the works of edgar allan poe-3-第40部分

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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；
figures。　The　arm　is　outstretched　toward　the　south。

Conclusions　such　as　these　open　a　wide　field　for　speculation　and
exciting　conjecture。　They　should　be　regarded；　perhaps；　in　connection
with　some　of　the　most　faintly　detailed　incidents　of　the　narrative；
although　in　no　visible　manner　is　this　chain　of　connection　complete。
Tekeli…li！　was　the　cry　of　the　affrighted　natives　of　Tsalal　upon
discovering　the　carcase　of　the　_white　_animal　picked　up　at　sea。　This
also　was　the　shuddering　exclamatives　of　Tsalal　upon　discovering　the
carcass　of　the　_white　_materials　in　possession　of　Mr。　Pym。　This　also
was　the　shriek　of　the　swift…flying；　_white；　_and　gigantic　birds　which
issued　from　the　vapory　_white　_curtain　of　the　South。　Nothing　_white
_was　to　be　found　at　Tsalal；　and　nothing　otherwise　in　the　subsequent
voyage　to　the　region　beyond。　It　is　not　impossible　that　〃Tsalal；〃　the
appellation　of　the　island　of　the　chasms；　may　be　found；　upon　minute
philological　scrutiny；　to　betray　either　some　alliance　with　the　chasms
themselves；　or　some　reference　to　the　Ethiopian　characters　so
mysteriously　written　in　their　windings。

_〃I　have　graven　it　within　the　hills；　and　my　vengeance　upon　the　dust
within　the　rock。〃_

~~~　End　of　text　Chapter　25　~~~

Notes

｛*1｝　Whaling　vessels　are　usually　fitted　with　iron　oil…tanks…　why　the
_Grampus_　was　not　I　have　never　been　able　to　ascertain。

｛*2｝　The　case　of　the　brig　_Polly_；　of　Boston；　is　one　so　much　in
point；　and　her　fate；　in　many　respects；　so　remarkably　similar　to　our
own；　that　I　cannot　forbear　alluding　to　it　here。　This　vessel；　of　one
hundred　and　thirty　tons　burden；　sailed　from　Boston；　with　a　cargo　of
lumber　and　provisions；　for　Santa　Croix；　on　the　twelfth　of　December；
1811；　under　the　command　of　Captain　Casneau。　There　were　eight　souls　on
board　besides　the　captain…　the　mate；　four　seamen；　and　the　cook；
together　with　a　Mr。　Hunt；　and　a　negro　girl　belonging　to　him。　On　the
fifteenth；　having　cleared　the　shoal　of　Georges；　she　sprung　a　leak　in
a　gale　of　wind　from　the　southeast；　and　was　finally　capsized；　but；　the
masts　going　by　the　board；　she　afterward　righted。　They　remained　in
this　situation；　without　fire；　and　with　very　little　provision；　for　the
period　of　one　hundred　and　ninety…one　days　（from　December　the
fifteenth　to　June　the　twentieth）；　when　Captain　Casneau　and　Samuel
Badger；　the　only　survivors；　were　taken　off　the　wreck　by　the　Fame；　of
Hull；　Captain　Featherstone；　bound　home　from　Rio　Janeiro。　When　picked
up；　they　were　in　latitude　28　degrees　N。；　longitude　13　degrees　W。；
having　drifted　above　two　thousand　miles！　On　the　ninth　of　July　the
Fame　fell　in　with　the　brig　Dromero；　Captain　Perkins；　who　landed　the
two　sufferers　in　Kennebeck。　The　narrative　from　which　we　gather　these
details　ends　in　the　following　words：

　　　　〃It　is　natural　to　inquire　how　they　could　float　such　a　vast
distance；　upon　the　most　frequented　part　of　the　Atlantic；　and　not　be
discovered　all　this　time。　They　were　passed　by　more　than　a　dozen　sail；
one　of　which　came　so　nigh　them　that　they　could　distinctly　see　the
people　on　deck　and　on　the　rigging　looking　at　them；　but；　to　the
inexpressible　disappointment　of　the　starving　and　freezing　men；　they
stifled　the　dictates　of　compassion；　hoisted　sail；　and　cruelly
abandoned　them　to　their　fate。〃

｛*3｝　Among　the　vessels　which　at　various　times　have　professed　to　meet
with　the　Auroras　may　be　mentioned　the　ship　San　Miguel；　in　1769；　the
ship　Aurora；　in　1774；　the　brig　Pearl；　in　1779；　and　the　ship　Dolores；
in　1790。　They　all　agree　in　giving　the　mean　latitude　fifty…three
degrees　south。

｛*4｝　The　terms　morning　and　evening；　which　I　have　made　use　of　to　avoid
confusion　in　my　narrative；　as　far　as　possible；　must　not；　of　course；
be　taken　in　their　ordinary　sense。　For　a　long　time　past　we　had　had　no
night　at　all；　the　daylight　being　continual。　The　dates　throughout　are
according　to　nautical　time；　and　the　bearing　must　be　understood　as　per
compass。　I　would　also　remark；　in　this　place；　that　I　cannot；　in　the
first　portion　of　what　is　here　written；　pretend　to　strict　a