“Itmaylooklikeboasting-butwhatItellyouistruth-I
begantoreflecthowmagnificentathingitwastodieinsuchamanner，andhowfoolishitwasinmetothinkofsopaltryaconsiderationasmyownindividuallife，inviewofsowonderfulamanifestationofGod’spower。IdobelievethatIblushedwithshamewhenthisideacrossedmymind。AfteralittlewhileIbecamepossessedwiththekeenestcuriosityaboutthewhirlitself。I
positivelyfelta_wish_toexploreitsdepths，evenatthesacrificeIwasgoingtomake；andmyprincipalgriefwasthatIshouldneverbeabletotellmyoldcompanionsonshoreaboutthemysteriesI
shouldsee。These，nodoubt，weresingularfanciestooccupyaman’smindinsuchextremity-andIhaveoftenthoughtsince，thattherevolutionsoftheboataroundthepoolmighthaverenderedmealittlelight-headed。
“Therewasanothercircumstancewhichtendedtorestoremyself-possession；andthiswasthecessationofthewind，whichcouldnotreachusinourpresentsituation-for，asyousawyourself，thebeltofsurfisconsiderablylowerthanthegeneralbedoftheocean，andthislatternowtoweredaboveus，ahigh，black，mountainousridge。Ifyouhaveneverbeenatseainaheavygale，youcanformnoideaoftheconfusionofmindoccasionedbythewindandspraytogether。Theyblind，deafen，andstrangleyou，andtakeawayallpowerofactionorreflection。Butwewerenow，inagreatmeasure，ridoftheseannoyances-justusdeath-condemnedfelonsinprisonareallowedpettyindulgences，forbiddenthemwhiletheirdoomisyetuncertain。