The record-union., 1896-04-19
THE MAELSTROM.
Something About the Largest Whirl
pool in the World.

Off the coast of Norway, between two
Islands Of the Loffoden group, is the
largest whirlpool in the world Its
name, "Maelstrom," means "whirling
stream" and the title is we'll earned.
Between those two islands the current
runs for six hours from north to south,
and then, for another six hours, it re-
verses its course, producing an immense
vertical whirlpool The water in this
strait is twenty fathoms deep-120 feet
while Immediately to the west of it
the soundings are from 100 to 200 faith
oms.
The poetry Of the ancient Scandina-
Wan center around the terrible gulf of
the Maelstrom which expressed the su-
preme hight and mystery of the super
natural. Fearful enough in itself, it's
location in close proximity to the wild
est part of that rock-bound coast added
not little to the awe with which it was
regarded.
AT high and low water the whirl is at
Its greatest velocity. When the wind
blows directly against the current it
becomes extremely dangerous, the sur
face of the sea for several miles around
being so violently agitated that no small
boat can live in it for a moment And
yet there are times when that same
small boat can cross without danger
the very mouth of the erstwhile raging
monster.
The old-time stories of ships having
been drawn into the vortex by some
mysterious power that they could not
resist, which acted upon them even
when they were miles away, are mere
fables. The only detailed account we
nave OF such an occurrence is that
given by Edgar Allan Poe, who tells of
ship that was drawn down into it's
center, only one Of the crew being pre-
served, youth of twenty-five, who,
after being tossed about by the whirl-
pool like a whisp Of straw, was finally
cast upon distant beach, his hair as
white as snow and his whole aspect that
OF wizened old man. That, however,
is only one Of Poe's weird tales.
AT the same time there can be no
question that If a ship were once to get
fairly under the influence Of the central
current, it would either be drawn down
into the depths or dashed to pieces on
the rocks. Whales are sometimes
drawn into that terrible funnel. and
many have been found stranded on the
coast, cast there by the irresistible cur
rent. Trunks Of trees that have been
sucked into the vortex, tossed about
and finally cast up on the neighboring
shores, are found so finely split up that
the Norwegians term them "mermaids'
hair
The great Maelstrom is no longer held
in superstitious fear, and maritime
foJ 1crh
world where the danger lies and how to
avoid 1t, so that accidents rarely occur,
never, except through ignorance or a
previous disaster that has rendered a
vessel unmanageable.
Several years ago an American Cap
tain, desiring to see the famous whirl-
pool at close quarters, was assured by
his Norwegian pilot that he might ven-
ture near enough for examination with
out danger. And here is what the Cap
tain saw:
Il went on the main topsail yard with
good glass. 1 had been seated but a
few minutes when my ship entered the
dip of the whirlpool. The velocity of the
water altered her course three points
toward the center This alarmed me
extremely for moment. I thought de-
struction was inevitable But she an
swered her helm nobly and we ran
along the edge, the waters foaming
around us in every form
"The sensations I experienced are
difficult to describe. Imagine an i'm
mense circle running round, of a dame
ter of one and a half miles, the velocity
increasing as it approximated the CEN
ter and gradually changing it's dark
blue color to white, foaming, tumbling,
rushing to its vortex, very much con-
cave, as much so as the water in fun
mel when half run out The noise, too,
Kissing, roaring, dashing. all pressing
on the mind at once, presented the most
awful, grand and solemn sight 1 ever
beheld. We were near it about eighteen
minutes and in sight of II two hours
1t is eveidently a subterranean passage
From its magnitude should not doubt
that instant destruction would be the
fate of dozen of our largest ships,
were they drawn in at the same mo-
ment. The pilot says that several ves-
sells have been sucked down, and that
whales have also been destroyed"
Where does it go, this wonderful
whirl? None can say--as yet. There is
theory, generally credited, that the
Maelstrom is subterraneously connected
with the Gulf of Bothnia 1t is only a
theory so far but the time is probably
close at hand when a positive knowl-
Times.
Platinum in Colorado.