke,
mountains
in Hili-li blow
up?
or
No,
sir," answered
Bainbridge, with
dignity.
I should
have
Well, if I had been Pym
"

"

"

"

"

said

Ocean,"
the

from
as

mountains

those

blown

word

to

the

into

the

said,

have

'

you.'
hair

of her

And
head

invention
We

and

for

intimated

deprived of that

been

I believe

we

have

never

war,

had

pleasure.

did
thus

that
tain
moun-

I will annihilate

or

you

quences
conse-

Sir,' I should

harmed.

stopping
that

the

the entire
'

taken

madman

being

I should

had

evening
is safe;

have

take

deep.
the lady,

so

this

your

mighty

bye, gentlemen,
my

sent

girl,or

return

understand

I should

have

him

Antarctic

heroine

your

consequences

blown

have

caught

Pym,
the

return
"

should

been
I should

risks.

no

that

here

if I had

but

that

the

"

Castleton.

words

I entered

into

saw

done, if a
"

the

By
heard

you?
far

that

of
"

been
one

Discovery

Strange

217

of his

at hand
was
peculiar outbursts
one
of
those
I
serious, though,
apparently
thought, intentionallyhumorous
sallies,so
of Castleton's
puzzling coming from a man
"

intellectual

mobile

primiim
much

attainments,
of which

interested

"

about

dark

rebellion
in

began

President

great

the

thought
think

the

very

best

how

the

depends

over

as

"

questions, from
'

must

what

we

the

end

of it
"

added

to

Now,

if we

as
or

our

do

always

point
standtally
men-

this matter

about

of the

system

universe

the luminiferous

term

the

I concluded

be.

press.
sup-

I had

not,' I

Why

not

I drove

present

upon

of

worried.

perfect elasticityand
pansibilityof that ether; of what its
ether;

the

through our
and
the subject
laYies,I gave
I thought to myattention.
self

roads

retired
my

As

to

years

period when

most

greatness.

'

the

four

soliloquized, why
blow?

to

it

about

was

vast

over

referred

"

which

'

been

States, which
it required the existing

matter

of true

at

already

United

during

was

he

"

in the

government
It

"

War

1861, and

"

I had

mental

in

days of The

great

the

trying to determine.
gentlemen," he continued,
fourteen
during
years
ago,

Well,

was

and

with

that

matter

removed

could

succeed

no

nature

ultimate

no

atom

from

the

in

inex-

"

is

ticle
parever

universe.

removing

from

2i8

Discovery

Strange

of ether
ocean
inexpansible, universal
ultimate
the most
portion, there would
even
with
literal vacuum
be
nothing to fill it,
a
would
the equilibrium of the universe
and
be destroyed.
Now,
gentlemen, is or is not
this supposition logical?
admitted
We
inability to deny its
our
this

"

truth.
"

'

looking

Well, then,' I reasoned,

the

subject on

portion

side,

reverse

ether

of

'

could

at

tional
addi-

an

there

created,

be

the

be in space
place to receive it; the
no
in
state
state
in its present
universe
a
substance
matter
which
what
ists
exterm
or
we
would

"

just simply

would

"

and

exist

of every

the compass

"

stantly
instar

planet.'

and
"

how

But

that

"

within

to

cease

create

I would

seem

went

within

and

that

particleof

occupied

what

was

weeks.
came

to

to

the

mind

my

grasp

the

of

recesses

friends

hint

has

ether
for
that

brain

perhaps
had its equal for variety of conception
never
and
to the slightest external
rapid response
internal stimulus.
Now, many
physicists
or
of ether
matter
to be simply a form
suppose
of
plainly, that matter
originated out
made
from
ether
was
ether; so that, after
from
created
all,the universe
was
nothing
that
is, nothing if we
correctly define

which

"

"

"

"

so

say

my

"

220

Discovery

Strange

ficial
ofinsolent
physical power
difficult
! Why
so
are
great men
power
of access!
Why, in 1453, did not Constanlisten to your
tine in his day of trouble
brainy
roads
from
the inand
save
Europe
countryman,
feet

of

mere

of

"

Turk?

the

than

President's

the

and

the

secret;
should
draw

White

that

City, determined

Washington
other

hastened

Well,

that

it from
I admit

House.

ear

hear

earth

on

power
I went

me.

no

should

own

no

to

the

to

war-times

that

are

but those infernal White

House
busy times
flunkies kept me
waiting in the reception! I told my
for four hours
rooms
plans to
the ushers, to a waiting soldier or two, and
I struck up
to a foreign diplomat with whom
All of them
acted suspiciously, and
a talk.
I believe were
When,
jealousof my wisdom.
"

for the third

time,

pretended

or

to

take

card

my

his secretary came

that my
first I told him
President's
a

clew

me,

the

to

but

ear

not

I to

this

never

House."

never

day believe

told

Lincoln

was

At

me.

for the

last I gave
business.
He
at

Such

return.

"

secret

of my

But
politicalpower.
and
physical
aye,
real power.

to

"

dent,
Presi-

the

to

"

card

my

down

but

alone;

nature

he did

took

usher

an

him
left

is reflected

thought

of my
power
the only
too

power,

blamed

that
of my

"

the President
that

fellow

visit to

the

"

White

Discovery

Strange

After

221

and moveappreciative murmur

ment
the part of Bainbridge and myself
on
for we
felt like laughing, and
yet sighs
wonderment
were
expected by Castleton
and

an

after

from

grunt

I asked, for want

"

"

Were

ah

"

no

"

yes

"

Castleton
brother
younger
whole
week
in an

who

sir;

no,
"

repHed.
beat

"

"

doctor?

army,

"

of

in his corner,
better to say,

something
in the

ever

you

Well

of

Arthur

"

not

But

the

actly,"
ex-

had

drum

tent
enlisting-office

for

in Chicago.

Poor

boy ! he died of brain fever in

And
1869
always a genius
great brain.
this talk reminds
that I am
me
getting no
the
United
States
ment
Governpension from
that poor,
on
neglected, sacrificed boy.
Curse
but
thoughtlessness! Yes, and
my
old school
of patriots
no
: I belong to the
I will not curse
country."
my
"

"

"

"

"

As

Castleton
the

approached
usual

as

the

closing

"

It's

he

word

remarked,

to

the hall.

into
sound

the corridors
from

his

he

this time, where

might
the

been

of his

fool

he
He

with
and

steps
foot-

of the hotel,
:

corner

on

hall

the

pity he didn't sit down

infernal-machine, and

boomerang
it a-going

last sentence,

the floor; and

shot

the

as

through

rang
Arthur

pacing

And

gone.

the

of exit

door

been

had

was

uttered

the

on

then
moon

belongs, with

his
set

by
the

222

lunatics.

other

If he

my

"

gas-lights,three

with

furnished

spoons
and
a

into

comes

ever

(twelve by sixteen,
parlor
tables, and six chairs; two

ice-cream

new

Discovery

Strange

napkin for

your

one

if desired,

saucer

lady free;

cents

ten

in) why
he goes,
a
daisy, he
out
of him,
remind
to
is ! If you
want
me
ever
lend
to
dime; and
a
anybody, ask me
you
teeth rattle,
head
and my
I shake
when
my
I'llremember
the lunkhead, sure
enough."

ginger-bread thrown
too
quick. Oh, he's

and

saucer,

I frowned

promised
presence
did not

down
not

of

for he

youngster,

obtrude

to

Bainbridge.

refer in any

Bainbridge
objected to

manner

his
But
to

opinion

had

in the

his words

as

the

story that

telling us, I should not have

it
them, but that with Arthur

was

to

necessary

was

the

"

be

cautious

in

creating

precedents, which, as I have intimated, in

almost
his case
immediately congealed into
vested

rights;
him

the

and

our

agreement

had

ligated
ob-

complete silence on
ly
subject of Peters' %tory, and, if I correctremember
Arthur
denied
this
though
to

observe

"

subjects,in the presence

of Doctor
Bainbridge.
As Bainbridge appeared to have
nothing
further to say, and
was
making those slight
latter

"

on

occasional
his

all other

movements

which

departure, I began

I knew
to

talk

saged
pre-

of Pe-

Discovery

Strange

ters'

leap ; and

223

in the most

guarded manner
for with
Bainbridge any question of the
facts of his narrative required tact and
cacy
delithe giving of offence
to avoid
cuss
to disthe subject of leaping in general, the
facts and
probabihties relating to distance,
and the laws and conditions
that might govern
and regulate the running-leap.
Do
not
think," I finally asked,
you
"

"

"

"

that

Peters

distance
that

almost
thereabouts
best

level

ground,

athletes, I believe, have

than

feet, under
me

would

made

half

that

all the
as

better

chime

with

thirty would

of any draft on
my
It is not
question
a

However,

would

not

thirty-five
of

all

remove

the

bility
possi-

credulity."
of ideas

will look

stand-point of

forty

ideas

my

Bainbridge,
we

of much

Now

circumstances,

answered
fact.

distance.

on

never,

running leap

impossible, though

probable, and
"

the

leap? I am aware
both in strength and in agility,
was,
but
preterhuman;
fiftyfeet or
! That
seems
scarcely possible.

Our

strike

overestimates

of his marvellous

Peters

more

somewhat

at

"

or

of

but

one

the

dulity,"
cre-

of

incident

and

experience.
that a running
Now
let us
assume
level ground
leap of twenty-five feet on
be beyond the abilityof a trained
would
not
from

the

athlete.

I think

you

reason

will allow

to

Peters

-^

224
natural

Discovery

Strange
of

advantage

athlete, when
of his form,
"

of

form

that

so

gives

of hand-like

I could

leaping

obtain
he

obtains

so

the

an

him

the

the

the

periority
su-

leaping
advantage
tage
disadvan-

poorly suited

to

fullest information

impetus

more

dinary
or-

to

Peters, I believe

from

from

to

feet,

From

flat surfaces.

over

consider
you
well adapted

without

orang-outang,

an

feet

seven

that

from

in
his

with
his
legs; but even
preternatural strength he does not get quite
much
his legs as
impulse-force from
as
I myself think
would
ordinary athlete.
an
in making
this leap
that the use
of his arms
him an advantage of one-third
'over another
gave
I
of equal strength. However,
man
all advantage
him
from
of
ask you
to allow
form, in the leap alone, seven
feet,or twentyeight per cent."
To this proposition I assented.
Then," continued
Bainbridge, "it must
be remembered
that so far as the actual leap
the opposite edge of
is concerned,
he missed
the abyss
for he did miss it,and
other
any
than

arms

his

"

"

man

would

have

gone

to

the

bottom

of the

only the length of his arm,

with its excessive
strength, and the iron grip
of that
hand, which
enormous
prevented
of fact, the
complete failure. As a matter
v/alls of the abyss being fiftyfeet apart, Pechasm.

It

was

Strange

Discovery

225

leaped only forty-seven feet.

ters

Am

rect?
cor-

"

Again
"

I assented.

Then,"

brought

within

five of the
to

be

said

accounted

lower

limits

for.

which
than

of

Now

he

the

have

we

thirty-

reason

fifteen feet remain

fact that

the

memory
abyss toward
feet

the

fiftyfeet, and

your

"

Bainbridge,

let
the

twelve

was

from

which

and that, in his progress

across
sprung;
chasm
he fell,in addition
to this twelve
his

to

of the

edge

leaped

edge

recall

us

he
the

feet,

^which, according to Pym's

that period, four feet and eight

own

height

diary was,

at

"

inches.

If Peters

five feet

on

level

could

have

covered

ground, could

he

thirty-

have

ered
cov-

fiftyfeet with the advantage of a drop

of nearly seventeen
feet?
tain
Assuming a cercould
calculate
weight for Peters, we
of foot-pounds of energy,
the number
the
or
initial velocity,necessary
to make
a
leap of
level ground,
and
how
thirty-five feet on
foot-pounds it would
require to make
many
feet with a drop of sixteen
feet
a leap of fifty
and
eight inches taken into the conditions.
of the equations in our
tion
calculaBut
most
as
ment
are
approximative, I prefer that the elebe handled
in a
of gravitation should
self
If a leaper were
to impel himgeneral way.
horizontallyonly, he would, in the short-

226

leap, fall below

est
met

to

the extent

up

Discovery

strange

the

of about
"

fall may
be
ing
feet,by draw-

two

'

'

hunkering
alighting on

is,by

that

legs

This

level.

as

his
and
leap progresses,
lower
than
feet with the body to that extent
In a leap of twentywhen
the spring began.
five feet,however, the leaper is compelled to
project himself upward as well as forward;
instinctive
of just how
little
and
an
sense
in raising himself,
be expended
may
energy
the

how

and

much

left for the

be

may

ward
for-

of the chief elements

impulse, is one
of his proficiency. Peters
did not
have
to
raise his body at all."
I begin to comprehend,"
said I.
the
Yes," replied Bainbridge,
more
.

"

"

"

think

you

become
states.

of it,the
that

Of

Peters
he

course

convinced

more

made

the

could

not

fiftyfeet, or even
forty feet, on
in a leap of only forty feet, one
raise

to

the

himself

air, and

than

more

(except
position

for

will you

leap
have
a

sprung

level; for,

would

twelve

he

as

have

feet into

vantage
possible small adin leaping) it requires
of
the same
of force to raise a body ten
amount
feet on an incline, as it does to raise the same
body ten feet perpendicularly into space
to Peters
at twentyan
impossible feat, even
a

"

eight or thirtyyears
I quite believe
"

of

age."

that

he

did

it," I said.

228

Discovery

strange

habitually
covering a distartte of from forty to fortythe
other
five feet; whilst
boys, under
twenty-five
conditions, rarely covered
same
thirty."
feet, and never
part;
later Bainbridge arose
to deA moment
ing,
standbut he lingered for a moment,
with
his left hand
and
resting on the
centre
table, began to speak in a general way
feet

into the

"

surrounding

of the great antarctic

It was
wonders.
notes

of the actual

more

formal

and

sometimes

water,

and

crater

habit

my

omit

from

make

full

by him in the
evening recitals,

of his comments;

even

I did

to

facts stated

parts of these

I regret that

its surrounding

do

and

at the

particular
I am
to which
moment
now
alluding. It
until the following morning
that I
not
was
memoranda
made
of the closing incident
a few
of the evening. With
the help of these
and a fairlygood memory,
I hope to
notes
be able at this late day to describe
for the
reader
dislike enan
episode that I should
tirely
to

He

spoke for

he

"

the

termed

force
a

some

remarks

that

the

several

was

of the

derful
won-

accomplish certain
accomplishes which,

to

that

purpose

minutes

in nature;

along the
development

higher forms

so

this narrative.

of nature

power

ends

not

what

line of
"

of
he

all

and

he

made

contention,

matter

called

an

into
uncon-

Discovery

Strange

229

Scious

intention, explaining that there was

unconscious
no
paradox in the expression
intention
ual
individ; for, he said, even
men,
"

"

men,

constantly performing

are

intention

or

of

action

winding

force, he

watch

without

This

relativelyof

in

that

motive-

vegetables

as

in fact it exists,
slow

very

est
slight-

ing
remember-

unconscious

said, is inherent

though

the

without

in animals, and

as

purpose

instance, the automatic

of will, and

action.

the

unconscious

an

as, for

"

exercise

well

have

that

acts

sand
thou-

feeble

and

action, in all matter, the power

tribute
being an atof all molecules, and even
of elemental
atoms.
He, however, claimed
no
nality
origifor

"

To

of

of

cause

should

the

their

fact.

as

again

intimated,

He

that

we

physical way,
abstruse

that

in

under
'

pressed.
ex-

"

said,

the

is

so

of

disbelief, I

or

we

immortal

are

billion years

do

yet in

it would

so
a

is

that

we

conditions, but,

new

to-morrow.'

shall not
nor

doubt

that

it is not

live

he

he

intelligentpersons
tioning
quesLike
everything else

at

taught by Christ,
shall

which

immortality
perfectly aware

not

were

wonder

fact; and

views

individual

that, if I

clear

the

consciousness,"

my

conviction

the

of

any

And
in any

manner

require

mise
sur-

absurdly
deeply
so

logician and

230
a

to

Discovery

Strange

professional physicist, were

it. As with
comprehend

given

us,

next

life

nearly

all

find the

shall

we

simple.

very

highly educated

it

explained,
of the

conditions
Educated

men

"

particularly
^when
they

and

men,

educated

has

God

all that

theologians
fish.
touch
this subject remind
of the cuttleme
that is
There
is nothing around
them
not
until, by their own
perfectly transparent
themselves
to
act, everything is obscured
But
whilst the cutand
to their neighbors.
tle-fish
of the zone
of opacity
swims
out
created
by himself, the theologian remains
in his, fighting the obscurity with
logic for
"

"

that purpose

the poorest of all devices.

boat
with
guide an emotional

cannot

Something

rudder.

our

than

convincing

more

bodies

will not

shall

we

long
again begin to

is,that, though
death

of this

it will not
almost

at

body

be lost for
after

once

obscured

long time.
death

the

tellect
in-

much
that

me

in their graves
live ; and my

consciousness

be

an

me

tells

reason,

be

to

You

fore
being
feel-

will at the

for

time,

I feel that

mystery

of

conscious

self.
itindividuality will again assert
Refined
by this life,as the molecular

construction

of

is refined
inorganic matter
the
by passing through
organic life, so
consciousness
the
molecules
lately within
of j-our
discarded
be
body, will not
as

A
the

Strange

Discovery

consciousness

mineral

within

231

like

molecules

of

of

vegetable matter; for it will

be your
consciousness
your consciousness,
created
by God and developed by His edict
in
developed after slumbering for ages withthe mineral; awakening
to
quicker action
in the vegetable world;
touching the
or

"

"

domain

of

animals;

aroused

conscious
to

in

existence
last

at

what,

made

in the
'

fourth

us

from

direction

should

'

exist, and

body, and
mystery
world, possibly

new

of what

"

we

might

of consciousness.
be

not

knowing

in another

"

dimension

there

no;

not

late

your

for

ready

know

we

in
lower
memory
tellect
inkeener
moral
and

anything

that

now

to

call

Oh,
prevent

shall continue

we

upward,

upward, upward.
Nature
permits us, in each sphere of
being, to catch a glimpse of the succeeding
will not
ourselves
obstruct
if only we
one,

to

to

go

ever

the view."
A

dropped into an
rhapsodical, running

later

moment

almost
on

of

some

he

the

scenic

beauties

mated,
animent
comrounding
sur-

Hili-li.
"

fects
the scenic efsaid, what
have
been, everywhere within the
must
of that great lake of fire,covering
illumination
"

Imagine,"

an

miles

"

he

area

of

that

great

nearly
lake

hundred

two

of

white,

square

boiling,

232

earthy

Strange

Discovery

brilliantlylighting the long

of those mountains,
night. Think

matter,

antarctic

in
six miles
offshoot
Olympian
pus,
Olymheight; and of the peak called Mount
feet above
looming up ten thousand
that
Try to
even
great mountain-range.
hanging
picture the valleys, the chasms, the over-

the

with

cliffs,the
like

smaller

many

watch-fires

mammoth

active

Hghted

ters,
craon

mountain-tops in all directions; and the

of glistening salt, thrown
by upheavals
the mounof the earth
tain-side.
high upon

the
masses

Cannot

almost

you

behold

the

of
the
brush
May
we
not, with
vision
mental
a
fancy, paint for our
many
picture? Here
we
high
see,
strange, weird
the mountain-front,
of crystal
on
a
mass
salt
millions
of tons
thrown, by a
many
of terrestrial power,
sand
mere
fillip
thirty thoufeet above
the ocean
level, to rest and
the bosom
of that old
sparkle like a gem
on
Then, still highmountain-god,
Olympus.
er,
the very
summit
for even
on
here, in
the glare of this great crater, where
ration
evaporains upward
from
the sea, all vapor
is quickly condensed
the
and
frozen
on
like the tresses
of
higher peaks
we
see,
the
and
ice overaged, the pearly snow
hanging
the
brow.
Olympian
Aye, may
scene?

"

"

"

"

we

not

"

even

Bainbridge drew

As

under

would,

suppose

have

been

face

toward

told

the

expected

The

wretched

look

at

that the

who

flow

I could

of

Even

the

I could

not, of course,

which

fall the load

that

What

"

ice

that

broke

the

camel's

of annoyance

; and

I had

into

chair

rashly trusted,

so

the

air; and, with

with
where

know
the

was

the

last
let

Bainbridge

as

not

we

even

factotum,
shot

from

his

waving,
he
excitement,
arms

"

ice,
if

only had a drove of Giganticus

for 'em to run
old Olympus
over

cows,

salt, and

would

the

that

other

climate!

of that
Now

that

fellow

It

"

eyes

and

I did

see

back, and

glistening with
fairlyyelled:
Great
geewhilikin ! Think
and

cannot

added

words,
Aye, may
that
miserable
," Arthur,

whom

from
I have

could

and

the

uttered

pected
ex-

rupt
inter-

poured

day, I
done, though
Was
coming.

have

snow

straw

the

"

this late

at

"

words

"

say that
misinform

eloquence

of what

nature

catastrophe

"

lips of Bainbridge.

what

for
happens"
us;
frequently does happen.
very
^would
not
boy did not

and

me,

done?

what

circumstances,

any

me

Those

never

the

toward

sured.
cen-

close, I was
sittingwith my
Arthur, and the actions of that

hand.

the

be

to

his

unpolished gem
at

233

reader, I expect

dear

Well,

was

Discovery

Strange

ice-cream

fellows

free,
be?

-^

234

free

ice, free salt, free cream,

of 'em
end
all, too!
no

Free
and
hot

Discovery

Strange

hole

'ud

man

be

in that
Why,
ice-cream
king in no

doesn't

now!

time.

Well,

windows

You're
bulge?
don't
speak again

Please

till I
I could

rest

stop

not

efifect,and

my

make

that

your
Doc.

shoutin',

in

the

guage
lan-

same

mind,

if you

him.

Frowning

love

me

had

!"
no

of his outburst

end

the

toward

fodder,

But
it was
no
use.
protested in words.
He
spoke quickly, and he spoke very loudly,
lost on
and
word
not
Bainbridge.
a
was
but
of humor;
Bainbridge had a fine sense
other
like many
humorists, he did not relish
the subject. Any
he was
jocositiesof which
connected
with
Hili-li,
levity in any manner
even

would

I knew

from

had

be

the

stay

brought
for

the

at

to

altered

moment

Bainbridge
that

from
of

the

most

solemn

he

would

have

hotel

Hili-li.

Olympus

the

the

Peters

sailor himself,

is

import.
taken

But
to

countenance

seriousness

stem

who

one

slightestlevity from
of

old

the

happenings
during
sailor's home, which
had
face, had never
own
my

old

smile

taken

Little

seriously.

our

the

even

He

unendurable.

beginning

disclosures, and
very

him

to

with

of
coming
be-

gathering facts of
I am
positive that
a

poor

grace

the

ject
myself on the subfrom
the bell-boy of a

even

become

pasture

field

236
"

Strange

But

Doctor

here

to

after

tell
shall

each

me

all

you

to
start

the

you,

this,

morning,
about
from

learn

at

or

and

ice-cream

and

the
here

as

parlor."

probably

be

the

dent.
inci-

may

dress

come

will

before

evening

dollar

doubt,

no

you

doctor.
is

to

buried

Arthur,

the

amount

will,

least

and

what

not

will

evening,

forgotten,
But

does

Bainbridge

to-morrow

have

it

mind;

never

much.

Discovery

So,
to

night
good-

help

you

The

ON

Sixteenth

Chapter

the

followingevening,at his usual

hour, Bainbridge entered my apartment;
and

after

greeting, seated

interruption of
acting as
had
"

not

the

customary

himself.

No

of Arthur's

made

was

the

tion
men-

hapless

evening before,

if that

miserable

bridge
Bain-

incident

occurred.

If I remember

rightly,"he said,

"

we

left

ters
back, and PeAhpilus lying with a broken
ing
crouchstanding by him, with Lilama
whilst on
the opposite side of the
near;
chasm
stood
or
Pym, Diregus, and
canyon
the boatman,
who
had accompanied the rescue

party in their
"

After

moment

of the mountain.

ascent

of

astonishment,

regus
Di-

of
inquired concerning the condition
Ahpilus; and Peters repliedthat the maniac
in danger of dynot
not
ing;
only lived,but was
ever,
that he was
scarcely conscious, howin
and that even
if fullyaroused
would
237

238

Discovery

Strange

probability not be able to walk

knowing from personal experience
all

'

'

accidents

what

results

the

Peters

"

with

ilar
sim-

likely

were

be.

to
"

When

she

the

approached

of her

childhood

least appear
There

several

was

miles

friend

the

"

girlhood ^and did

make
his position at

to

"

comfortable.

"

for

possible way

no

unite, other

to

man

statement,

her

could

more

party

Peters'

injured

and

little she

what

heard

Lilama

than

by returning

the mountain-side.

down

vided
di-

the

Now

Ahpilus not only

mentally alienated from his people but also
to
physicallyhelpless,a kindly feeling came

that

Lilama

the
to

for their

party

condition

pitiable
as

were

carry

the

on

Peters

injured

the
This

he

at

of four

course

down

five hours,

stopped for a rest a number

reached
point in the descent
a
narrowed

than

of
as

tQ

feet, and

ten

well

as

width

which

across

logs had

very

and

tive
sensi-

was

the

began

once

he

canyon

and

some

ure
subject of Ahpilus's futsaid that he could easily

man

or

reduced

thus

doubly lamentable,

then

; and

friend

old

refined
so
persons
the Hili-lites.
There

to

discussion

the

safe, and

was

been

those

on

side.
mountain-

during

which

of times, he
at

which

of

not

rude

constructed.
the

in

do; and

to

the
more

bridge
footama,
Lil-

opposite side

of the chasm,
the divided
"

party

him

about

it

looked

into

his

mind,

they

saw

"

words

returned,

to

even

those

eyes,
a

the

soul

the

it

or

which

accompanied
spine had, in some

had

the

the
way,

also

those

mild

delusions

clouded

two.

In

that

Ahpilus

brilliant mind;

so

fact,

from

past
the

present
shock

breaking of his
ness,
dispelled his mad-

less

and

swer
an-

days,

recent

nervous

that

appears

soon

could

relating to

past year

was

man

time.

years

at

Ahpilus

to

to

and

of the

unruffled, and

Diregus soon
recognized
knew
nothing of his own
period antedating his exile
It

the

that

windows

stricken

question

no

only

not

but

Diregus addressed
of inquiry; but

that

apparent

that

nature.

Then

some

gathered

quite the Ahpilus of

happier days. As his old friends

and

with

friends

old

the

on

looked

man

former

peace

placed

observed

was

consciousness

helpless

or

his

Peters; and

together.

gently

as

239

with

pace
came

now

was

and

ground;

kept

had

Ahpilus

had

Discovery

Strange

maniacal,
which

for

paratively
com-

several

wise
perverted his otherthat he

was

again

the

Ahpilus of former
times; but in all the sixty or seventy years
that he might yet live,he never
again would
be able to walk, or even
to stand, unaided.
same

loving

and

lovable

240
"

Strange

The

Discovery

of five, carrying the

party

helpless

their
on
silently continued
in the course
of
to Volcano
Bay, which
way
There
hour they reached.
they found the
an
other boatmen
waiting for them, and, also,
a number
standing here and there in groups,
It had
of the exiles, among
them
Medosus.
man,

sadly

and

gone

forth

among

these

land, that something unusual

fearingsomething, they knew
had
of

determined

the

were

at

astir; and,
what, they

was

not

the

Hili-li-

movements

invading party.
plained
exDiregus soon
what
had brought them
to Olympus,

the

and

observe

to

of

pariahs

results
first

had

of their

search.

quite unable

crossed

the

to

The

believe

chasm

exiles

that
the

at

ters
Pe-

point

stated, though lying was

in Hili-li

the

stating positively
(visitorsexcepted)

history of

that

but

that country
three adult liars

had

existed

the

last of whom

died.

in Hili-li for five hundred

When

had,

the

few

be attacked;
and

whom

Peters

well
when

and

but

the

centuries

of its cause,
that Peters

moments

Diregus, and
they knew
as

two

lost

art,

years,

before,

Olympians (as the exiles

derision called) learned
of

generally in
Ahpilus's condition,
were

for

the

soothing

the
had

presence

been

words
of

in extreme

it peared
apwould
of

Pym

Lilama,
ger,
dan-

expression on the face of

he first grasped the idea that an

as

Discovery

Strange

attack

him

upon

imminent

was

things together prevented

"

When

the

comfortable

their

to

the

possible in

had

boat, and

Medosus

shore, and

asked

for the exiles

Councillors

in

did

control

realitythe

father

King

"

Duke
and

made

Ahpilus

the bottom

as

of the

preparatory

Diregus

if he

message

to

to

would

the

King

of Hili-li,andalsoto the aged

was

whose

trouble.

stepped down

mystic, Masusselili,who,
who

all of these

"

themselves

seated

return,

convey

and

had

party

as

241

the

though

not

chief adviser

kingdom.

an

ficial,
of-

of those

Diregus,

perhaps second only to the

it was
that the
supposed by many
the real power
behind
the throne,
was

it

was

within

was

the
his

possibility that
some
day reign

of reasonable

range

Diregus,

son,

might

hear
replied that he must
before
making any promise.
message
his former
that
Medosus,
knowing
"

the
Then

friend

schoolmate

and
with
them

believe

to

himself

majority
present;

of
but

time), spoke
Say for
"

Exiles

of

be

had
all

Hili-lite
had

as

follows

us

to

did

in sympathy

really

not

in any way
vicious
regus
(Ditwice
offended, as had a

he

'

Honorable

exiles, and

the

heart

at

was

offended

not

His

and

youths, past
for

third

Majesty,

and

to

the

Councillors, that

we,

the so-called

Olympus, request

our

release, and

242
also

we

any

Discovery

Strange

permission

to

Hili-li.

to

return

In making

this request we
not
are
willingto say that
in the past done
have
to the State
ever
serious
We
have, however,
wrong.

reached

of life when

time

we

willing to
wrestling,

are

abjure the delights and benefits of

of ground-ball, of bat-ball, and
of other athletic
are
willing to promise not
sports. We
of surrounding islands
again to visit the savages
a

"

We
sport.
regret the broken
ing
duroccurred
Selimus, which

rare

of young

neck
a

of

game

ground-ball

three

some

and
we
regret the accidental
ago,
of a few other
think
bones; but we

breaking
these

more

of Testube

Amurosus

accidents

"

which

whilst

in their own
they were
performing experiments of
benefit, so far as we
know,

people
the

of

Hili-li.

lamentable
four

some

whilst

cidents
ac-

deplorable than the death

the scholar, or the blinding of the

no

chemist,

years

death

years

observing

meteors.

ago

the

And

we

might
of

also

ask

tories,
laboraterial
ma-

no

the

to

allude

to

Solarsistus, who

fell from
noted

curred
oc-

his

tower

shower
these

of
wise

ing
fallmen

mind
is
particularly MasusseHli, whose
cultivated
^what
his body is neglected
as
as
of the
would
become
they think
people
of Hili-li if, at some
future
time, even
so

"

"

few

as

one

thousand

such

men

as

these

244
ures

whom

upon

fire

shone

ever

time

the

lightof yonder craterthe sun

whom
perhaps upon
of
had scarcely sixty seconds

"

he

shone;

ever

Discovery

Strange

which

in

determine

to

die, or he should
terrible death, with
a

whether

should

take

hand-to-hand

powerful

certain

abyss

an

and

then

would

of half the

width

have

of
flict,
con-

adversary,
his leap by a
have
leaped

an

of that

one,

met

an

"

in Hili-li could

man

much,

as

chance

ordinary adversary,
been
wonderfully brave deed.
a
and, too, he succeeded.
promptly

No
half

should
To

have

to

decided

He

him

successful.

prove

over

for

confront

to

miracle

madman

the

she

had

even

he

dared

have

done
the

attempt

feat.
"

'

That, I think, is all,'continued

'

We

Medo-

rarely found our rulers deaf

to reasonable
believe that
petitions, and we
mature
they will, upon
deliberation, annul
of ten
sentences
If
our
years' banishment.

sus.

do

not

have

overtax

I should

suggest

thought
and

"

to

your

Since

surveys
terminated

ship which
fifty years

like to
father
the

and

the

after

the
about

us

have

we

in

ask

and

to

your

tience,
pa-

Diregus,

you,

Masusaelili

termination

which

visited

ago,
Hili-li is situated

time

your

State

to

this

of those

tended
ex-

inaugurated

departure of that
two

hundred

and

aware

that

been

great inland

sea,

about

hundred

twelve

contains

the

and

in which

mainland
also
to

three

some

island

pies
occu-

miles

direction,

one

miles

in another

hundred

hundred
in

sea

from

the

direction.

est
near-

We

are

that the

aware

found

us

main

our

hundred

nine

three

to

mainland

nearest

some

hundred

two

position

245

miles in diameter, which

from

islands, and
from

Discovery

Strange

sailingvessel which came

entrance
through this vast

an

ring-likecontinent,

which

is

entrance-way

miles in width, and is the

only three hundred
of access
to this inland
only means
cept
sea, exa

channel

narrower

the

to

opening,

in

warm

currents

until

the

broader

central

very
warmth

swift, and

is

The

the
we

have

of

by

the

been

nev6r

narrower

central

and

one

inward, which

source

completely frozen,
the

passed;

current

warm

of which

to

broader

by
part, is traversed
outward, which remain
warm

broad

conveys

The

one.

its main

continent

determine.

diametricallyopposite

or

choked

only

sea

great
able

passage,

is

to

ally
gener-

with

ice,

water

at

The
land
mainfreezingtemperature.
consists chiefly of volcanic mountains,
with ice, and is wholly
is apparently covered
have
we
long thought
impassable. Now,

nearly

the

ourselves

safe

from

really are

from

the

within

the

savages

this great

world,

outer

sea.

of the

We

as

other

know

we

ands
islthat

246
in

the

there

to

the

thirty

that

two

hundred

and

those

found

Councillors

only wish

their

of

minds

whose

great

in

event

have

occurred

The

conditions

long protect
and
to

chance

I suppose,
to

leave

world

vast

world

the

conveyed

But

will learn

the

over

two

of

men

in

some

us

and

gold lying on

must

in

ship.
some

the vast

like
ring-

volcanoes

will

design

same
a

few.

will not
way

of

course

our

As

the

shore

covered
diswill

by
usual,

be

allowed

the

outside

exhaustless

supplies of these pebbles' (he pointed

of

some

that

have

then

and

mapped,
has

ened
sharp-

ours

strait will be

warm

wiser,

are

world

outer

of ice-covered

these
us.

who

Yet, whilst

us,

Now

safety.

solitude, that

of the

many,

us

ever
shall for-

precedingthe visit of

continent

which

the

changed.

manner

carry

and

not

during
Hence,
our

we

like

not

are

by hardship

in

those

to

suggest

that

could

tried

lives.

here

secreted
to

they

left us;

ever

vessel

think

to

appear

remain

had

us,

beyond.
ship-load of

great

ago,

that

to

mate
ani-

token,

the

save

ten

every

the

from

sailed

our

some

fiftyyears

who

remainder

then

had

came,

and

again have

but

since

have

we

none

the

and

inanimate,

or

But

time

ship;

years

years

once

another

at

came

us

of

history
wrecked
two
sailors,
a
single sailor; then

first thousand
came

and

T"iscovRR\

Sirange

to

of the

gets
nug-

bay),

A
'

which

our

Discovery

Strange
know

we

that

museum,

from

the

are

and

Rome,

247

same

others

as

brought

ancestors

our

of which

so

"

in

our

says

cient
an-

history one pebble the size of a fingerend would

purchase a human
captive ! Some
chance
will carry to those people (no doubt
"

the

descendants

of those

exterminated

barbarians

who

most
al-

Roman

ancestors)a
picked
knowledge of this.' Here Medosus
from the ground a nugget
of gold about
the
size of a large orange,
and threw it carelessly
from
him
into the bay.
he said,
Aurum,'
of our
the curse
cestors!
andisdainfully
;
aurum,
our

'

'

What
endure

would

gain

to

the

lie scattered

that

Stuff which

we

spears,

us?

and

starved

almost

with

to

come

And,

is

poor

and

two

too,

come,

weapons,
to

for

people

our

like these

without

Astuteness

spears.

will

practisedarms

and

islands?

only in building and

it is easily worked,

use

bright, and lasting. What

do when
ship-loads of men
strangers

this stuff

volcanic

our

world

outer

ship-loadsof

over

because

pavements,

the

not

use

weapon,

not

but

their
when

who
are
against men
avarice:
with
maddened
bravery, physical
by
fortitude; the strong arm, backed
power,
inured to danger
the quick eye, and the mind
it is the

"

avail
homes

only

weapon,

these, in such
to

protect
from

our

time

of need, will alone

lives,our

ruthless

foe.

land, and

our

248
"

'

Pardon

I became

friend?

understand

You

myself.
I know

talked,

fate of my
of my
fellow-

in that

than

even

as

in the

interested

more

exiles and

that

you

will

my

me,

speak

for

Good-by.'

us.
"

And

then

^at first

"

the

outlet

boat
open

were

moved

exiles
from

good-by,
the

shore

by paddle-power; but on reaching

of Volcano
Bay the sails of their
the
across
spread for the run

sea."

Here

ment
Bainbridge paused for a monarration, lighted a cigar, took

Doctor
in his

whifif
"

the

wishing

party in the boat

the

prolixity;but,

my

countrymen,
old

Discovery

Strange

or

You

two,
must

continued:

then

and

pardon

me

for

entering

so

and
his fellow-exi
fully into the afifairs of Medosus
It was
only by tact and patience
that, little by little,I gathered from
Peters
for this verbosity is,
the facts.
My excuse
that from
the speech of Medosus
whose
words
show
that he supposed Pym
and
ters
Pe"

would
"

we

never

be

obtain, better
of information

allowed

to

than

from

which

leave
all

Hili-li
other

opened to
Peters, an insight of the geographical knowledge,
and
of many
of the peculiarities,of a
yond
a people which, bestrange, isolated people
all doubt, I think, is descended
from
the pure
stock; and also beimperialRoman
sources

"

were

Strange Discovery

A
cause

it

exiles

afterward

explains

were

thus

and

friends

when,
It

enabled

City

to

it did

who

whilst

French,

and

wei'e

you
"

the

to

them

influence

American

crease
in-

less,
reck-

more

be at
these

"

of

Pym,

quality of English,

in lands

man,
Ger-

soldiers

that

where, he said, sports

plained
(he exof sparring, cricket, etc.)
restricted by law.
in no manner
(This,
in the year
will remember,
was
1828.)

similar
games
the nature

and

of future

strangers

no

overcoming

and
the

growing

time

same

described

produced

were

suggestion

the exiles continue

assist in

considerations,

depopulation.

of Medosus,
message
of Lilama's
lesson
tion,
abduc-

in number
the

with

the

possibilitiesshould

hand

relatives

of

threatened

joined with the

carrying as

at

their

Hili-li,at a time
of brief duration, the islands

that

and

the
by which
their liberty,and

assist

to

in the

were

seems

means

obtained

though

of Hili-li

the

249

The

rescue

to

party

those

were

of Hili-li

met

at the

Duke's

landing by all the residents of the palace,

relatives and friends of Lilama,
and by many
As soon
who
had gathered to receive her.
feat was
Peters'
wonderful
explained, he
as
became
"

The

the hero
Hili-htes

of the island.
showed

themselves

like other races.

respect much
rescind
to
decided
sooner

They
the

in
had

one
no

interdict

250

the

against

hitherto

than

games,

these

popular;

added

that

patronize
they became

began
immediately

and

to

athletic

obnoxious

all classes

sports, and

very

Discovery

Strange

the

of contests

at

to

other

games
leaping. Some

was

of

performed at this time by Peters

of his perwere
certainly astonishing. One
formances
which
took
hibition
place during an exin the presence
of the elite of Hili-li,
to
improvised platform,
was
an
leap from
the ground, grasp
placed eighty feet above
of a tree
the
limb
which
projected about
and
several
feet away
thirty feet beneath
from
the platform, instantly drop to another
limb, twenty-five feet lower, and then to the
observer
he appeared
To
to
an
ground.
limb
jump from the platform, to strike one
and
then another
in his descent, and
to
fall,
the

feats

of bruised

mass

flesh

the earth; the real

upon

instead, he fell lightly on

to

away

climax

bones,

being when,

his feet,and

for his next

prepare

broken

and

act

walked

in this

public

display.
"

But

we

proceeding
will tell at

pilus. He
love

of

hasten

must
to
once

had

And

on.

before

subjects of greater interest, I

what
when

was
a

the

future

boy been

of Ah-

noted

for

he could
when
study, and now
no
his attention
ary
longer walk, he turned
to literpursuits. Masusaelili took an interest in
a

252

Strange
she

Lilania,

the

to

that

for
that

again,

have

precluded

time,

the

the

the
all

injured

quiet

very

the

man

The

Hili-li.

of

perhaps

account

and,

form

ing
accord-

married

were

was

ceremony

might

Pym

and
usual

thought

Discovery

one.

of

customs

of

lack

have

Hili-li

festivity;

any

incident

Ahpilus
social

ding
wed-

gaiety

being

still

paused

for

such

at

in

may
a

ous
precari-

condition."
Here
took

Bainbridge
a

turn

long-neglected
seated

or

two

cigar
himself,

across

that
and

the
he

moment,
relit

floor,
held

continued:

in

his

the
gers,
fin-

The

Seventeenth

is

IT

in

pleasant

to

the

of

life

Chapter

dwell

on

this

period

We
Pym.
think of his home
the far-away island
on
of Nantucket,
with
the loving
mother, the proud father, the doting
old grandfather all cast
aside, and probably
forever, by the momentary
follyof a boy;
of his connection
then
with the ship-mutiny
of the most
horrible
unquestionably one
the fate of man
positions in which it is ever
young

"

"

of his friend and

his
stand; the death
friend's father; the shipwreck, and the long,
lonely days of watching, in hunger and thirst,
for a sail; the final loss of all companions
animal
half-breed, whose
save
a
gorilla-like
to

instinct
poor
comes

of

love

the
fidelityfell about
Then
boy like a protecting garment.
this bright spot in his life away
in

Hili-liland, like
clouds

of

shone

with

and

day.
253

For

rift in

Pym the
heavenly effulgence,whilst

stormy

momentary

the
sun

the

254

Discovery

Strange

for a time
destiny were
but when
removed;
again the clouds closed
between
him and the brightness of existence,
Yet
this mere
forevermore.
they closed
life hardship and danger had
boy, into whose
introduced
than the experience of most
more
old men,
enjoyed, too, what many
very aged
have
men
never
possessed ^what Alexander
the Great
never
possessed that of which

obstructions

of

dire

"

"

wealth

other

or

actually to deprive
what

worth

was

is, the

that

loved

woman,

and

faithful

truly in

He

than

more

seems

power

men.

many

by wealth

backed
"

of

source

enjoyed

all that

of

beautiful

This

return.

give

can

power

love

tion
ambi-

boy

was

loved

her
who
by one
was
capable with
sire,
dewitching loveliness of satisfying every
enthralling the imagination, rousing
in the heart that passion which
inspires the
in harmony
mind
it throbs
to regions where
with
the
touches
Divine, and
as
might
with his parched lips
some
dying desert-waif
the very
of love
a
cooling fountain
source
"

"

itself.
debased

But

the

and

purposes

debasing,

of His

low

in the

True
scale

how

links

own,

Aphroditic passion
two
are
separable,
them.

of human

most

to

and
love

the
man

may
of life,and

love

vile!

how

"

God,

for mankind
love

be
as

the

Divine.

assuredly

for

The
rates
sepa-

witnessed

high, as

as
con-

sciousness
of

the

is found.

faithful

master's
away.

is to

barred

blotted
With

loved

in

harem,

of

of

has

behind
sometimes

but

empire;

ever.
for-

Man

doors

he

has

not

divine.

beatific

old

choose

that

to

would

of

imagination

that

eternal

who

love
be

concretion
of love

ocean

paradise

was

as

every
mountain

all else is dwarfed

"

have

ly.
perennial-

bloomed

feels to

which

nothingness
and

"

I think, such

beside

of wealth

it may
it
that

or

age
think

have

was,

endless

is divine.
sometimes

It

utter

illumination

it may
have
been
love
not
a
carried him
have
safely into and

we

growth

"

on

heart

Pym

would

been;

into

howling

dies

everywhere,

the

out

through

man

that

igniteit into

tlirone

the

that

find it in the

herself

her

placed

"

255

anguish its life

find it in the purity of woman's
it rests ready for the conheart, where
tact
Woman

on

We

animal

grave,
And
we

that

the

Discovery

Strange

where

from
"

exists

to

the

glimpse
the

mighty,
Al-

is Love.

judge

I should

what

from

which

Peters

knows

gleaned by patient
that wicked
toil from
though unsophisticated
of intelligence,
that these
old segment
had
most
a
delightful,
two
persons
young
ney.
though extremely peculiar,wedding jourwell

enough,

The

but

months

had

flown, until it

was

256 A
again

Discovery

Strange

December

midsummer

antarctic

the

"

month, in which, and the greater part of

January, there is no night.
of the antarctic
At this,the dehghtful season
yacht-like vessel was
year, a beautiful
equipped; and with Peters a? captain, and
"

four

his

under

men

and

Lilama,

orders;

maids; and Pym, accompanied

lady friend, with two
close friend, Diregus,
by his now
the journey began.
Peters'
remarkable
To
mind, the most
the extreme
part of this pleasure excursion, was
"

differences
which

the

hour's

travel.

was

so

In

December

warm

of the

America;

single
January,
be

to

yet

at

zone

of

period

of

temperate
this

able
habit-

habitable

comfortably

central

the

and

scarcely

as

certainly not

for natives
North

within

experienced
single day's, or even

of

"

conditions

party

range

Hili-li

climatic

in

same

small
island on
the metime, there was
a
ridian
of Hili-li,and
only thirty miles from
the large surface-crater, on
which
the temperature
was
'

across

The

about

island
ice

was

above

of somewhat
at

all times

the

sea-level, and

be

area,

which,

Hili-lites

of mountain-

central

found

just

was,

the

rings

greater
to

There
^as

"

of the

surrrounding

F.
'

Mountain

frequently spoke
ranges

65"

crater

upon
at

"

an

which
few

feet

during eight

Discovery

Strange

months

of the year,
have
life could

variable

at

existed

distances

cold

so

from

almost

desired

any

wealthier

Hili-lites

that

to

were

be found

owned

dences
resi-

summer

out-lying islands,
sailingdistances varying from an

at

six hours'
"

travel

from

The

temperature.

these

on

mal
ani-

no

it. Then,
upon
the crater, and in

directions,islands

different
of

was

257

situated
hour

to

Hili-li.

The

wedding-party, owing to the social

position or the personal qualitiesof its members
which

"

included

official rank,

prestige, beauty, mental

preternatural prowess
was
It was
welcomed.
warmly

culture, and

everywhere
ceived
expected, re-

"

with
entertainment
visit

The

Lilama,
It

was

the crater

as

be

of

to

year

round.

body

of men,
or

the

was

of

to

make

its

island

the

the

owned

was

that

seems

islands

of the animals

originalsettlers,it

was

able.
habit-

distance

same

so

nearly one
temperature
at work
They found
numbering not more
It

by

temperature

comfortably

Hili-li ; and

trial of the various

the

island

at about

twenty.

descendants

the

they found

but

source

enjoyable.

visited

where

quite cold,

as

island

party

every

exhausted

was

each

at

and

arms,

open

tary
heredi-

as

situated
all the
there
than

found

teen
fif-

for the

home

brought

making

upon
a

from

south
that

by

upon

258

Discovery

Strange

this island conditions

the

were

sheep for their wool;

raised, Lilama's
than

from

and

income

other

next

the

much

was

the

island

for raising

from

greater

looked

in Hili-liland.

dififerent from

very

there

found

were

the

others

tically,
prac-

island
in that

central
region, and that its mountainous
appeared altogether dififerent from
other
to

in Hili-liland.

of the mountains

say

if he had

ever

Lilama's

mountain

which

but

could

"

entered

up

he

he

so

parts of the.

in which

saw

plied,
re-

thought,

island, the

Peters

kept.
there

he

says

party

the

cious
pre-

that

the

of all sizes

were

cept
large hen-egg, and of all colors exHe
being
particularly remembers
green.
cluding
specimens, ingiven several beautiful
blue, red, yellow, violet, gray, and

to

white
and

were

which

gems

warehouse

small

stones

why

the

any

mountain-range

of various

Appalachian range.
In strollingabout

tion
por-

Asked

resembled,

say

him

it reminded

that

not

seen

on

knows

Peters

nothing, either theoreticallyor

of geology; but he says
this

to

wool

found

precious stones
later, though precious stones
no

best

stones,
a

all transparent;

brown-gray

opaque

black

stone.

stone,
These

of course,
the sapphire, ruby, topaz,
amethyst, and other varieties of conmdum,
were,

the islands

evidently containing no

emeralds

26o

like the full moon.

its

as

length of the gallery,

forty-fivedegrees,

The

gradient is about

be about

must

Discovery

Strange

mile

and

half.

Out

of the

gallery,at several points in the ascent, passes

with the
side-tunnel, communicating
a small
exterior.
"

still another

On

miles

Hili-li,but

from

that

"

is to

heat

diminished

much

there

party visited

certain

each

by

time

which

; and

ruins
one

ridian
me-

same

air-

warm

current

dilution

covered

was

The

year.

of the

Hili-lites.

which

farms, from

same

by

ruins

greatly puzzled the

quite large, and
was
taken

in the

hundred

the

about

on

say,

the

though

current,

island, about

was
"

the

had

always

The

island

cultura
agri-

with

single crop was

were
injured
quite un-

small

ure
struct-

stone

complete as to be scarcely more

be any
than would
dilapidatedin appearance
other
old and
neglected stone
building in
so

was

Hili-li.
structures

were

centuries

the
found
these
it

The

came

these

stone

of

composed
of their

which
had

residence

the

various

never

there

in all
been

in
than
by the Hili-lites elsewhere
buildings; the supposition being that

from

the

tinent.
great surrounding conBut, after all,the real peculiarityof

in their
buildings was
The
of obtaining from
dififlculty
architectural facts,you
will never

architecture.

Peters

any

appreciate

Strange

unless

attempt,

you

such
these

of arches
his

fact

and

Hili-lite

columns

the

of
that

roof

the

in

unable

am

that

the

only

not

that

by the

presence

he

yet

of the

one

supported without
resistance, and without

in
nor

because

party;

be

that

that the absence

intact.

was

cure
pro-

columns

knows,

in his

to

members

equally certain
could

he

to

declares

observation, but

own

ruins

done,

neither

he also declares

alluded

was

the

He

buildings were

261

I have

as

information.

arches; and
from

Discovery

is

larger of

How

reasonable

roof
cal
verti-

arch

resistance,
it is wholly improbable

say ; and
walls in a building of its dimensions

to

could, without
arch, support a roof.
an
The
artful in
Hellenes, you recall,were
very
the arch, though
hiding from observation

they frequently employed it. I admit that I

have
old man
Peters
must
greatly bored
this subject of architecture; and
I
as
over
next
to nothing of the subject,
myself know
absolutely nothing
technically,and he knows
of it,technically or otherwise, and as he took
when
interest in the ruins even
they were
no
that my
his eyes, you will understand
information
concerning these ruins is not
before

for

It

clear.

very
me

which

to
to

gain
base

architecture

from
an

utterly impossible

also

was

the

old

opinion

of these

as

structures.

man

to

data
the

The

upon
style of
build-

262

Discovery

strange

ful,
large, very beautitinct
in a style entirely disancient
style that is,

ings generallywere

very

constructed

and
from

known

any

"

for

instance, they were

Egyptian, or Assyrian,
further, there
unknown

into the

overflow
also

at

unknown

to

Pym.

time

the

Roman
In

Then,

said.

inscriptions in

were

the world

to

and

or

This

Roman.

or

knew

Hili-lites

the

much

Hellenic,

not

characters

of the

barian
bar-

Empire, and

one

of the

ruins

made
of blue and yellow
large window
in which
corundum,
appeared an
transparent
inscription made
by a setting of rubies.
What
entire
a
strange world, in which
of them
and go, some
races
come
leaving a
ruin or two, and perhaps an
odd indecipherable
The
world
inscription here and there!
a

was

"

fortunate

was

indeed

to

grasp,

from

the

literat
ob-

and

and
forgotten past, Hebraism
moral
and
Hellenism
the
the
beautiful;
man's
from
which
craving for goodness has
in Christianity; and from
resulted
which
his
and
impulses of sweetness
brightness and
loveliness
have
developed the Renascence!
Between
goodness and beauty, why should
there
be conflict?
Pure
ever
goodness is
love, and love is almost
pure
synonymous
with beauty.
But, pardon the digression.
"

"

"

The

liland

tour

of the

continued

islands

through

comprising
December

Hiliand

Strange

January.

I could

gayeties in

many

these

from

tell you
a

263

much

of the social

bright country-home

but in these
months;
interested, and I could

two

much

not

was

Discovery

him

ing
dur-

Peters
not

get

of the

far
particulars. Thus
I have
all facts unpolluted
to keep
by any possiblealloy of my own
imagination
let me
continue
and
in
to
be, in word
Were
I to attempt
spirit,true to the facts.
island festivities in faraway
a description of these
Hili-liland, perhaps, inadvertently
I might say somethe facts being meagre
thing
untruth; and, rather
bordering on
many
striven

"

"

"

than

untruth

"

thousand

times

rather

"

silence.
"

I will close

that

for this

evening

by saying

and
wedding-party arrived at the islthe year
of Hili-li about
February ist
time before
starting on
being 1829. Some
the tour, Lilama
had
begun the consti'uction of a new
and by the time of her
home;
Her
dence
resiit was
return
new
completed.
not
was
large, but it was
elegant.
Here
the happy couple dwelt, Peters
having
himself
which
to
was
an
enough
apartment
sailor wild with
to
set
a
joy. Peters says
the

"

much
what
he
that he grew
to like very
'
that it was
volcano
tobacco;
good
'

'

strong
that.

"

The

to

his

only

taste

mistake

all

the

better

that Lilama's

calls
and

for

archi-

264 A
made

tect

in

in his

roof,

smokes

else

or

for her

I did

not

was

either
Peters

door.

tobacco

past go;

home

new

apartment

next

American

let the

but

plan

Peters'

having

not

the

Discovery

Strange

and

even

sit

now
now

the

on

on

"

edge

thirty hours for

To-morrow
evening I shall tell
nothing.
occurred
of the great catastrophe which
you
the island of Hili-li during the visit of
on
Pym and Peters."
Here
Bainbridge closed his recital for the
have
mained
reevening. I believe that he would
minutes
for at least a few
longer;
but as he was
about
to reply to a question of
of

the

mine,

for

sailor's bed

old

Castleton

rushed

into

the

and

room,

Bainbridge departed.
Castleton, who
excitement,

informed

yellow fever

dreaded

North

its way
return

to

could

see

alarm

overflowing

was

and

for

Then
had

His
I

week

remark

become

or

did

proceeded

that

the

South

if I would
a

ous
joy-

to

was

on

delay my
ten
days I
not

much

tell him

in

Ahpilus, of the
and
and
of the
marriage of Lilama
Pym,
As
I closed,
wedding-tour of the islands.
he

what

it.

of the

that

England

me.

outline

me

with

of

said:
"

be returning
will soon
Young man,
you
to
whose
to
England, that lordly nation
is kinder
than
to its
hind-quarters the sun

When

head-quarters.
made.

here

Hili-li

bridge is a
you

Tell

your

crater

be

romantic

noble

that,

"

the

tell
have

you

wonders

This

fellow

of
Bain-

youth, and he is liable to

some
important respects.

of the central
countrymen
to
doubt, Peters
as
saw;

no

Hili-lites

the

of the pure
being descendants
of ancient
Rome,
that, too, I believe.

stock
But

do

love

which

not

he introduces

yes;

women

than

wealth

five;

true!

forty a

constancy
sir, I once

"

man

of

women

loved
not

better.

true!
very
better than

that gets

"

three

three

takes

^the kind

the

talks of

that

women

I think

I have

the

acme

"

"

Why,

the

same

true

woman's
such

to
stancy,
con-

cal
chimeri-

youth,

recently discarded
of the

hundreds

of

loved, beginning in my

early boyhood, passing through

to

of stuff,that, with

place of the

fiction.

nursery

empire

was

single-heartedness,and
"

Better

me

at

women

of the

one

yet Bainbridge
stuff

Oh,

will pass at twentyhas some

brains.
The

nonsense

'

"

tive.
narra-

"

pshaw!

"

'

time, and

Peters'

will know

"

are

That
at

about

dents
puissant resiCapital of Brains

Corinthian

London

to

pooh!

into

theory

wise, practical,and

of that
I refer

this foolish

repeat

The

me

of

careful.

astray in

lead

home

get

you

them

Tell

but

"

265

of the discoveries

countrymen

your

Discovery

Strange

of my

powers,

my

cence
adolesand

even

266

now

I stand

as

have

any

Show

me

my

But

I know

I know

where

doesn't

come
as

the

of your
bridge's talk

man

me

and

he

other

that
the

Jew

Bain-

Bainbridge.
evenings that he

all about
the

goes

Never

mind

I don't

grave.

need

I'm

"

to

tell

what
Bainsuperlative acumen
mustn't
talk to
implies. He

tell that

stuff

constancy
ten

years

Peters

to

and

mariners."
further

some

It seems,
we

life

her

out

about
woman's
though
single-heartedness till he's

After

"

make-up.

I'll believe

then

here.

older; let him

the

many

if women

their

howling

and

tude!
desue-

these

constant,
in

woman

grave,

bridge.

silent

been

constancy
a

of

one

have

of my

verge

some

would

women

the

on

Surely

on

Discovery

Strange

then, according

moderns
and

than

talk, Castleton

about

owe

the
you

Dago!
and

marked:
re-

to

Bainbridge,

all

we

Now,

men

have

to

tellige
less in-

I, after looking

at

the

Jew and Dago as seen

to-day in the
doubt
United
this assertion.
States, would
I cannot
for through
dispute it, however;
the ancient
Jew certainly came
Christianity,

average

and

through

the

Italy our art."

He
paused for

ancients

moment,

in

Greece

and

then

and

tinued:
con-

268

one

of

our

how

when

man

I used

his name?

utter

the

came

now

introduce

I to

was

I couldn't

But

nose.

talked

that

sharpers

own

his

through
rub:

Discovery

Strange

to

tice
prac-

I rode
as
pronouncing that name
At
in my
around
no
buggy, but it was
go.
I was
last the day came
to introduce
when
to
the fellow with
surplus of knowledge
a
That
fellow
with
the
a
surplus of cash.
sorethroat
with the worst
morning I awoke
at

of my

I felt

life.

if I had

as

my

throat.

nose

to

my

windpipe

and

that

from

was

mouth

my

seven-eighths closed.
recent
habit, I began

chap's
There

name
a

particularly

since

ever

nothing

were

throat

and

grunt

uttered
to

its

me,

sneeze

entific
sci-

I could

could.
in

sneezes

that

"

pose
sup-

before

ever

correctly; but
so
long as my

Castleton

rushed

from

callingback from the head of

in tones
intentionallyaudible
woman
"

the

or

they
sore-

lasted."

Then

and

on

tween
syllable be-

one

had

was

just from

owner

and

grunts

Anglo-Saxon

no

has

"

throat

my

Scott!

than

certain

were

the

Great

it better

pronounce

to

Pretty soon,
to practise

name.

toes
pota-

from
my
passage
closed for repairs,

The

in

boiled

two

It's

on

that

coming,

the

the

room;

stairs,and

to

man

every
floor of the hotel :

sir, depend

upon

it
"

the

Strange

genuine

Discovery

fever

yellow

at

talk,

Heavens!

reached

as

allow

not

first

and
of

too,

but

two

hope

New

ago

leans
Or-

in

case

St.

doctor
it

ported
re-

Louis.

Creator

beneficent

happily,

three
"

Memphis

at

other

some

when,

case,

the

weeks

three

Shreveport

"

will

evaded
"

quarantine
cases

269

to

shall

get

the
have

Bellevue."

The

last

he

descended

sentence

was

the

stairs.

uttered

sotio

voce,

The

"

"W" T

Bainbridge, on
appears," continued
that Hili-li
the following evening,
about
was
subject to the recurrence
"

JL

in

once

thermic
of which

change had
preceding

as

twenty

hours.

its visitations
than

eight

Pym

and

brief

years;

Peters'

occurred
For

for
some

thirty hours,

lasted

The
had

as

between

been

whilst
presence

and

at

and

the

at

in

less

period

of

Hili-li,it had

years

that

of

two

somewhat

eighty-six
reason

had

hundred

one

interval
once

in the

its duration

years;

had

time

times

twenty-one

thousand

another

months.

forty-seven years of a strange

ration
duthe mean
phenomenon,
This
about
was
fiftyhours.

occurred

been

once

not

Chapter

Eighteenth

and
could

some

not

be

conjectured, at these times the wind-currents,

generally varying but slightly in force and
duration, changed, the wind
coming from a
almost
point of the compass
diametrically
opposite to its usual direction, and increas270

ing

in

velocityand

blizzard.

or

few

Discovery

Strange

hours

about

force

The
the

result

hours

miles

state

occurred

which, however,
fell,until

point

zero
"

by

The
the

from

hurricane

sudden

was

not

could

crater

perature
tem-

above

the

than

that

at

the

"

tion
combina-

with

fall of temperature;
of them
between
two

least

state

to
one

warmed

by

of

warmth

was

the

years,

visions
pro-

ample to
By the law of the land,

had

be

except

much

storms

snow-storm,

twenty

loss of life.
houses

were

did

and

rapid

by

made

manner

and

knd

greater

residence

for

the

of custom,
from
these

the interval

prevent

the

of Hili-li,by laws

damage
prevent
which, as I have intimated,

when

the

it ceased.

encouragement

and

very

snowfall

as

somewhat

at

to

very

the

heavy

diminished

government

of

of Hili-li fell to

in all directions

Hili-li,there

"

in

August.
During
change, owing to
of the atmosphere

or

of the

moist

extremely
of

tempest

that

was,

temperature

January; to
freezing,if in July

many

that of

to

Fahrenheit, if in December
or
60"
below
or
70" Fahrenheit

zero

first few

271

during

be

were

built

in such

room

in each

fire.

Fire

never

these

in

house

for

poses
pur-

Hili-li

storms;

done
on
a
peculiar stove
cooking was
chieflyof gold, the fuel of which was

and

quired,
re-

all

made
either

272

fish oil, or

by a name
language

ready for

that
time

use,

in chests

persons

to

English.

the

the

on

of

the

into

carry
burned.

kept,

convenient

size

ises
prem-

be

should

wood

Hili-li

the

in

that

rather,

or,

"

in

provided

home

'

men
boat-

in

room

By this means,
that could
worst
happen to a family was
its members
might suddenly at any
ably
comfortbe confined
to a single room,
for from
warmed,
thirty to a hundred

which
the

words

those

to

each

two

oil

continent

the

by

corresponding

further

of

for

'

it

sold

law

oil termed

another

who

The

Discovery

Strange

it

hours,

or

in any
should
be

supply
neighbor

door

if there

Even

thereabouts.
little food

be very
wood

be

to

was

could

home,

one

or

if the

the

neglected,
be

should

relied

next

for

upon

succor.
"

Ninety-four

that

concerns

now

after

occurred

which

years,

and

of

storm,
children
felt

no

which

hundred

Not

and

they

it

when
alarm

preceding

on

it had

than
the

must

have

occurred;
the

of

of

and

hours,

ten

the

ants
inhabit-

and

cold,

hundred

one

last
been

summer

spell had
eighty-one

hunger

more

remembered

the

and

one-third

Hili-li, between

lost their lives.

persons

interval

an

to

cold

us,

lasted

during

prior

years

preceding
very
even

young

they

subject, as the storm

about
sixteen
happened

Strange

Discovery

earlier,and, though

years

sufficient

alarm

to

and

masses,

for

both

light one,

the

resulted

in

next

storm.

the

273

rulers

of

state

But

was

and

the

ness
preparedthe

now,

knew
of these cold spells
middle-aged men
of history, to which
only as matters
they
little practicalattention; and from
the
gave
lips of their grandparents, who, as I have
of
said, had
never
personally known
one
them

to

"

On

there

the

which

had

in

17,
of Hili-li a

1829,
single

templated
wood-supply conforgotten statute
relating

food

store

of life.

loss

or

February

the Island

on

the

by the
subject; there

that

had

distress
of

morning

not

was

residence

to

serious

cause

few

were

sufficient

homes

for

that
than

more

most
and, though
forty-eight hours
use;
in possession of some
families were
oil,their

cook-stoves
and

oil

such

at

"

It

all the

for

90"
a

; and,

further,there

island

City, a

be

to

the

temperature

of the

or

ten

of

the

temperature,

year
scale; and

latitude
of

enough
the city
that

in and

year

England,

in outbuildings

hours.

remembered

Fahrenheit
of

not

was

warmed

accustomed

108"

above

have

for heating,

flues

twenty-four

through,

resident

States

for

were

year
to

to

also

must

Hili-lites

of

connected

time

with

were

the

on

constructed

not

were

out,
that

United

Washington
degrees below

274

Discovery

Strange

a
quite as well borne as would
of thirty degrees above
zero
by
temperature
little physical
There
these
islanders.
was
the lightinurement
and mental
to cold, and
est

vi^ould be

zero

of

clothing was
business
Hili-li,when
an

island

which

on

resident

worn.

him

compelled

the

temperature

of
visit

to

cold

was

freeze
to
prepared himself
water,
enough
a Swede
personally for the journey as would
or
Norwegian for a journey of exploration to

the

Pole.

North

".In the night between

February i6th and
in the habit in Hili-li
1 7th, Peters, who
was
in a
of sleeping in puris naturalibus, awoke
shiver.

He

and

arose,

closing his

window-

around
his room
for
began to look
he found
bed-covering; but
only a sheet,
and
fine wool
he
a
bed-spread, which
very

sash

drew

recumbent

in

but

him

over

an

before.

looked

fine

once

assumed

more

position. He
again fell asleep;
hour
awoke, shivering harder than
He
then
dressed, and lighting his

pipe, walked
he

he

as

up

from

and

the

down

window,

the

floor.

and

saw

Then
that

falling,the separately almost

invisible flakes whirling in sharp spirals as
the aptitude
they fell. The sailor instinct
of the navigator
what
instantly told him
this thermic
for Hili-li.
ers
Othchange meant
in the house
were
now
moving about,
snow

was

"

"

276

Discovery

Strange

day brought to Hili-li for

in a city
that day's consumption
; they were
inhabitants
fuel; the
practically without
accustomed
to heat, and
wholly unused
were
islands, and

to

each

built without
were
cold; the houses
against cold, because, except
for a few hours
at a time, there

no

climatic

conditions

construction.
very

there

warm,

possession of
took

them

of the

on

the
not

was

hundred

men

visits to

climate

whose

islands

it would

be

the

outside

heavy
cloak, or
a

"

of any kind, such as overcoat,

shawl, in the entire city. Carpets
in Hili-li,so

business

wrap

known

in

lying

air-currents

crater-warmed

were

being

except

"

sionally
occa-

such

demanding

Further,

tection
pro-

were

not

impossible

for the

hard-pressed people to retire to bed,

where, covering the body with a few sheets
and some
clothing, they might add the carpets,
and, in hunger but in safety, remain
protected against those freezing blasts till
the
should
wind
Pym
change.
hended
comprethe terrible position in which
Lilaand
the other
Hili-Htes
stood; the exma
tremity
of

desolation

which

must

soon

prevail standing,out before him like a vivid

picture, and for a moment
overawing even
his brave, true soul.
He
did not
doubt
that
Peters and himself could withstand
the cold,

though

they might

not

be

able

to

obtain

Discovery

Strange
than

more

antarctic

winds.

of the

measure,

stricken

from

the

other

residents

of the

in

times

of time.

minute

danger had
trouble
a
rapid

of

and

asked

cellar.
was

if there

of the

one

depository, and
for certain

cellar
as

articles

to

the

was

"

Lilama,
house

the

tion
por-

constructed

was

as

protection against

of food, most

house

in Hili-li beneath

few

of which

there

tioned
men-

in less than

beneath

was

Fortunately

I have

he turned

Then

tiful,
beau-

to

thinker, and the thoughts which

passed through his mind
a

biting

self
scarecly thought of himonly of Lilama, and, in a

city. Exposure

Pym

made

shelter

He

thought

he

"

flimsy

277

of the

heat
dents
resi-

cles
cellars; articaring to construct
of food easilydestructible
by heat being
twice
uted
daily brought to the city and distribice costing only the
to the houses, and
of shipping it by water
six or
some
expense
eight hours' sailingdistance.
about
the house,
Pym and Peters moved
so
rapidly as
making certain arrangements
In ten
to startle the languid Hili-lites.
or
removed
the
fifteen minutes
to
they had
not

"

cellar

all the

necessary

room,

Lilama,
Three

and

lamps

lighted,and

furniture

including
another
were

for

oil sufficient

her

two

to

for

bedstead

taken

of

the
week's

fortable
com-

for
maids.

cellar,
con-

278 A

Discovery

Strange

placed conveniently
contained
enough food to

sumption
house

the

and

ma,

servants,

women

eight days.

Within

twenty

The

near.

Lila-

sustain

for from

six

to

of the

minutes

the
to
Pym
suggested
danger of freezing to be apprehended, Lilaand her maids
were
safely placed in the
ma
their
over
cellar, and
making
were
merry
and
attire.
Then
surroundings
strange
from
the house, to
Pym and Peters hastened

could

what

see
"

had

Peters

time

And

done

for others.

witnessed

was

now

of

man,

be

and

heredity

the influence

difficulties in the

under

pressing need, of

the
such

most

influence.

thousand

and

environment,

insurmountable

The

on

the
even

way,

Hili-lites

ing
overcom-

in

more

had

fought only one

battle, and that five hundred
before;
years
had
they found necessary
nor
struggle
any
for food, or against rigorous climate.
They
almost
a brainy people, and
were
were
superhumanly
perceptive in every
sense
organ
But they were
and in every
nerve.
wanting
in that quality possessed by most
European
which
takes
peoples and
by Americans,
practical cognizance of the fact that prompt
action and fearlessness
is the true
protection
In the face of this great
against danger.
the
the
Hili-lites, even
calamity among
than

leading

men

years

seemed

paralyzed.

Not

that

Strange

Discovery

they displayeda particleof

279

fear

"

it was

ply
sim-

rapidly, and to face

them, when
joyfully great dangers. With
mental
failed to subdue, there was
processes
much
left. They could have conquered
not
in them

not

modern

to

warship, provided they

in contact

come

in

some

but

men;

their

and

of those
of

course

other

direction,
powerless as any other people,
of powerlessness was
ing
paralyzOn
the other hand, Pym
and

as
sense

them.

to

have

ling
its officers,by control-

with

in

nature

were

could

strange way the minds

against a storm, or the

inanimate

they

move

any

that had in the

from races
sprung
through hundreds
past thousand
years gone
kind of danger, for
of struggles,amid
every
Peters

had

existence; and

being

she
to
was

American

an

v/hich

race

Peters,
had

infinitelyworse
namely, a
"

'

invasion.

the

on

Indian, belonged
through what
gone
than

'

side,

mother's

civilized

These

two

barbarian

a
'

and

men

'

vasion
in-

ened
enlight-

seemed

to

in reality
to revel in it; but
danger
which
exposed them
they pursued the course
with the
to the least risk of injury consistent
performance of their full duty. The question
in procedure to save
of method
one
was
ened
of lives; and they hastthe greatest number
court

"

first to
and

cousin

Diregus.

"

the residence
to

the home

of Lilama's
of the

Duke

uncle

and

The

Chapter

Nineteenth

RRIVING

/\

Duke

found

there, they

the

Diregus quite actively

/
%
^for Hili-lites;still,
engaged
very
valuable
time
much
being
was
had
the
wasted.
snow
Already
Peters
ceased
fall,and the temperature,
to
reached
have
ten
degrees below
thinks, must
rapidly falling. In the
freezing, and was
in two
three
ducal
or
palace there
were,
hearths, and flue-openings for carryrooms,
ing
ofif smoke;
but
there
wood
as
was
no
to be
ready for burning, and as there seemed
in sight, the Duke
and
his son
no
dry wood
and
"

at

were

the

they had
food

Fortunately
"

cool

manner

to

the

with

When

confidence

resources

gathered together

sufficient

stocked

of their

end

last for

palace

was

as

into

week

soon

safe

or

ten

as

place
days.

unusually

well

arrived,

their

edibles.

Pym
and

with

and

Peters

prompt
look

every
2S0

action
and

exhaling
movement,

A
the Duke

and

in fact

as

Discovery

Strange

Diregus

all others

were

with

were

these

two

281

enlivened,

soon

who

came

active

and

in

tact
con-

intrepid

strangers.
"

Pym

glanced about him, compassing at

all possible resources.
Then
he issued
a look
his orders, himself
working with the others,
and, so to speak, setting the pace.' In ten
minutes
similar to our
a large outbuilding
kiosks
summer-houses,
or
Anglo-Saxon
razed
broken
in pieces,
to the ground,
was
and
in which
fires were
placed in the rooms,
soon
glowing and crackling. In twenty
minutes, those whom
Pym and Peters had
found
half-frozen
and
wholly discouraged,
'

"

"

cheerful, comfortable,

were

"

the

The

two

hastened

men

city,giving

assistance

of danger.

out

forth

through

and

fusing
advice, and inconfidence.
The
smaller
residences,
of those of medium
well as many
size,were

as

of

constructed

through
each

the

square

divided

"

but

Pym
city,ordering that
be

wood.

demolished,

haste

! haste

rapidly

went
one

and
The

house
the

in

wood

ture
tempera-

rapidly decliningto a point at

when
Hili-lite,even
activelyat work,
was

and

which
could

exist.

not
"

Pym

reached

and

Peters

one-tenth

of

might, unaided, have

the people of Hili-li,

282

and

have

As

them

shown

the

way

means

safety.

to

have

possibly, might
of saving themselves.

more,

many

other

Discovery

strange

It

found
seems

of the
than one-fourth
improbable that more
this
have
survived
people of Hili-li would
and
Peters
not
had
terrible
Pym
storm,
reinforced.

been
"

Let

is Infinite

which
time
and

every

moment

Peters

meant

the

lives

additional
would

very

doubled

hundred
in

the

'

of the
the

warmth

the

very

gained by Pym
saving of a hundred
when

moment

hardy and

men,

have

arrived
them

at

"

At

Goodness.

when

more

four

weakness, ever
of Infinite Wisdom,

methods

the

question

in his finite

man,

no

inured

two

danger,
the
life-savingforce,
Exiles
of Olympus
to

'

city. They had left behind

and
safety, and sailingacross

had
thirty miles of tempestuous
sea,
come,
their
headed
to
by Medosus,
try to save
four
hundred
These
fellow-countrymen.
and vigorous, comprised the real
men,
young
enterprise and daring of Hili-li. They had
been
promised their liberty,and their visits,
individually,to Hili-li had recently been not
but even
encouraged by those
only allowed

in

authority;

them

to

return

but
had

the

final

act

permitting

been, by the formalities

of state,
"

delayed.
Peters, and
Pym,

Medosus

consulted

284 A
he

thought

Peters
a

Discovery

Strange
of the

were

third

of

near

the

mile

of Masusaslili's

startingofif at
minutes

.philosopher,he and
city limits, and within

old

brisk

in the

later

the

run,

home;

two

and
five

were

ing
house, stand-

old man's

As the two
laboratory door.
continue
had hurried
to
along, Peters would
What's
the
murmur
against the project:
use,' he would
growl; 'we'll only find the
in front
of a
old
fellow
roasting himself
He's
ice.
all
magic fire of burning snow
or
better
be
right, and we'd
saving human
people.'
As several raps, increasing from
the gentlest
the most
to
sponse,
vigorous, elicited no rePym
opened the laboratory door,
his

outside

'

"

and

with

was

Peters

nowhere
to

opening

casements

broken

and

decayed

of

dilapidation,and
through the rubbish
He

back

ran

Peters

was

Masusaelili
emaciated
of chemical

seen.

the

old

the
of

the

man

Pym
turned
hastily rediscovering a stair

hallway, and
cellar,he descended.
a small
filled with debris, two
small

was

were

be

the

leading to
cellar

to

But

entered.

to

the

to

icy
the

exterior

the
wind

last

The

dow
winair

degree

whistled

doleful

spot.

laboratory, where
hunting about, hoping to find
alive, yet fearing to find his
form
lying lifeless amid the mass
and mechanical
appliances which
to

A
littered

the

and

sized

hidden
the

man,

them.

Each

or

the

of

body

searchers
sat

vase

flaringupward
four

Several

room.

have

might

28^
the

alluded
objects before
there; and as the smaller

vase-like
here

Discovery

Strange

like

even

apart

stood

to

of them

of

largeglanced into
a

the

upon

giant lilyto

large

floor,

height

of

five feet ; and from each of them

jected,
prowithin an inch of the floor, a faucet of

through which passed a

of these enormous
primitive spigot. One
very
large enough to have secreted
vases,
small
stood
two
inverted; and Pym,
men,
with no particularobject in view, but simply
think
of anything else
because
he could
not
the vase
to do, gave
a push, in such
a way
as
rude

construction,

raise for

to

inch

an

large rim, flaringout

"

'

four

feet.

Put

that

to

allowing the vase

with a resounding
"

'

If thou

hast

continued
lili
"

so

to

the

diameter

came

of

ably
proband

and

tling
star-

his

hand,

withdrew

drop back

floor its

hollow

unexpected
he

that

Pym

to

down,'

voice,

stridulous

from

two

or

to

the

floor

thud.

aught
the

of

voice

still stridulous, but

"

now

importance
that

to

part,'
im-

of Masusse-

having

also the

qualitypossessed by a voice heard through

to the
near
a speaking-tube, put thy mouth
spigot-hole,and disclose thine errand.'
'

286
"

open
lower

Discovery

Strange

Pym placed his lipswithin an inch of the

faucet, which
only an inch or two
was
than

and

vase,

his mouth
from

the

from

stood

he

opening

beside

of which

in appearance
to
and
nostrils
mouth

the

the

came

similar

fog-like vapor,
exhaled

as

that
on

day, and said:

to proWe
sir,to ofifer our help
came,
cure
for you wood, and, if possible,food; or,
in
if you
should
prefer, to remove
so
you
quarters.'
safety to comfortable
there was
For a moment
silence, during
cold

very
"

'

"

"

continued
to come
fog-likevapor
from
the spigot-hole of the inverted
vase.
Then
the voice of the aged mystic was
again
heard
in reply:
Youth
and thine ape-like companion
Through three and fiftyof these
go hence.
I safely passed.
Beneath
have
this
storms
have I two
vase
lamps, alight; oil wherewith
to
supply with fuel these two
lamps for a
of eight days, which
hitherto
has been
space
the longest duration
of any of these periodical
the

which

"

'

"

"

storms

for my
have

; food

body's
I mental

and

wants

have

water

for

aliment;

week.
for

have

I sufficient

And,
I

too,

here

manuscript written
by the youthful sage,
it to me
of
sent
^^gyptus, who
by the hand
the legend of Romulus
Azza, long before
started from its mj^thic source
to float adown

A
the

Discovery

Strange
of time:

stream

delightethmy
Fear

peruse.

once

not

for

in each
who

one

it

century
knows

Go

fear.

which

manuscript

soul

287

to
no

hence, and quickly go

go with
humiliation
in thy heart; for thou hast not
yet begun to live,and yet thou presumest
think

to

and

to

"

in

danger

what

construct

who

helped

thou

callest the

one

city of Babylon.
didst

disturb

me,

Youth,

when

friend,who writes from a

foolish Pharaoh
karah, of how
a
his memory

perpetuate

pyramidal
friend

terms

divert

the

those

of

which

stone,

European

that

to

my

who

and, among

way;

other

for my
cerning
opinion consurface of his pyramid; to

request for advice

replied, saying

that

constructed

as

so

barbarians

asks

the outer
which

thinks

planned by himself to
fancy of his ruler,and incidentally

this Azza

matters,

Sak-

device

happen

may

my

by buildinga mighty

structure

astonish

to

cient
an-

thou

reading from
villagecalled

was

plan

to

I remember

the

walls

ascend

to

that

should

be

in

step-like
the spigot-

'

from
angles. Ha, ha, ha ! came
hole a hollow, cracked
at derisive
attempt
Ye
ha, ha ! ye say this
laughter
say
Pharaoh
of the iirst dynasty ! ha, ha !
was
the first!
Go hence, vain child.'
But, sir,'insisted Pym, after a pause,
have you
provided for ventilatingyour
small apartment?
your
*

"

"

"

"

"

"

'

'

"

'

288
"

In the

which

Discovery

Strange

doth

floor .beneath
to

open

the

outer

the

opening is a flat stone,

less, I remove
little,
more
or
accordance
the

with
amount

proper

from

enter

This

below.

yet

seest

from

the

open

with

not

I say,
"

go

Pym

and

then

connected

knot-hole,

air; and upon

which, little by-

replace in
certain laws, allowing just
air to
of atmospheric

little smoke,
emerge

is

me

thou

and

oil maketh
not

faucet?

very-

smoke

some

Feel'st

thou

escape? Again
hence, vain youth.'
for a moment,
stood
meditating;
perhaps something
something

thine

hand

the heat

"

with

the

words

several

months

before
"

whispered into his ear by Masusaelili

impelled him to say:
Good
harm.
Tell
sir,we meant
no
you
Allwise
read
the future?
One, can
me,
you
Before
there was
a reply came,
a
pause
about
to
so
long that, says Peters, Pym was
the voice
of this
came
speak again. Then
old man
who
had investigated and pondered
for thousands
of years
that only inexhaustible
of
study in the universe, the phenomenon
consciousness
the aged mystic no
doubt
mollified
and
being pleasantly warmed
by
the appellation Allwise
One.'
None
but
said
God,'
Masus^lili,
knows
of a certainty the
future.
Truly
wise men,
and the lower
animals, when
they
"

'

'

"

"

'

"

'

'

A
would

the

penetrate
instrument

crude
do

Discovery

Strange

they

call

now

of

barbarians

Him

but

bosom

Thine

Britannia,

named

them,

the

of

rather

what

"

the

ancestors,

when

God.

the

not

use

reason;

to

Him?

ye

future,

termed
close

nestle

289

Thus,

was

with

and

only

the future become

known
to thee.
thus, may
Have
faith,as the bird, the fish,the little ant,
which, feelingGod, act, and are not disappointed.
Think
would

creatures

voice,

ye
not

His

seen

or

guiding hand
present danger?
His

God

shows

know

His

if

only

as

do

have

the lowest
heard

His

beckoning

when
Yet

of God's

warning

in the air lurked

reason

told

us

not

will look

we

God

lean

with

the

lower

and

doth

hearken.

animals.

upon

the

to

those

Him,

ness
conscious-

given, if but the right

what
be attained, truly to know
conditions
in the present happeneth
anywhere in the
Time
is a barrier to the voluntary
universe.
acquisition of knowledge, but distance is
not
My body is confined
an
impediment.
mind
but certainlynot my
to this poor
vase,
the
in Europe, in Asia, or amid
it roams
Poor
moment.
wait
but
youth!
a
stars
the dial of thy destiny moves
hand
The
on
of

"

"

man

it is

To

you!

always,
But
this,

permit only

full confidence

this

should

the

"

felt

or

arm,

future, when
we
edicts in advance, always
to

good youth,
who

that

290

Go

Go!

rapidly.
for

Discovery

Strange
who

one

and

now,

thee,

loves

in

go

this

at

haste;

moment

Farewell.'
sorely needs thee.
farewell;'
Pym scarcely heard the word
of the
for he was
crossing the threshold
uttered
Masusselili
house
it, and Peters
as
They ran as rapidly
turning to follow.
was
'

'

"

as

the

and
miles

and

snow

in

had

covered

about

half

the

exiles, who

city for

any

left in deserted

the

that

homes.

The

air

met

helping to,
might have

These

mit,
per-

three

necessary

They

were

food

would

hour.

an

cold.

growing intensely
of three

cutting wind

the

was

party
scour

been

informed

men

and
promptitude
dred
than a hunhaste of the rescue
parties,more
frozen to death; and
had been
persons
hands
and
feet by the
sand
thouthat
frozen
Hili-lites
had
been
The
reported.
so
were
extremely susceptible to cold that,
of 20"
at
Fahrenheit, if
a
temperature
well
ing,
not
protected by cloththey were
became
drowsy, then slept,
they soon
and
resuscitated
within
and, if not found
a
short
One
time, died.
case
was
ported
revery

Pym

that, in spite of the

in which

feet
frozen

hour,

from

one

to

death

though
chilled

only

woman,

of

the

stations,

rescue

in somewhat
she
when

less

have

must

last

six hundred

seen

than

been
in

was
an

oughly
thoran

ap-

292

and

through,
He

hands

little
The

afterwards

of them

explanation

lost his

not

at

all

"

of this difiference

in the fact that

an

animal

dies

in the interior of
bodily temperature
tion,
body reaches a certain degree of reducwhich
in the Hilipoint of reduction

lites is much
to

few

z.

"

is to be found

the

rigid.

was

feet.

very

frozen.

body

In Hili-li persons
lost their
bodies
cold whose
to
exposure

and

lives from

when

entire

the

resuscitated, but

was

were

Discovery

Strange

life in

less than
colder

to

in persons
In
climate.

climate

as

habituated
customed
ac-

persons

warm

as

that

of

Hili-li, the heat-producing functions

are
feeble, and the heat-expelling functions
are
active; but this does not fully explain
very
the people there
why, in Peters' words,
'

froze

dies

death

to

without

and

live with
which

would
a

result

reduction
not

resident

In the storm

son
per-

of exposure
to
cold,
of the vital organs
are
any
the Hili-lites no doubt
ceased to

dying as a
long before

frozen

freezing.'Any

of

have
of

of which

bodily temperature
ienced
seriously inconven-

Scotland

or

Canada.

speak, the people

were
nervously depressed as a result of
from
all I can
fright. However,
gather,
the temperature
at times certainlyas low
was
below
as
40" Fahrenheit
freezing,at which
degree almost any thinly clad person
might
freeze

to

death.

we

A
"

Discovery

Strange

But

the

hour

293

is late, and,

though I had
expected to close Peters' story this evening,
such a conclusion
is,owing to my
prolixity,
scarcely practicable. If you still expect to
in three days, I shall certainly
start for home
in one
more
evening complete the tellingof
Peters' experiences in Hili-li.
The
day after
I shall be engaged
to-morrow
during the
entire
next
delay our
evening, and if we
meeting till the following evening
^your
last in Bellevue
it is possible that something
happen to prevent our
meeting;
may
are
willing,my next and last visit
so, if you
here shall be to-morrow
to you
evening."
"

"

expressed
and

The

satisfastion

my

own

I gave

Hili-li,meanwhile
which,

under

morning

been

accomplish in less than

completed my toilet,but not
to

in rushed
After

and

closed

it

to

little

general

naturally

story;

as

able unaided
I had

hour.

an

my

story, when

Castleton.
a

seemed

performance
I
pressure,
"

except

in

storm

leisurelydressing

in the

never

rangement,
ar-

Arthur,

to

of the

account

an

way,

the

his leave.

following morning,

in my

have

took

he

with

to

now,

in

the

point

satisfyArthur,
doctor.

return

to

As

to

the

five-minute
reached

and

I ended,

not

conversation,
Peters

talk, I

so

by Bainbridge
weary

Castleton

the
said

less
rest:

294
"

didn't

The

and

of

matter

the

You

I have
;

ex-member

were

truth, it
back

going

old

of

here

the

and

met,

that

thought,
part, I
smell

the

completed.

was

believed

never

sweet

as

he

if

now.

told

of

for

my
would

it

called

we

me

years

rose

'

nicety,
Yesterday

Now,

that

it does

as

pointed
ap-

and

of many

result

"

erudition;

talk

our

as

right

deepest

during

his book,

of him

good

speaker and writer of great force

and
of exquisite literarytaste.
we

up.

in town,

heard
as

come

Venezuela

to

was

yesterday

to

friend

you've no doubt
of Congress, and

scholar

yesterday.
talking of

you

we

was

an

Minister
A

See

in

was

time

very

to

the
tell you
that held me

to

names

see,

in

get

last time

names;

at

Discovery

Strange

turnip.

If Poe

A.

his story, Adventures

Pym,' named
Dirk
Peters, the Half-Breed,' he

Gordon
of

have

friend

is about

name?

'

sold

of

Romans,"
There

me

Causes

'

him.
for

Grandeur

can't?'

as

many

publish

to

names

with

tell you

name

twice

I asked

"

'

of

Narrative

of

'

would

choice

had, instead

his

There

books.
book.
can

translation
and

My
'

be
of

Decadence

Its

little

tesquieu's
Monof the

by myself,' he replied.
said I;
well, my
friend, let
notes

there

'

can.

Now

this

compare

"Montesquieu's

Considerations

on

of the Grandeur

and

of the

Decadence

the

Strange

Romans,
a

with

the

Pounded."

not

Half

the

and

know

How

the

Rich

the

States, and

friend

then

the

French

would

story

helping

were
'

Montesquieu

would

with

associated

Then

my

The

with

'

General

all

on

the

sides,

fayette
repetitions of LaI someLord, Lord!
times

is better

man

after

under-educated

he continued:

pause

that

Pretty good,

"

talk

good,

pretty
for

Masusselili's

of

pretty

there's

nothing
earth.
on
Why, sir,I've always drawn
of a spigot-hole.
best philosophy out
sight of a spigot inspiresme, and
very

drives
we

that

endless

through the faucet

But, pshaw!
good!
new

and

over-educated."

than

"

fast; and

out

heard

of the

and

again.

us

be

memories.
think

hot
go

'

such

Montesquieu

after them

were

from

enemies

that

to

Rotted

think
were

I said

so

Romans

Romans

what

decadence

(and

people would

title that

Earth!

about

his book

name

United

Aristocrats

and

masses

Why
him),

my

Roman

Heavens

the

'

The

"How
Routed";
or,
Plutocrats
were
Peppered and

Roman

do

"

Rooted,

Ripped,

295

illustrative notes," etc., with

like this

name

Discovery

away

must
an

my

troubles.

keep this thing

exhaustless

half worked

out

stock

me

But,
secret.

man

The

alive!
fellow

of elixir vitcB isn't

in fiction yet

"

and

besides,

owing

active

their

to

thermotaxic

the

and

Discovery

Strange

thermic
balance

abstraction

This

of farewell

words
for

Castleton.

the

sudden

was

more

tres
nerve-cen-

and

extreme

few

of my
departure
heard
from
Doctor

ever

his habit,

was

the time

the

leave

to

It

this

cessfully
suc-

were

at

that

home,

not

atrophied."
last remark,
except

the

was

to

ly
habitual-

was

because

case

of vital resistance
thermal

environment,

being

the emergency
anomalous,
and
encountered;

particularlythe

297

of

presence
to fire off, so

as

he

auditor

an

about

was

locutor,
inter-

or

speak, a set speech,

information, and then
or
a piece of surprising
habit
siderable
a
displaying conhastily to retreat
engendered
by
sagacity, and one
return
discussion, in which
street-corner
a
fire
question
or
perhaps a troublesome
to

"

"

"

was

often

was

not

the

as

to

be

to

last

if

be avoided

On

sacrificed.
left his

words

through the doorway, and

Well," said Arthur,
"

speak
"

we
"

am

That

vanished
alone.

were

I allowed

to

"

You

"

there

this occasion,

lips he

are," I replied.
tell me," said he,
Then
doesn't
said?
he, some
Why
has

climax

dramatic

time, dictate
any
man

way

to

gets

worse

"

was

he

day when

he

dictionary?
stop

such

instead

it

what

And

talk

isn't

by law?

of better.

He

298
forgets

everything

the

other

are

you

Now

and

of

it;

boy
'

about

and

the
them.

drink
I

the

do."

nice

dollars.

two

stairs,

just

him,

rattlin'

teeth

and

He

just

and

said,

bone-set

"

so

and

told

my

half-dollar,

my

him

paid

for

do

bill?

doctor

a'ready,

he,

when

boy,

my

your

him

down

go

me

tea,

pay

But

him

to

gave

plenty

told

what

to

paid

how

Arthur,

teeth!

my

whenever
him

in
I

easy,

Then

Well,

Says

words.

except

coming

of

and

set

'

day,

mind,

think

Discovery

Strange

asked

laughed
'

tea,

Boneand

'

300

and

had

Discovery

Strange

leisure

the mental

the

thought of
friend in danger
She

her

of others,

think

old

poor

waited

and

servant

and

more

grew

had

to

more

almost

bearable.
un-

hour

an

to
then, taking Ixza
Pym
return, and
with her, had gone
forth ; but where
the old
and
Ixza
knew.
resided, only Lilama
nurse
The
maid
knew
had
left
only that Lilama
the cellar with
of assisting,in
the intention
of her babyhood.
the nurse
some
manner,
In ten
minutes
Pym and Peters, going
in different directions, had aroused
of
many
in all directions, to
the exiles,who
hastened

for

"

search

thoroughly the poorer quarters of the

whom
city,and to inquire of everyone
they
concerning the residence of
might encounter
the old nurse.
The
exiles had
ited,
already visin the

house

others

sent

or

house

had
and

"

consented,

the
to

to

remain

passed; and
had

but

the occupant

there

been

in

city; but

particularlywhere

one

been
to

come

few

till the

every

instances

"

lived in

person

had

then, for
overcome

visit, about

to

advised, and

central

station

abated

storm

or

delaying,
by the cold, and, as
included
visit
only one

system of search
each house, had been

some

purpose

left to die

"

the fact

second
transpiring through an accidental
later scoured
in
visit, or when
the city was
search
of food that might have
been
looked.
over-

Strange

An

hour

"

who
and

residence
"

that
the

to

her

small

"

the

301

of

many

for

Pym

Lilama

house

of her

At

one

searching

him

hastened
found

later,

were

told

Discovery

in which

former

him,

met

found.

was

frame

He
had

they

the

structure,

nurse.

of

entrance

gers
messen-

this

house

stood

Peters, waiting for his young

Pym

felt the hand

stop him

to

looked

in his breathless

into

the

friend, he knew
for

friend ; and as
of the old sailor,put forth

shock.

that

he

house

from

aside

must

the

the

only

was

main

in the

entrance

he

himself

nerve

! his surmise

Alas

as

face of his old

hard, rugged

They entered
together, Peters

correct.

haste, and

of the

room

ing
Draw-

rear.

the

to

too

room

had
portiere Peters
already visited the
room
Pym passed in, Peters remaining on
the outer
side of the curtained
doorway, that
he might prevent
others from
following,or
friend who
from viewing the young
even
was
"

"

receive

one

Destiny

ever

to

now

which
"

For

mistaken
said

not

behind
"

On

farther
woman,

moment

the
a

word

scene

of

of the keenest

pierces the
Pym would
before

warning

friend.
his young
the lounge which

stabs

human

the

stood

heart.

wholly

him, had
as

with

have

Peters

portierefell

against the
he entered, lay an
wall as
elderly
apparentlyasleep;and covering her

Strange

were

the

outer

such

302

day

wraps

of

"

Discovery
scanty,

"

On

Lilama.

indeed, for
the left, as

he saw
swept at a glance the apartment,
the maid
Ixza, recliningin a large chair; she,

Pym

also,
he

to

saw

the

all appearances,
was
his wife.
She crouched

the

on

floor

lounge, only her wealth of

light golden hair at first visible.
Stepping
her side, Pym
times in
to
her, as many
saw
the ducal
her drop to
gardens he had seen
the ground
in her girlishfashion, to rest.
at

foot

Then

asleep.

of the

Her

arms

the

lounge,

and

there

"

her

resting

head

"

beautiful

gentle hand

that

of another

foot

of

them;

upon

wife

young

had

forever.

sleep

How

the

upon

the tired, childlike

to

gone

intertwined

were

she

had

but

was

never

in

in death!
touched

helpfulness
"

The

the

son
per-

how

fair,

how

that knew
pallid; the fond sweet
eyes
no
glance but that of love and kindness
hidden
almost
they were
by the drooping
"

lids; the

tenderest, loveliest face

kissed, smiled
upward

ever

he

gazed

dear
But

had
"

form

his heart

felt colder

him

at

than

light
sun-

was

as

this

he

dropped beside and clasped.

the lips the ripe red lips the rapturous,
maidenly lips,the first touch of which
"

raised

the

with

"

the

arch
their

"

him

forever

from

lips that

had

own

seductive

the

coarse

earth

bewitched

him

smile, and

could

themselves

shape
pouting a
not

it vanished

in death
"

he

"

"

^he could

Sweet

child of

She

people!
souls

could

act

that

captivated

look

not

than

at

them

not.
a

was

need

303

harsher

to

fleeting pout,

"

ere

Discovery

Strange

weird

land

and

of those

one

strange

whose

less
spot-

the

purifying fire of a long

and
later, the
earthly life. For Pym, now
and the yearning void; for her, only
sorrow
earlier

an
"

advancement.

mind

Pym's

the

not

shock

he

felt the

separation.

be

end?

the

shocked;

was

Was

awful

this the

For

but

behind

anguish
end?

him, truly that

of such

Could

it

day

his

But
hereafter?
hope for this life died.
of all!
A
to be the end
not
Surely this was
few
of grovelling on
the clay
more
years
of the cold, selfish earth, and then
bosom
he would
No, no:
only oblivion?
not, he
last

"

could
"

As

other

believe

not

stood

Pym

have

men

it.

there, where

stood; and

many
many,
millions yet will
the heavenly atmosphere

stand, did his soul rise into

did it question God's
or
and

sink

to

rise

more?

decrees

This

I cannot

loss,oh, the weary

weight

no

answer.
"

such

After

unutterable
is dead,

with

woe;

whilst

streaming

the
the
eyes

awful

mourner

and

sense

that

of

hope

only stand
bleeding heart, forcan

304

Discovery

Strange

chained

ghastly corpse
dear ambition, of every
joy, and all
universe
of feelingbuilds on
hope.
ever

to

the

should

learn from

such

lesson

if learned

insures

such

our

But

we

lesson, for the

ment:
advance-

own

are

but

the

those

we

love

losses

unfolding for

God

loss

of every
that our

of

purposes

and

for

selves
our-

eternity of blissful harmony."

Thus
Doctor
and,
Bainbridge closed;
of death, and
the
were
though his words
old as
as
thoughts which he expressed were
I was
afifected by
the human
much
race,
them.
the speaker, his utterances
Young as was
the impression that
conveyed to me
an

himself

he

lesson

of which
we

knew

sat

that

he

some

way
For

he

spoke.
in silence; and
would

have
it

learned

the

several

ments
mo-

then, though
few

more

words

appropriate time to
him
for his long, painstaking elaborathank
tion
of the old sailor's disclosures, which, as
I knew
edge,
partly from my own
personal knowlhad been gained only by untiring perseverance
and
inexhaustible
I
patience.
thanked
him
I
him, and
complimented
as
thought he deserved; and he was
pleased, I
the
with
few
words
of commendation
plainly saw,
to

say,

in

had

thought

which

an

he

knew

came

from

my

heart.

We

sat,

smoking

our

cigars and

chatting

Discovery

Strange

305

topics, until it was

he usually said
which

almost

various

on

hour

at

he

Then

returned

story, saying:
It only remains
"

of
more

returned

in the note

know,
'

to

home,

the

late sudden
This

Pym.'

Mr.

this fact,when

Peters

after

Pym

we.

distressingdeath

and
is all

I told

no

Poe, we
Narrative,' alludes

'

his

pose
dis-

to

knows

of

"

do

as

to

Peters'

properly

me

much

as

night.
good-

me

the

to

Peters.

in fact, not

"

he

and

Pym

for

to

the

it to

and

know,

we

Peters,

was

of

even

to

new

and
Peters
Pym
parted in the
month
of February, 1830, at the City of
Montevideo,
Uruguay; Peters, with an old
sailor chum,
whom
he happened to meet
in
South
and
America, shipping to Austraha;
Pym, a few days later,startingfor the United

him;

for

States.
"

It had

Hili-Htes

to

many

left them,
and

to

hide,

traversed

even

to

it

of the

arose

to

it.

They

one,

and

modify

and

looked

of themselves.

one
was

policy

firmly founded

reverse
as

the

from
all strangers
turning
reworld; but this policy

outer

it seems,
not
circumstances

finallyeven
almost
Pym
he

been

prevent
the

to
was,

doubt

no

with

the

intention

upon

When
of

turning;
re-

of him
a
they exacted
promise
from
Peters, the longitudes

during

the

entire

journey

from

3o6

Strange

Discovery

Hili-li until

they should touch the land of

civilized people, or meet
with
some
a
ship;
which
to
promise
Pym
rigidly adhered.
And
in other ways
though they were
very
kind
allow
him
not
to
to him, they would
take away
a
single grain of gold, of which
were
as
plentiful in the fissures
nuggets
of the
as
are
Olympian
pebbles
ranges
in the

beds

of mountain

him
they allow
precious stones
the

ruby

and

no

Hili-lites

his

that

'

of mind.

to

even

given him;
or
pleading

dififerent

much

many

decision.

to

get

do

with

rid

of

their

speed the parting guest.' It

for months

Pym
in

was

had

anxious

had

willingnessto

the

possession,

argument
to

were

Peters, which

of Lilama

in

them

move

seems

retain, of

of

would

nor

to

Lilama

amount

could
The

which

streams;

He

an

spent

Masusselili, who

after the

extremely

of his time

most

allowed

morbid

him

to

see

death
state

with

Lila-

ma's

wraith
times.
apparition or
many
The
the
aged mystic explained to Pym
scientific modus
operandi of the production,
so

that

thinking
we

may

he

in

was

that
presume

he

met

no

way

deceived

into

Lilama

that,

as

in person;
but
it is to each of us

gratificationto look at a painting or

a
photograph of a departed friend, it must
still greater pleasure for Pym
have been
a
some

3o8

small

sail-boat

number

provided for
youths
among

been

former

them.
them

"

exiles

"

to

were

pany
accom-

continent

past the great antarctic

them

and

had

of Hili-lite

of the

some

Discovery

Strmige

piloting party a larger boat had

After many
built.
days, the continent
gan
passed; and Pym and Peters, alone, befor this

been
was

their wearisome
Antarctic

voyage

Fortunately, in January
large schooner, which
a
February, landed them at

Ocean.

they encountered
six weeks
later,in
Montevideo.

time

the

This

fact that

it

capital of Uruguay;
know

was

"

that

little

Montevideo
than

more

scarcely harmonizes
the
then, as now,

but

Peters

appears

to

As I have
talking about.
and
Peters
said, at this place Pym
parted,
to
meet
never
again. The
man
younger
and
started
for his home,
found
an
early
the older man
ures,
adventsought new
grave;
and he, at the age of eighty, still lives
to

he

says

1830

"

fortress.

walled

v/ith

Peters

that

at

was

the great

across

what

is

tell of their adventures

strange
These

beyond

man's
the

had

in

credulity
last

to

country

believe."

words

spoken
by
Doctor
Bainbridge on the subject of Peters'
adventures.
Two
days later I said farewell
American
to
of
friends, the memory
my
whom
whom

were

has
it has

always
been

been
my

dear

misfortune

to

me,
not

and

again

A
to

Discovery

Strange
The

meet.

drove

Peters'

to

before

day

departure, I
said to him goodmy

and

home,

309

by. I called on Doctor

Bainbridge at his
I met
Castleton
the
office; and Doctor
on
of my
street
where, from the window
corner,
in the Loomis
House, I had first
apartment
him.
I hope that the later life of each
seen
of them
both
was

has

As

man

I took

after

and

Lilama,
"

with
eyes,

had

he

he

said

of

spoken

I know

that

of them

Castleton,

the

death

of

that

man,

are

you

pleased

bridge
Bainthat
discovery I know
is;" and he accompanied the remark
a searching glance of those
large black
I could
the meaning of which
then
not
your

"

the

and

fathom,
often

one

of Doctor

leave

my

I trust, young

with

smooth

and that one

good men,
of singular,fascination.

were
a

been

puzzled

recollection
Then

me.

he

which

of

smiled, and

has

said

farewell.
Doctor
last words
"

said my
I had
Bainbridge, when
to him, spoke thus:
you have a pleasant journey, and a

May
loving welcome

probably
if you
could

to

think

home.

to

America

return

never

do,

your

not

to

that

our
some

little

day

You
"

city.
we

probably never
again, but we
yet," he continued, smilingly,

"

or,

even

I wish

shall
shall.
who

will

meet

And

knows!

If

still

in

some

hands

shall

water-way

of

our

some

in

pass
to

other

unfortunate.

It

us,
was

duties

and
at

called
and

by;

through
of

two

I
the

moist

that

that

the

as

looking

bright

you

must

which

Arthur

the

his

good-

pulled

caught

after

we

the

to

train
I

car-window

to

as

happiness."

station,
I said

on

greeting

Poe,

to

every

you

railroad

eyes

call

tiful
beauor

ruddy,

may

sorry

wish

him,

there,
the

am

clasp;

the

possibly

or

"

strange
the

more

Mars

world,

some

Venus

on

we

this

in

or

on

once

gondolas,

our

each

leave

that

be

may

life,
form,

new

It

planet.

this

in

again

not

Discovery

Strange

310

out,

glimpse

departing

train.
And

now,

to

patient

the

THE

END

reader,

say

well.
fare-