the works of edgar allan poe-3-第36章

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direction　we　were　pursuing。

_March　1st_。　｛*7｝…Many　unusual　phenomena　now　…indicated　that　we　were
entering　upon　a　region　of　novelty　and　wonder。　A　high　range　of　light
gray　vapor　appeared　constantly　in　the　southern　horizon；　flaring　up
occasionally　in　lofty　streaks；　now　darting　from　cast　to　west；　now
from　west　to　east；　and　again　presenting　a　level　and　uniform　summit…in
short；　having　all　the　wild　variations　of　the　Aurora　Borealis。　The
average　height　of　this　vapor；　as　apparent　from　our　station；　was　about
twenty…five　degrees。　The　temperature　of　the　sea　seemed　to　be
increasing　momentarily；　and　there　was　a　very　perceptible　alteration
in　its　color。

_March　2d。_…To…day　by　repeated　questioning　of　our　captive；　we　came　to
the　knowledge　of　many　particulars　in　regard　to　the　island　of　the
massacre；　its　inhabitants；　and　customs…but　with　these　how　can　I　now
detain　the　reader？　I　may　say；　however；　that　we　learned　there　were
eight　islands　in　the　group…that　they　were　governed　by　a　common　king；
named　_Tsalemon　_or　_Psalemoun；　_who　resided　in　one　of　the　smallest
of　the　islands；　that　the　black　skins　forming　the　dress　of　the
warriors　came　from　an　animal　of　huge　size　to　be　found　only　in　a
valley　near　the　court　of　the　king…that　the　inhabitants　of　the　group
fabricated　no　other　boats　than　the　flat…bottomed　rafts；　the　four
canoes　being　all　of　the　kind　in　their　possession；　and；　these　having
been　obtained；　by　mere　accident；　from　some　large　island　in'　the
southwest…that　his　own　name　was　Nu…Nu…that　he　had　no　knowledge　of
Bennet's　Islet…and　that　the　appellation　of　the　island　he　had　left　was
Tsalal。　The　commencement　of　the　words　_Tsalemon　_and　Tsalal　was　given
with　a　prolonged　hissing　sound；　which　'we　found　it　impossible　to
imitate；　even　after　repeated　endeavors；　and　which　was　precisely　the
same　with　the　note　of　the　black　bittern　we　had　eaten　up　on　the　summit
of　the　hill。

_March　3d。_…The　heat　of　the　water　was　now　truly　remarkable；　and　in
color　was　undergoing　a　rapid　change；　being　no　longer　transparent；　but
of　a　milky　consistency　and　hue。　In　our　immediate　vicinity　it　was
usually　smooth；　never　so　rough　as　to　endanger　the　canoe…but　we　were
frequently　surprised　at　perceiving；　to　our　right　and　left；　at
different　distances；　sudden　and　extensive　agitations　of　the　surface
these；　we　at　length　noticed；　were　always　preceded　by　wild　flickerings
in　the　region　of　vapor　to　the　southward。

_March　4th。_…To…day；　with　the　view　of　widening　our　sail；　the　breeze
from　the　northward　dying　away　perceptibly；　I　took　from　my　coat…pocket
a　white　handkerchief。　Nu…Nu　was　seated　at　my　elbow；　and　the　linen
accidentally　flaring　in　his　face；　he　became　violently　affected　with
convulsions。　These　were　succeeded　by　drowsiness　and　stupor；　and　low
murmurings　of　_〃'Tekeli…li！　Tekeli…Ii！〃_

_March　_5th。…The　wind　had　entirely　ceased；　but　it　was　evident　that　we
were　still　hurrying　on　to　the　southward；　under　the　influence　of　a
powerful　current。　And　now；　…indeed；　it　would　seem　reasonable　that　we
should　experience　some　alarm　at　the　turn　events　were　taking…but　we
felt　none。　The　countenance　of　Peters　indicated　nothing　of　this
nature；　although　it　wore　at　times　an　expression　I　could　not　fathom。
The　polar　winter　appeared　to　be　coming　on…but　coming　without　its
terrors。　I　felt　a　_numb_ness　of　body　and　mind…a　dreaminess　of
sensation　but　this　was　all。

_March　6th。_…The　gray　vapor　had　now　arisen　many　more　degrees　above
the　horizon；　and　was　gradually　losing　its　grayness　of　tint。　The　heat
of　the　water　was　extreme；　even　unpleasant　to　the　touch；　and　its　milky
hue　was　more　evident　than　ever。　Today　a　violent　agitation　of　the
water　occurred　very　close　to　the　canoe。　It　was　attended；　as　usual；
with　a　wild　flaring　up　of　the　vapor　at　its　summit；　and　a　momentary
division　at　its　base。　A　fine　white　powder；　resembling　ashes…but
certainly　not　such…fell　over　the　canoe　and　over　a　large　surface　of
the　water；　as　the　flickering　died　away　among　the　vapor　and　the
commotion　subsided　in　the　sea。　Nu…Nu　now　threw　himself　on　his　face　in
the　bottom　of　the　boat；　and　no　persuasions　could　induce　him　to　arise。

_March　7th。_…This　day　we　questioned　Nu…Nu　concerning　the　motives　of
his　countrymen　in　destroying　our　companions；　but　he　appeared　to　be
too　utterly　overcome　by　terror　to　afford　us　any　rational　reply。　He
still　obstinately　lay　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　and；　upon
reiterating　the　questions　as　to　the　motive；　made　use　only　of　idiotic
gesticulations；　such　as　raising　with　his　forefinger　the　upper　lip；
and　displaying　the　teeth　which　lay　beneath　it。　These　were　black。　We
had　never　before　seen　the　teeth　of　an　inhabitant　of　Tsalal。　'

_March　8th。_…To…day　there　floated　by　us　one　of　the　white　animals
whose　appearance　upon　the　beach　at　Tsalal　had　occasioned　so　wild　a
commotion　among　the　savages。　I　would　have　picked　it　up；　but　there
came　over　me　a　sudden　listlessness；　and　I　forbore。　The　heat　of　the
water　still　increased；　and　the　hand　could　no　longer　be　endured　within
it。　Peters　spoke　little；　and　I　knew　not　what　to　think　of　his　apathy。
Nu…Nu　breathed；　and　no　more。

_March　9th。_…The　whole　ashy　material　fell　now　continually　around　us；
and　in　vast　quantities。　The　range　of　vapor　to　the　southward　had
arisen　prodigiously　in　the　horizon；　and　began　to　assume　more
distinctness　of　form。　I　can　liken　it　to　nothing　but　a　limitless
cataract；　rolling　silently　into　the　sea　from　some　immense　and
far…distant　rampart　in　the　heaven。　The　gigantic　curtain　ranged　along
the　whole　extent　of　the　southern　horizon。　It　emitted　no　sound。

_March　21st。_…A　sullen　darkness　now　hovered　above　us…but　from　out　the
milky　depths　of　the　ocean　a　luminous　glare　arose；　and　stole　up　along
the　bulwarks　of　the　boat。　We　were　nearly　overwhelmed　by　the　white
ashy　shower　which　settled　upon　us　and　upon　the　canoe；　but　melted　into
the　water　as　it　fell。　The　summit　of　the　cataract　was　utterly　lost　in
the　dimness　and　the　distance。　Yet　we　were　evidently　approaching　it
with　a　hideous　velocity。　At　intervals　there　were　visible　in　it　wide；
yawning；　but　momentary　rents；　and　from　out　these　rents；　within　which
was　a　chaos　of　flitting　and　indistinct　images；　there　came　rushing　and
mighty。　but　soundless　winds；　tearing　up　the　enkindled　ocean　in　their
course。

_March　22d。_…The　darkness　had　materially　increased；　relieved　only　by
the　glare　of　the　water　thrown　back　from　the　white　curtain　before　us。
Many　gigantic　and　pallidly　white　birds　flew　continuously　now　from
beyond　the　veil；　and　their　scream　was　the　eternal　_Tekeli…li！　_as
they　retreated　from　our　vision。　Hereupon　Nu…Nu　stirred　in　the　bottom
of　the　boat；　but　upon　touching　him　we　found　his　spirit　departed。　And
now　we　rushed　into　the　embraces　of　the　cataract；　where　a　chasm　threw
itself　open　to　receive　us。　But　there　arose　in　our　pathway　a　shrouded
human　figure；　very　far　larger　in　its　proportions　than　any　dweller
among　men。　And　the　hue　of　the　skin　of　the　figure　was　of　the　perfect
whiteness　of　the　snow。

NOTE

THE　circumstances　connected　with　the　late　sudden　and　distressing
death　of　Mr。　Pym　are　already　well　known　to　the　public　through　the
medium　of　the　daily　press。　It　is　feared　that　the　few　remaining
chapters　which　were　to　have　completed　his　narrative；　and　which　were
retained　by　him；　while　the　above　were　in　type；　for　the　purpose　of
revision；　have　been　irrecoverably　lost　through　the　accident　by　which
he　perished　himself。　This；　however；　may　prove　not　to　be　the　case；　and
the　papers；　if　ultimately　found；　will　be　given　to　the　public。

No　means　have　been　left　untried　to　remedy　the　deficiency。　The
gentleman　whose　name　is　mentioned　in　the　preface；　and　who；　from　the
statement　there　made；　might　be　supposed　able　to　fill　the　vacuum；　has
declined　the　task…this；　for　satisfactory　reasons　connected　with　the
general　inaccuracy　of　the　details　afforded　him；　and　his　disbelief　in
the　entire　truth　of　the　latter　portions　of　the　narration。　Peters；
from　whom　some　information　might　be　expected；　is　still　alive；　and　a
resident　of　Illinois；　but　cannot　be　met　with　at　present。　He　may
hereafter　be　found；　and　will；　no　doubt；　afford　material　for　a
conclusion　of　Mr。　Pym's　account。

The　loss　of　two　or　three　final　chapters　（for　there　were　but　two　or
three）　is　the　more　deeply　to　be　regretted；　as　it　can　not　be　doubted
they　contained　matter　relative　to　the　Pole　itself；　or　at　least　to
regions　in　its　very　near　proximity；　and　as；　too；　the　statements　of
the　author　in　relation　to　these　regions　may　shortly　be　verified　or
contradicted　by　means　of　the　governmental　expedition　now　preparing
for　the　Southern　Ocean。

On　one　point　in　the　narrative　some　remarks　may　well　be　offered；　and
it　would　afford　the　writer　of　this　appendix　much　pleasure　if　what　he
may　here　observe　should　have　a　tendency　to　throw　credit；　in　any
degree；　upon　the　very　singular　pages　now　published。　We　allude　to　the
chasms　found　in　the　island　of　Tsalal；　and　to　the　whole　of　the　figures
upon　pages　245…47　｛of　the　printed　edition　…ed。｝。

Mr。　Pym　has　given　the　figures　of　the　chasms　without　comment；　and
speaks　decidedly　of　the　_indentures　_found　at　the　extremity　of　the
most　easterly　of　these　chasms　as　having　but　a　fanciful　resemblance　to
alphabetical　characters；　and；　in　short；　as　being　positively　_not
such。　_This　assertion　is　made　in　a　manner　so　simple；　and　sustained　by
a　species　of　demonstration　so　conclusive　（viz。；　the　fitting　of　the
projections　of　the　fragments　found　among　the　dust　into　the　indentures
upon　the　wall）；　that　we　are　forced　to　believe　the　writer　in　earnest；
and　no　reasonable　reader　should　suppose　otherwise。　But　as　the　facts
in　relation　to　all　the　figures　are　most　singular　（especially　when
taken　in　connection　with　statements　made　in　the　body　of　the
narrative）；　it　may　be　as　well　to　say　a　word　or　two　concerning　them
all…this；　too；　the　more　especially　as　the　facts　in　question　have；
beyond　doubt；　escaped　the　attention　of　Mr。　Poe。

Figure　1；　then；　figure　2；　figure　3；　and　figure　5；　when　conjoined　with
one　another　in　the　precise　order　which　the　chasms　themselves
presented；　and　when　deprived　of　the　small　lateral　branches　or　arches
（which；　it　will　be　remembered；　served　only　as　a　means　of
communication　between　the　main　chambers；　and　were　of　totally　distinct
character）；　constitute　an　Ethiopian　verbal　root…the　root　｛image｝　〃To
be　shady；'　whence　all　the　inflections　of　shadow　or　darkness。

In　regard　to　the　〃left　or　most　northwardly〃　of　the　indentures　in
figure　4；　it　is　more　than　probable　that　the　opinion　of　Peters　was
correct；　and　that　the　hieroglyphical　appearance　was　really　the　work
of　art；　and　intended　as　the　representation　of　a　human　form。　The
delineation　is　before　the　reader；　and　he　may；　or　may　not；　perceive
the　resemblance　suggested；　but　the　rest　of　the　indentures　afford
strong　confirmation　of　Peters'　idea。　The　upper　range　is　evidently　the
Arabic　verbal　root　｛image｝。　〃To　be　white；〃　whence　all　the　inflections
of　brilliancy　and　whiteness。　The　lower　range　is　not　so　immediately
perspicuous。　The　characters　are　somewhat　broken　and　disjointed；
nevertheless；　it　can　not　be　doubted　that；　in　their　perfect　state；
they　formed　the　full　Egyptian　word　｛image｝。　〃The　region　of　the
south。'　It　should　be　observed　that　these　interpretations　confirm　the
opinion　of　Peters　in　regard　to　the　〃most　northwardly〃　of　the；
figure