choing through the caverns of the deep. I advanced to the cabin door,
intending to descend the stairs, but found that some one had fastened
it firmly on the inside. I felt convinced that I was intentionally
shut out, and a cold shuddering pervaded my frame. I covered my face
with my hands, not daring to look around; for it seemed as if I
was excluded from the company of the living, and doomed to be the
associate of the spirits of drowned and murdered men. After a little
time I began to walk hastily backwards and forwards; but the light of
the lantern happened to flash on a stream of blood that ran along the
deck, and I could not summon up resolution to pass the spot where it
was a second time. The sky looked black and threatening--the sea had a
fierceness in its sound and motions--and the wind swept over its bosom
with melancholy sighs. Everything was sombre and ominous; and I looked
in vain for some object that would, by its soothing aspect, remove the
dark impressions which crowded upon my mind.

While standing near the bows of the vessel, I saw a hand and arm rise
slowly behind the stern, and wave from side to side. I started back as
far as I could go in horrible affright, and looked again, expecting to
behold the entire spectral figure of which I supposed they formed a
part. But nothing more was visible. I struck my eyes till the light
flashed from them, in hopes that my senses had been imposed upon by
distempered vision. However, it was in vain, for the hand still
motioned me to advance, and I rushed forwards with wild desperation,
and caught hold of it. I was pulled along a little way notwithstanding
the resistance I made, and soon discovered a man stretched along the
stern-cable, and clinging to it in a convulsive manner. It was
Morvalden. He raised his head feebly, and said something, but I could
only distinguish the words "murdered--overboard--reached this
rope--terrible death."--I stretched out my arms to support him, but at
that moment the vessel plunged violently, and he was shaken off the
cable, and dropped among the waves. He floated for an instant, and
then disappeared under the keel.

I seized the first rope I could find, and threw one end of it over the
stern, and likewise flung some planks into the sea, thinking that the
unfortunate Morvalden might still retain strength enough to catch hold
of them if they came within his reach. I continued on the watch for a
considerable time, but at last abandoned a