I  gasped  for  breath,  and  turning  to  my  companions,  per-
ceived that  they  were  paler  than  marble.  But  we  had
now  no  time  left  for  question  or  surmise — the  brig  was
within  fifty  feet  of  us,  and  it  seemed  to  be  her  intention
to  run  under  our  counter,  that  we  might  board  her  with-
out putting  out  a  boat.  We  rushed  aft,  when,  suddenly,
a  wide  yaw  threw  her  off  full  five  or  six  points  from  the


NARRATIVE   OF  A.  GORDON  PYM.  393

course  she  had  been  running,  and,  as  she  passed  under
our  stern  at  the  distance  of  about  twenty  feet,  we  had  a
full  view  of  her  decks.  Shall  I  ever  forget  the  triple
horror  of  that  spectacle  ?  Twenty-five  or  thirty  human
bodies,  among  whom  were  several  females,  lay  scattered
about  between  the  counter  and  the  galley  in  the  last  and
most  loathsome  state  of  putrefaction.  We  plainly  saw
that  not  a  soul  lived  in  that  fated  vessel !  Yet  we  could
not  help  shouting  to  the  dead  for  help  !  Yes,  long  and
loudly  did  we  beg,  in  the  agony  of  the  moment,  that
those  silent  and  disgusting  images  would  stay  for  us,  would
not  abandon  us  to  become  like  them,  would  receive  us
among  their  goodly  company!  We  were  raving  with
horror  and  despair — thoroughly  mad  through  the  anguish
of  our  grievous  disappointment.
