dominant

You decide

the idea of an extreme sliding-scale of opinion disappears.

especially when it comes to sex

in the eyes of both Adam and God

y: the Bible.

he tried to force her submission, she became enraged,

repressing

to do more than accept the compliment, or to answer with an “I know,” rather than a “thank you.

said something “nice” about them

Carmen’s involvement

horrendous Freudian complexes,

as well as many other things such as the castration complex, the unheimlich, the Oedipus complex.

gaining her trust and forgiveness, each person had a place in her guardianism.

They’re really just not gonna touch on the fact that she’s just randomly alive?

literally comes back from the dead

as the sole (ha)

So how is this whole mess of unclear Freudian inspired language connected to a film about murder, restaurants, and a whole mess of family troubles?

I also just want it to be intellectual and over

..

But there arose in our pathway a shrouded human figure, very far larger in its proportions than any dweller among men. And the hue of the skin of the figure was of the perfect whiteness of the snow.

This day we questioned Nu-Nu concerning the motives of his countrymen in destroying our companions; but he appeared to be too utterly overcome by terror to afford us any rational reply. He still obstinately lay in the bottom of the boat; and, upon reiterating the questions as to the motive, made use only of idiotic gesticulations, such as raising with his forefinger the upper lip, and displaying the teeth which lay beneath it. These were black. We had never before seen the teeth of an inhabitant of Tsalal.

The heat of the water was extreme, even unpleasant to the touch, and its milky hue was more evident than ever. Today a violent agitation of the water occurred very close to the canoe. It was attended, as usual, with a wild flaring up of the vapor at its summit, and a momentary division at its base. A fine white powder, resembling ashes-but certainly not such-fell over the canoe and over a large surface of the water, as the flickering died away among the vapor and the commotion subsided in the sea.

I felt a numbness of body and mind—a dreaminess of sensation but this was all.

Nu-Nu was seated at my elbow, and the linen accidentally flaring in his face, he became violently affected with convulsions. These were succeeded by drowsiness and stupor, and low murmurings of “‘Tekeli-li! Tekeli-li!”

March 3d.-The heat of the water was now truly remarkable, and in color was undergoing a rapid change, being no longer transparent, but of a milky consistency and hue. In our immediate vicinity it was usually smooth, never so rough as to endanger the canoe-but we were frequently surprised at perceiving, to our right and left, at different distances, sudden and extensive agitations of the surface; these, we at length noticed, were always preceded by wild flickerings in the region of vapor to the southward.

but with these how can I now detain the reader?

“Tekeli-li!”

with no provision but the three turtles

CHAPTER 25

We were now clear off, and making great way out to sea

Several immense scorpions were seen

reached the bottom also in safety.

I let go at once my grasp upon the peg, and, turning half round from the precipice, remained tottering for an instant against its naked face. But now there came a spinning of the brain; a shrill-sounding and phantom voice screamed within my ears; a dusky, fiendish, and filmy figure stood immediately beneath me; and, sighing, I sunk down with a bursting heart, and plunged within its arms. I had swooned, and Peters had caught me as I fell. He had observed my proceedings from his station at the bottom of the cliff; and perceiving my imminent danger, had endeavored to inspire me with courage by every suggestion he could devise; although my confusion of mind had been so great as to prevent my hearing what he said, or being conscious that he had even spoken to me at all. At length, seeing me totter, he hastened to ascend to my rescue, and arrived just in time for my preservation. Had I fallen with my full weight, the rope of linen would inevitably have snapped, and I should have been precipitated into the abyss; as it was, he contrived to let me down gently, so as to remain suspended without danger until animation returned. This was in about fifteen minutes

Upon the ledge where we stood there grew some filbert-bushes; and to one of these we made fast an end of our rope of handkerchiefs

we found two triangular holes of great depth, and also with black granite sides

After satisfying ourselves that these singular caverns afforded us no means of escape from our prison, we made our way back, dejected and dispirited

A strong light now broke upon us, and, turning a short bend, we found ourselves in another lofty chamber

At c

This figure [No figures in text]

At length we saw that it was the carcass of the strange animal with the scarlet teeth and claws which the schooner had picked up at sea on the eighteenth of January.

there came a smart shock (which we felt as distinctly where we were as if we had been slightly galvanized), but unattended with any visible signs of an explosion

mature deliberation

We were the only living white men upon the island.

after one or two ineffectual efforts at getting up, we began once more to despair.

life had been long extinct.

At length Peters proposed that we should endeavour to ascertain precisely the extent of our calamity

such as cannot be adequately imagined by those who have never been in a similar position.

the day of universal dissolution was at hand.

ambuscade

meaning that there was no need of arms where all were brothers. We took this in good part, and proceeded.

this apparent kindness of disposition was only the result of a deeply laid plan for our destruction, and that the islanders for whom we entertained such inordinate feelings of esteem, were among the most barbarous, subtle, and bloodthirsty wretches that ever contaminated the face of the globe.

upon the whole, we should have been the most suspicious of human beings had we entertained a single thought of perfidy on the part of a people who treated us so well.

I believe that not one of us had at this time the slightest suspicion of the good faith of the savages.

to the great astonishment of the savages

A description of the nature of this important article of commerce, and the method of preparing it, may prove of some interest to my readers, and I can find no more suitable place than this for introducing an account of it.

our barterings were carried on with every appearance of good faith

In the whole of this adventure we saw nothing in the demeanour of the natives calculated to create suspicion, with the single exception of the systematic manner in which their party was strengthened during our route from the schooner to the village.

we commenced a series of cross-questioning in every ingenious manner we could devise, with a view of discovering what were the chief productions of the country, and whether any of them might be turned to profit.

Our chief security lay, however, in the presence of Too-wit himself among us, and we resolved to stick by him closely, as the best chance of extricating ourselves from the dilemma, sacrificing him immediately upon the first appearance of hostile design.

This village, if it were worthy of the name

The dwellings were of the most miserable description imaginable

that vast chain of apparent miracles with which I was destined to be at length encircled.

At first sight, and especially in cases where little declivity was found, it bore resemblance, as regards consistency, to a thick infusion of gum arabic in common water. But this was only the least remarkable of its extraordinary qualities. It was not colourless, nor was it of any one uniform colour—presenting to the eye, as it flowed, every possible shade of purple; like the hues of a changeable silk.

differing essentially from any hitherto visited by civilized men.

ten savages being left on board as hostages

We made out, nevertheless, what greatly astonished us, that the islands abounded in the large tortoise of the Gallipagos, one of which we saw in the canoe of Too-wit. We saw also some biche de mer in the hands of one of the savages, who was greedily devouring it in its natural state. These anomalies—for they were such when considered in regard to the latitude—induced Captain Guy to wish for a thorough investigation of the country, in the hope of making a profitable speculation in his discovery. For my own part, anxious as I was to know something more of these islands, I was still more earnestly bent on prosecuting the voyage to the southward without delay.

This was a degree of ignorance

a hundred and ten savages

After searching about for some time, we discovered an inlet, which we were entering, when we saw four large canoes put off from the shore, filled with men who seemed to be well armed. We waited for them to come up, and, as they moved with great rapidity, they were soon within hail. Captain Guy now held up a white handkerchief on the blade of an oar, when the strangers made a full stop

January 19.

the carcass of a singular-looking land-animal. It was three feet in length, and but six inches in height, with four very short legs, the feet armed with long claws of a brilliant scarlet, and resembling coral in substance. The body was covered with a straight silky hair, perfectly white. The tail was peaked like that of a rat, and about a foot and a half long. The head resembled a cat’s, with the exception of the ears—these were flopped like the ears of a dog. The teeth were of the same brilliant scarlet as the claws.

He was exceedingly sensitive to ridicule, however, and I finally succeeded in laughing him out of his apprehensions.

therefore, I cannot but lament the most unfortunate and bloody events which immediately arose from my advice, I must still be allowed to feel some degree of gratification at having been instrumental, however remotely, in opening to the eye of science one of the most intensely exciting secrets which has ever engrossed its attention

solving the great problem in regard to an Antarctic continent

we were getting short of fuel, and symptoms of scurvy had occurred among several of the crew

altogether destitute of vegetation, if we except a species of prickly pear.

In this extremity nothing but the promptness and agility of Peters saved us from destruction.

Being well armed, we made no scruple of attacking it at once.

We here again sounded, and found a current setting still southwardly, and at the rate of three quarters of a mile per hour.

I heard Captain Guy express his resolution of pushing boldly to the southward.

on the twelfth of December

but did not molest them

we could only procure three hundred and fifty skins in all

(Peters and myself being in the mate’s boat)

In short

Besides the penguin many other birds are here to be found

The feathered tribes are discovered in great numbers.

almost certain to take place during the greatest force of the gale.

five-and-twenty degrees

The Jane Guy had a crew of thirty-five, all able seamen, besides the captain and mate, but she was not altogether as well armed or otherwise equipped, as a navigator acquainted with the difficulties and dangers of the trade could have desired.

a fine-looking topsail schooner of a hundred and eighty tons burden

beings who were regarded as belonging to the human species.

eleven small crabs

the keel itself, thickly covered with large barnacles, which proved to be excellent and highly nutritious food.

Our whole stock of provision had been swept overboard in spite of all our care in securing it; and seeing no longer the remotest possibility of obtaining more, we gave way both of us to despair, weeping aloud like children, and neither of us attempting to offer consolation to the other.

when one of the largest was struck with an axe by Peters and much wounded, he persisted in his attempts to push in where we were.

We now saw clearly that Augustus could not be saved; that he was evidently dying. We could do nothing to relieve his sufferings, which appeared to be great. About twelve o’clock he expired in strong convulsions, and without having spoken for several hours.

although he weighed a hundred and twenty-seven pounds upon his leaving Nantucket, he now did not weigh more than forty or fifty

His arm was completely black from the wrist to the shoulder, and his feet were like ice.

and the wine-bottle

The brig now began to lie along so alarmingly that we feared she would eventually roll bottom up.

Found great relief from thirst, and much comfort otherwise, by bathing in the sea

Toward evening we saw several sharks, and were somewhat alarmed by the audacious manner in which an enormously large one approached us. At one time, a lurch throwing the deck very far beneath the water, the monster actually swam in upon us, floundering for some moments just over the companion-hatch, and striking Peters violently with his tail. A heavy sea at length hurled him overboard, much to our relief. In moderate weather we might have easily captured him.

the weather was so warm as to render the water rather grateful than otherwise

Fortunately

JULY 24

Their appearance is singular, and even disgusting

a small tortoise of the Gallipago breed

a carboy containing nearly three gallons of excellent Cape Madeira wine

a bottle of Madeira wine. Of the latter we each took a moderate sup, having learned by experience the pernicious consequences of indulging too freely

comparative strength and hope.

by getting at this axe, we might cut through the deck over the storeroom, and thus readily supply ourselves with provisions

the tragedy in the death of him who had been chiefly instrumental in bringing it about

Gasping for breath, I fell senseless to the deck

we prepared to draw lots

sufficient strength of mind

The effect of his words was even more terrible than what I had anticipated. Both Augustus and Peters, who, it seems, had long secretly entertained the same fearful idea which Parker had been merely the first to broach, joined with him in his design and insisted upon its immediately being carried into effect.

he had now held out as long as human nature could be sustained; that it was unnecessary for all to perish, when, by the death of one, it was possible, and even probable, that the rest might be finally preserved

He proposed, in a few words, that one of us should die to preserve the existence of the others

a light breeze springing up

the rest were completely prostrated in intellect, and seemed to be brought to a species of second childhood, generally simpering in their expressions, with idiotic smiles, and uttering the most absurd platitudes.

he appeared much revived and invigorated, and, upon getting out, asked me, in a rational manner, why I had so served him.

the attempt could not possibly be resumed

the stimulus, in the empty state of their stomachs, had taken instant and violent effect, and that they were all exceedingly intoxicated.

The condition of Augustus’s wounded arm rendered it useless for him to attempt going down

unfathomable mystery.

we might possibly have found means of boarding her, had not our sudden disappointment and the appalling nature of the discovery which accompanied it laid entirely prostrate every active faculty of mind and body. We had seen and felt, but we could neither think nor act, until, alas! too late. How much our intellects had been weakened by this incident may be estimated by the fact, that when the vessel had proceeded so far that we could perceive no more than the half of her hull, the proposition was seriously entertained of attempting to overtake her by swimming!

The body from which it had been taken, resting as it did upon the rope, had been easily swayed to and fro by the exertions of the carnivorous bird, and it was this motion which had at first impressed us with the belief of its being alive.

He seemed by his manner to be encouraging us to have patience, nodding to us in a cheerful although rather odd way, and smiling constantly, so as to display a set of the most brilliantly white teeth.

hermaphrodite brig

Throwing ourselves on our knees to God, we implored His aid in the many dangers which beset us; and arose with renewed hope and vigor to think what could yet be done by mortal means toward accomplishing our deliverance.

neither Augustus nor myself could refrain from bursting into tears

Having fastened this securely to one of his ankles

with a steady but very light breeze from the N. W

We derived much comfort from taking off our clothes and wringing the water from them. When we put them on after this, they felt remarkably warm and pleasant, and served to invigorate us in no little degree. We helped Augustus off with his, and wrung them for him, when he experienced the same comfort.

the sea subsiding every minute

he had merely swooned from the loss of blood

It had cut a deep gash through the waistband of his woollen pantaloons, and through two shirts, and made its way into his groin, from which the blood flowed out copiously as we removed the cordage

that of Tiger

pleasing images floated in my imagination; such as green trees, waving meadows of ripe grain, processions of dancing girls, troops of cavalry, and other phantasies

he spoke, although very feebly, saying that he was in great pain, being so cut by the tightness of his lashings across the stomach, that he must either find means of loosening them or perish

y dint of sheer strength, strangled him instantaneously

had it not been for the timely aid of a friend, upon whose assistance we, surely, had never depended. This friend was no other than Tiger.

thrown Augustus to the floor, stabbed him in several places along the right arm

I felled Parker with a blow on the head from the pump-handle which I had brought with me. In the meantime, Augustus seized one of the muskets lying on the floor and shot another mutineer Wilson through the breast.

The mate sprang up from the mattress on which he was lying, and, without uttering a syllable, fell back, stone dead, upon the cabin floor

Add to these considerations the awe-inspiring nature of the tempest, and that of the conversation brought about by Peters; the deep impression which the loathsomeness of the actual corpse had made in the morning upon the imaginations of the men;

an unwavering belief in its reality.

presented a most shocking appearance.

The corpse, left to itself, was washed into the larboard scuppers, where it still lay at the time of which I speak, floundering about with the furious lurches of the brig.

sew the body up in its hammock, and allow it the usual rites of sea-burial

one of the most horrid and loathsome spectacles I ever remember to have seen

By good fortune I at length hit upon the idea of working upon the superstitious terrors and guilty conscience of the mate.

But to return from this digression.

.

Lying-to, or, in sea-parlance, “laying-to,”

As I address myself principally, if not altogether, to persons who have never been to sea,

Augustus and myself should then come up, and endeavour to provide ourselves with some kind of weapons from the deck, and that we should then make a rush together, and secure the companion-way before any opposition could be offered.

with a remarkably heavy sea.

Simms, one of the common hands, and belonging also to the cook’s gang, fell overboard, being very much in liquor, and was drowned—no attempt being made to save him.

He asked him whether he would not like to go with the mutineers on a kind of exploring and pleasure voyage in those quarters, and said that the men were gradually coming over to the mate’s views. To this Augustus thought it best to reply that he would be glad to go on such an adventure, since nothing better could be done, and that any thing was preferable to a piratical life.

foretopsail

the ruffian set him at liberty, after making him drink from a flask of rum which he drew from his coat-pocket.

at night, I got into Augustus’ berth, where I slept soundly and sweetly until nearly daybreak, when he awakened me upon hearing a stir upon deck

the hybrid

He answered all my companion’s questions with perfect freedom; told him that he had no doubt of his father’s having been picked up, as there were no less than five sail in sight just before sundown on the day he was cut adrift; and used other language of a consolatory nature, which occasioned me no less surprise than pleasure.

By the time my friend had got safely into the berth, and readjusted his handcuffs and the rope, it was broad daylight. We had made a narrow escape indeed; for scarcely had he arranged all matters, when the mate came below

The stowage on board the Grampus was most clumsily done, if stowage that could be called which was little better than a promiscuous huddling together of oil-casks

In cargoes consisting of grain, or any similar matter, additional precautions are requisite

were it not for the interstices consequent upon the rotundity of the hogsheads.

In explanation of some portions of this narrative, wherein I have spoken of the stowage of the brig, and which may appear ambiguous to some of my readers who may have seen a proper or regular stowage, I must here state that the manner in which this most important duty had been per formed on board the Grampus was a most shameful piece of neglect on the part of Captain Barnard, who was by no means as careful or as experienced a seaman as the hazardous nature of the service on which he was employed would seem necessarily to demand. A proper stowage cannot be accomplished in a careless manner, and many most disastrous accidents, even within the limits of my own experience, have arisen from neglect or ignorance in this particular.

he now resolved to brave every difficulty and danger in reaching me.

Overcome now by his feelings, he threw himself among the lumber in despair, and wept like a child. It was at this period that he heard the crash occasioned by the bottle which I had thrown down. Fortunate, indeed, was it that the incident occurred—for, upon this incident, trivial as it appears, the thread of my destiny depended. Many years elapsed, however, before I was aware of this fact. A natural shame and regret for his weakness and indecision prevented Augustus from confiding to me at once what a more intimate and unreserved communion afterward induced him to reveal.

He dwelt on the world of novelty and amusement to be found among the innumerable islands of the Pacific, on the perfect security and freedom from all restraint to be enjoyed, but, more particularly, on the deliciousness of the climate, on the abundant means of good living, and on the voluptuous beauty of the women.

exceedingly capricious, and even grotesque.

a slight incision with the pen-knife on the back of a finger just above the nail—a copious flow of blood ensuing, as usual, from wounds in that vicinity.

but did not think of mentioning the circumstance upon his bringing the watch.

smaller bones readily yield to pressure

the irons could be slipped off and on at pleasure, with very little effort or inconvenience, merely by squeezing his hands through them

His handcuffs were the first consideration. At first he saw no method of removing them, and feared that he should thus be baffled in the very outset

.

handcuffs (of which there were several pairs on board),

the captain pale as death, but somewhat recovered from the effects of his wound.

a narrative, let me here say, which, in its latter portions, will be found to include incidents of a nature so entirely out of the range of human experience, and for this reason so far beyond the limits of human credulity, that I proceed in utter hopelessness of obtaining credence for all that I shall tell, yet confidently trusting in time and progressing science to verify some of the most important and most improbable of my statements.

the merriment must be that of a demon.

They now fell to disputing in regard to the fate of the survivors, who lay not more than four paces off, and could distinguish every word said.

A scene of the most horrible butchery ensued. The bound seamen were dragged to the gangway. Here the cook stood with an axe, striking each victim on the head as he was forced over the side of the vessel by the other mutineers.

a negro

the hold in which I was imprisoned,

At length I felt his hand upon my shoulder, and he placed, at the same moment, a bottle of water to my lips. Those only who have been suddenly redeemed from the jaws of the tomb, or who have known the insufferable torments of thirst under circumstances as aggravated as those which encompassed me in my dreary prison, can form any idea of the unutterable transports which that one long draught of the richest of all physical luxuries afforded.

I now screamed at the top of my voice, “Augustus! oh, Augustus!” “Hush! for God’s sake be silent!”

my friend, my companion, from whom I had a right to expect so much

an expression of the most deadly animosity

I could not endure the thought of killing him, yet it seemed absolutely necessary for my own safety.

rubbing his nose against my hand, appeared to be waiting for my approval of what he had done. I patted him on the head, when he immediately made off again.

in my disappointment at not finding some words upon the slip, I had childishly torn it in pieces and thrown it away, it was impossible to say where

This will account for the fact that many miserable hours of despondency elapsed after my last adventure with the phosphorus, before the thought suggested itself that I had examined only one side of the paper.

I have before stated more than once that my intellect, for some period prior to this, had been in a condition nearly bordering on idiocy.

evidently mumbled by the dog. I concluded at once that he had devoured the whole of my supply of candles,