Chapter 1

           Duringthewinterof1927–28officialsoftheFederalgovernmentmadeastrangeandsecretinvestigationofcertainconditionsintheancientMassachusettsseaportofInnsmouth.ThepublicfirstlearnedofitinFebruary,whenavastseriesofraidsandarrestsoccurred,followedbythedeliberateburninganddynamiting—undersuitableprecautions—ofanenormousnumberofcrumbling,worm-eaten,andsupposedlyemptyhousesalongtheabandonedwaterfront.Uninquiringsoulsletthisoccurrencepassasoneofthemajorclashesinaspasmodicwaronliquor.

           Keenernews-followers,however,wonderedattheprodigiousnumberofarrests,theabnormallylargeforceofmenusedinmakingthem,andthesecrecysurroundingthedisposaloftheprisoners.Notrials,orevendefinitechargeswerereported;norwereanyofthecaptivesseenthereafterintheregulargaolsofthenation.Therewerevaguestatementsaboutdiseaseandconcentrationcamps,andlateraboutdispersalinvariousnavalandmilitaryprisons,butnothingpositiveeverdeveloped.Innsmouthitselfwasleftalmostdepopulated,anditisevennowonlybeginningtoshowsignsofasluggishlyrevivedexistence.

           Complaintsfrommanyliberalorganizationsweremetwithlongconfidentialdiscussions,andrepresentativesweretakenontripstocertaincampsandprisons.Asaresult,thesesocietiesbecamesurprisinglypassiveandreticent.Newspapermenwerehardertomanage,butseemedlargelytocooperatewiththegovernmentintheend.Onlyonepaper—atabloidalwaysdiscountedbecauseofitswildpolicy—mentionedthedeepdivingsubmarinethatdischargedtorpedoesdownwardinthemarineabyssjustbeyondDevilReef.