Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-04-10
A Visit to the Maelstrom.

ern coast oil norway, IN tue Sixty elght
degree of latitude, you will find trace
thereon the name of the largest and mos
terrible whirlpool in the known world
This Maelstrom, sometimes called Mokes
from, is about mile and half in diam
eter, and its vortex has an inclination c
forty-fve degrees, or about that of waite
in large tunnel when half run out. /
is SO powerfully destructive, that the lar
gest vessel ever constructed, if once fair
ly caught in its whirl, would be no NOR
than mere feather. Everything tba
enters il is crushed aud torn to pieces
and mighty timbers are sent out all bro
ken and covered with splinters like feath
ers. Nothing has ever been known t.
enter it aud return with life. The lar
gest whale, when caught within its furi
Gus, foaming waters, goes down with thu
most awful roarings and bellowings, only
to be thrown out again an inanimate, pull
py mass.
The cause of this immense whirlpool
has been variously stated, but it is only
guess work and theory after all. Some
have thought there is a subterranear
passage, and that the waters come out al
great distance--one writer giving the
gulf of Bothnia for their terminus. 9th.
ers again, and with more plausibility,
argue that the whirl is solely the effect
of the tide during its ebb and flow, being
pent up by ledges of rocks over which
they fall with the velocity of a cataract.
and assume the gyratory movements in
their efforts to escape or reach a level.
From the fact that the great whirlpool is
only six hours in motion at one time,
with perfect lull Of 10 minutes at the
turn Of the tide, am inclined to the lat
ter hypothesis.
But be the cause what il may, the
Maelstrom itself is terrible beyond the
power Of description; the laundering roar
of the waters can be heard for miles, and
on one occasion, it is stated, it ragged
with such noise and impetuosity, that on
the island Of Moskoe the very stones of
the houses fell to the ground.
Well do l remember the wonder and
awe excited in my youthful breast by
description of this fearful phenomenon,
and the pictures of youthful fancy are
yet fr es h in my recollections of some
homeward bound vessels freighted with
happy souls, being caught within the
great circle of these whirling waters,
and hurled downward to destruction
amidst the widest shrieks of terror and
the most fervent prayers for salvation.--
Little did / then think that should ever
behold the dreadful whirlpool myself
and least of all, that 1 should ever have
the temerity to voluntarily venture upon
its circling waters, and gaze down into
its Kissing, foaming, roaring, horrible
depths.
Business Of commercial nature led
me to visit some Of the ports of Norway
and the Loffoden islands, and being with
in easy reach Of this wonder of the |
world, i became possessed with great
desire to see it for myself. In conversa-
tion with IA old Norwegian fisherman I
learned, with great surprise, that be had |
more than once ventured across il, with |
a strong breeze, during its regular lull at
the turn of the tide.
'And how did you feel at such times !?
inquired /, with a great deal of curious
interest.
We'll. don't know as it made any
particular difference in my feelings re-
piled the man, in matter of fact way
I'VE fishermen get SO used to dangers of
all kinds, that one or two, more or less,
hardly seems to be worth speaking about.
We always carry our lives in our hands,
and naturally expect to leave our bodies
in the sea some times, and for what can
understand, man may as well 20 down
in whirlpool as in tempest. It's only
death at last, and death must come to
all at one time or another, whether ahoat
or on shore. For my part, / think its
quicker and easier work to be drowned
than to Hnger along with some painful
disease, and die at last
4 doubt not your philosophy is the
best for one engaged in your perilous
protession,' returned /, but for all that I
am not prepared to say that / could meet
a sudden death with your resignation
That / suppose is because it don't all
the time stare you in the face, as it does
u.s. rejoined the old fisherman. sWhen
you leave your friends, your wife and
children, if you've got any, you probably {
calculate the chances to he in your favor !
OF returning to them again but 1 al