COS The Spirit-Seeker. QDec 



in the surrounding flames — the fire reached the powder magazine — one 

 shriek, and all was over. 



" The flames ceased, and I was left in impenetrable darkness, in a 

 strange sea I knew not how far from land. Yet even then the thirst that 

 lay at my heart for communion with the shadows of the past, did not 

 desert me. In that hour of peril and solitude, the longing that had 

 filled my breast so long came upon me with all its original force, and I 

 felt a strange sensation that roused every sense within me to exertion. 

 In that scene of horror I lifted up my voice, though the tones seemed to 

 fall with a cold weight upon my heart, and I called aloud upon the 

 Spirits of the Dead — I heard a voice answer, ' Here !' — then a million of 

 feeble voices caught up the sound, and the faint echoes fell upon my 

 ear, and chilled my brow with the cold dew of death. — Just then the 

 expiring ship sent up one bright flame of vivid light, and I saw " 



Here he looked upon me, with an expression I shall never forget. 

 A shadow of deep agony shrouded his features — his eyes were start- 

 ing from their sockets, gleaming with unnatural light — his strong frame 

 shook with fear — he seemed labouring under an effect of terror of the 

 most dreadful nature. 



" I saw," he continued, as he caught hold of me by the arm, " a sight 

 that made my blood run cold with fear — that curdled the marrow in my 

 bones — that made my flesh quiver convulsively, and that filled my 

 heart with a feeling of incurable pain, and my brain Avith a quenchless, 

 burning, corroding flame, that tortures my senses into madness. 



" I see it now !" he cried, in a voice of thrilling agony, pointing with 

 extended arm to places where I could see nothing. " There ! — there ! — 

 see how they stare upon me with their sightless orbs — how they point 

 at me with their fleshless hands ! Hear you not a laugh like the bub- 

 bling of blood — the red light of the burning ship dwells upon their 

 skulls — I press my hand over my brows and over my ears, but though 

 both eyes and ears are closed, still I hear and still I see. — Avaunt ! 

 avaunt ! ye horrible fiends ! — avaunt, and mock me not ! Oh ! look not 

 upon me with the blue light of those empty sockets. It sinks into my 

 soul, it burns my heart to ashes. Away ! away ! — to the fathomless 

 ocean from whence ye came ! Down, into the depths of the dark sea, 

 away !— Oh, God !— Oh, God !" 



He sunk upon the floor, senseless. I rendered him immediate assist- 

 ar:ce, but it was long before he became perfectly sensible. At last he 

 recovered. He looked round the room, with a wild, unsettled gaze, 

 ;i!id said, " Where am I } — methought I was upon the deep ocean, and 

 darkness was around me, and" — a strong convulsive shudder passed over 

 his whole body — " but," he continued, " it was all a dream." 



I endeavoured to compose his mind, by leading it to other topics, 

 and it was some time before I allowed him to conclude his extraordinary 

 narrative. 



" I know not," said he, " what passed for many hours after the ship 

 had been engulphed by the waves. The sight had frozen up the cur- 

 rent of life, and I lay on the bosom of the dark waters without sense 

 or motion. When I recovered I found myself lying on a bed, enclosed 

 by curtains of a light and elegant fabric. I Avew them aside, and was 

 sur]niscd at the splendour of the room in which I lay. I observed a 

 black female, in an oriental dress, who as soon as she noticed me, left 

 t!ie room, I had not been long engaged in making observations on the 



