The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-07 00:00:00

THE MAELSTROM,

In narrow straits or in the intricate channels wjfich wind
through clusters of islands, different tidal waves meeting
from opposite directions give rise to more or less dangerous
whirlpools. One of the most famous of these vortices,
though inconsiderable in itself, is the renowned Charybdis,
which gave so much trouble to Ulysses on his passing
through the strait which separates Sicily from Italy, but i■
at present an object of fear scarcely even to the poor fisher-
man's boat.

A much grander whirlpool, owing its celebrity, not to
the fictions of poetry, but to the magnificent scale on which
it has been constructed by nature, is the renowned Mael-
strom, situated on the Norwegian coast in 68 deg. N. lat.,
and near the island of Moskoe, from whence it also takes
the name of Moskoestrom. It is four geographical miles
in diameter, and in tempestuous weather its roar, like that
of Niagara, is said to be heard several miles off. John
Remus gives us a terrible description of its fury, and men-
tions that in the year 1645 it raged with such noise and
impetuosity, that on the; island of Moskoe the very stones
of the houses fell to the ground. He tells us also that
whales frequently come too near the stream, and, notwith-
standing their giant strength, are overpowered by its vio-
lence, but, unfortunately adds, thlt it is impossible to de-
scribe their howlings and bellowings in their fruitless
struggles to disengage themselves—impossible, no doubt,
as whales happen to have no voice at all.
According to more modern travellers, such as the cele-
brated geologist Leopold von Buch, the Maelstrom is far
from being so terrible as depicted by Remus and other
friends of the marvellous; so that, except during storms
and spring-tides, large ships may constantly cross it with-
out danger. The Norwegian fishermen are even said fre-
quently to assemble on the field of the Maelstrom on ac-
count of the great abundance of fishes congregating in
those troubled waters, and fearlessly to pursue their avoca-
tions, while the whirlpool moves their boats in a circular
direction.

Sir Robert Sibbald describes a very remarkable marine
whirlpool among the Orkney islands, which would prove
dangerous to stranger:, though it is of no consequence to
the people who are used to it. It is not fixed to any parti-
cular place, but arises in various parts of the limits of the
sea among these islands. Wherever it appears, it is very
furious, and boats would inevitably be drawn in and perish
with it, but the people who navigate them are prepared for
it and always carry a bundle of straw or some such matter
with them. This they fling into the vortex which imme-
diately swallows it up, and, seemingly pleased with this
propitiatory offering, subsides into smoothness, but soon
after re-appears in another place.
We will not detain our readers with an account of
II the ornothology and zoology of the Arctic regions,
into which Dr. Hartwig enters at some length,
but proceed at once to a more remarkable sub-
ject, and introduce a phenomenon with which, we
think, few are acquainted. Since the colonisation
of the Cape of Good Hope, and our acquisition of
India and our Australian colonies, flying fish are
familiar acquaintances ; but few, we think, have
met with bona fide members of the finny tribe tak-
ing pedestrian exercise ; but Dr. Hartwig relates
the following among his icthyological wonders :