Дагон

           butIthinkmyhorrorwasgreater whenIgainedthesummitofthemound andlookeddowntheothersideintoanimmeasurablepitorcanyon, whoseblackrecessesthemoonhadnotyetsoaredhighenoughtoillumine. Ifeltmyselfontheedgeoftheworld, peeringovertherimintoafathomlesschaosofeternalnight. ThroughmyterrorrancuriousreminiscencesofParadiseLost, andSatan’shideousclimbthroughtheunfashionedrealmsofdarkness. 

           Asthemoonclimbedhigherinthesky, Ibegantosee thattheslopesofthevalley werenotquitesoperpendicularasIhadimagined. Ledgesandoutcroppingsofrock affordedfairlyeasyfootholdsforadescent, whilstafteradropofafewhundredfeet, thedeclivitybecameverygradual. Urgedonbyanimpulse whichIcannotdefinitelyanalyse, Iscrambledwithdifficultydowntherocks andstoodonthegentlerslopebeneath, gazingintotheStygiandeeps wherenolighthadyetpenetrated. 

           Allatonce myattentionwascapturedbyavast andsingularobjectontheoppositeslope, whichrosesteeplyaboutahundredyardsaheadofme; anobjectthatgleamedwhitelyinthenewlybestowedraysoftheascendingmoon. Thatitwasmerelyagiganticpieceofstone, Isoonassuredmyself; butIwasconsciousofadistinctimpression thatitscontour andpositionwerenotaltogethertheworkofNature. Acloserscrutinyfilledmewithsensations Icannotexpress; fordespiteitsenormousmagnitude, anditspositioninanabysswhichhadyawnedatthebottomofthesea sincetheworldwasyoung, Iperceivedbeyondadoubt thatthestrangeobjectwasawell-shapedmonolith whosemassivebulkhadknowntheworkmanship andperhapstheworshipoflivingandthinkingcreatures.