Chapter 6. At Full Steam

           Atthiscrythewholeship’screwhurriedtowardstheharpooner—commander,officers,masters,sailors,cabinboys;eventheengineerslefttheirengines,andthestokerstheirfurnaces.

           Theordertostopherhadbeengiven,andthefrigatenowsimplywentonbyherownmomentum.Thedarknesswasthenprofound,and,howevergoodtheCanadian’seyeswere,Iaskedmyselfhowhehadmanagedtosee,andwhathehadbeenabletosee.Myheartbeatasifitwouldbreak.ButNedLandwasnotmistaken,andweallperceivedtheobjecthepointedto.Attwocables’lengthfromtheAbrahamLincoln,onthestarboardquarter,theseaseemedtobeilluminatedallover.Itwasnotamerephosphoricphenomenon.Themonsteremergedsomefathomsfromthewater,andthenthrewoutthatveryintensebutmysteriouslightmentionedinthereportofseveralcaptains.Thismagnificentirradiationmusthavebeenproducedbyanagentofgreatshiningpower.Theluminousparttracedontheseaanimmenseoval,muchelongated,thecenterofwhichcondensedaburningheat,whoseoverpoweringbrilliancydiedoutbysuccessivegradations.

           "Itisonlyamassingofphosphoricparticles,"criedoneoftheofficers.

           "No,sir,certainlynot,"Ireplied."Thatbrightnessisofanessentiallyelectricalnature.Besides,see,see!itmoves;itismovingforwards,backwards;itisdartingtowardsus!"Ageneralcryarosefromthefrigate.

           "Silence!"saidthecaptain."Upwiththehelm,reversetheengines."

           Thesteamwasshutoff,andtheAbrahamLincoln,beatingtoport,describedasemicircle.

           "Rightthehelm,goahead,"criedthecaptain.