WewaitedinvainforthearrivalofthesixthdaythatdaytomehasnotarrivedtotheSwede，neverdidarrive。Thenceforwardwewereenshroudedinpatchydarkness，sothatwecouldnothaveseenanobjectattwentypacesfromtheship。Eternalnightcontinuedtoenvelopus，allunrelievedbythephosphoricsea-brilliancytowhichwehadbeenaccustomedinthetropics。Weobservedtoo，that，althoughthetempestcontinuedtoragewithunabatedviolence，therewasnolongertobediscoveredtheusualappearanceofsurf，orfoam，whichhadhithertoattendedus。Allaroundwerehorror，andthickgloom，andablackswelteringdesertofebony。SuperstitiousterrorcreptbydegreesintothespiritoftheoldSwede，andmyownsoulwaswrappedupinsilentwonder。Weneglectedallcareoftheship，asworsethanuseless，andsecuringourselves，aswellaspossible，tothestumpofthemizen-mast，lookedoutbitterlyintotheworldofocean。Wehadnomeansofcalculatingtime，norcouldweformanyguessofoursituation。Wewere，however，wellawareofhavingmadefarthertothesouthwardthananypreviousnavigators，andfeltgreatamazementatnotmeetingwiththeusualimpedimentsofice。Inthemeantimeeverymomentthreatenedtobeourlasteverymountainousbillowhurriedtooverwhelmus。TheswellsurpassedanythingIhadimaginedpossible，andthatwewerenotinstantlyburiedisamiracle。Mycompanionspokeofthelightnessofourcargo，andremindedmeoftheexcellentqualitiesofourship；butI
couldnothelpfeelingtheutterhopelessnessofhopeitself，andpreparedmyselfgloomilyforthatdeathwhichIthoughtnothingcoulddeferbeyondanhour，as，witheveryknotofwaytheshipmade，theswellingoftheblackstupendousseasbecamemoredismallyappalling。
Attimeswegaspedforbreathatanelevationbeyondthealbatross
attimesbecamedizzywiththevelocityofourdescentintosomewateryhell，wheretheairgrewstagnant，andnosounddisturbedtheslumbersofthekraken。
Wewereatthebottomofoneoftheseabysses，whenaquickscreamfrommycompanionbrokefearfullyuponthenight。“See！see！”criedhe，shriekinginmyears，“AlmightyGod！see！see！”Ashespoke，I