LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS 
667 
Capt. Ross raise himself from his couch, in dread expectation 
of the horrid apparition, that was in a short time to burst upon 
his alarmed vision. Summoning 1 all the fortitude inherent in his 
nature, in a deep and sepulchral voice, he demanded to know 
the name, condition, and more than all, the intent of the base 
disturber of his refreshing slumber. Again he called—again 
and again—but no satisfactory answer met his ears. Strongly 
was now the conviction impressed upon his mind, that the vi¬ 
sitant above him, could not be of human shape-—but what other 
shape to give it, celestial or infernal, maritime or terrestrial, 
biped or quadruped or multipede, set all his reasoning powers 
at defiance. 
Suspense to some minds is a species of insufferable torture: 
for to them ’tis better to know the worst, than to live under 
the dominion of an alarmed imagination, which converts the 
flitting shadow into substantiality, and in the sullen moan of 
the wind, hears the groans of the dying. Impelled by the spirit 
of desperation, Capt. Ross sprang from his couch, and standing 
erect in the noble attitude of defiance, raising his eyes to the 
roof, he exclaimed, 
What dost thou there, thou midnight hag above, 
Thus to break in upon my peaceful rest. 
No answer was returned to the solemn invocation ; whilst, on 
the other hand, the mysterious visitant continued to step 
heavily along the roof; and once a sound came upon the ears of 
the astonished tenant of the house, as if it were the snuffing 
from the nostrils of some tremendous animal, who might per- 
adventure have scented the contents of his provision bag. Resolved 
not to be kept in the agony of suspense any longer, Capt. Ross 
roared out,—“ Avast! you there above, by G—d, but you will be 
through the roof.”—Even this short intelligible application 
was unattended to; when, prompted by “ the sweet little 
cherub, who sits up aloft, to take care of the life of jpoor Jack 
Capt. Ross applied his eye to a kind of loop-hole in the wall, 
which was made for the admission of light—when, horrible to 
relate, the dread reality burst upon him, in the shape of an 
