58 TUB MAELSTROM. 



doomed ship nearing the terrible Maelstrom. " And now the breeze* 

 which had been long flagging, lulled into a calm, and soon a low continual 

 hum, like that of an army of bees, which seemed to rise out of the stilled 

 ocean, became audible to every ear ; not a word was spoken, every one 

 held his breath whilst he listened with an intensity of eagerness that 

 betokened the awe that was fast filling the heart. * It is the Moskoes- 

 trom,' cried the boatswain ! ' The Moskoestrom !' echoed the crew. 

 ' Away men !' shouted the mate, ' down to the hold, bring up the spare 

 sails, clear the deck, set up a spar for a mast, away, away !' The din 

 of preparation drowned the stern hum of the distant whirlpool ; there was, 

 however, an anxious pause when the new sail was set into the air; and 

 experienced sailors suffered themselves to be cheated with the hope, that 

 there was still beeeze enough to make the good ship answer her helm. 

 But, alas! the heavy canvas refused to expand its folds, and not a breath 

 of wind ruffled the dull surface of the sullen waters. They had not 

 another hope ; the sailors looked on one another with blank dismay, and 

 now they heard, with awful distinctness, the roar of the terrible 

 Maelstrom, and the frowning rocks of Loffoden were but too plainly 

 visible on the right. It became evident to all, that the ship, borne 

 along by the tide, was fast approaching the dreadful whirlpool. The 

 vessel continued slowly to approach, and the certainty of unavoidable 

 death became every moment more overpowering and intense. At first 

 the sailors stood together in a group, gazing gloomily upon one another, 

 but as the roar of the whirlpool became louder and louder, and the 

 conviction of inevitable destruction became stronger, they all dispersed 

 to various parts of the ship. * * * It was a beautiful day, the sun 

 shone forth without a cloud to dim his lustre, the waves sparkled beneath 

 his influence, and the white plumage of a thousand busy sea birds became 

 more dazzling with his rays. The Isle of Moskoe was close at hand, and 

 looked cheerful and inviting, but the ship was not to approach nearer to 

 its shores, the stream which bore her along never suffered any vessel 

 to pause in its career. And now there arose at some distance ahead of 

 the vessel, a horrible and dismal bellowing or howling, as some Leviathan 

 in his agony, and when those on deck, who had still ears for exterior 

 sounds, looked forward to ascertain its cause, they beheld a huge black 

 monster upon the surface of the sea, struggling against the irresistible 

 stream, and with his immense tail lashing the waters into foam, as he 

 vainly strove to escape from destruction. They beheld him borne away 

 by the might of his furious enemy; and they heard his last roar above the 

 noise of the whirlpool, as he was sucked down into the never satisfied 



