Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-09-02

rant and superstitious sailors of the
middle ages attributed this mighty
and mysterious action of the waters
to supernatural power, and their imag
NATIVE minds, always creating mon
sters and miracles out OF natural
| phenomena which they cannot under
stand. placed In them an octopus,
whose awful arms We're always extend
ed to grasp unwary mariners who were
so unfortunate as to come within his
reach Later writer's, more intelli-
gent. represented the maelstrom as
a vast caldron in which the waters re
volve with terrific speed, their centrif-
ugal force extending long distance
and gradually drawing towards the
center all who venture near enough.
The mariners struggle and Shrek In
vain. The monster is inexorable. and
when the crisis comes the vessel all
at once springs out of the water and
then shoots suddenly down into the
vortex while the shrieks and terror
and despair are drowned in the rush
ing of the hungry torrent and the
| uoWlHE OI lne WlnuS.
The straits are very dangerous and
all vessels are warned to keep out
of them. The notes upon the charts
issued by the Norwegian photographic
office say that when the wind Is
steady at food and ebb tide each
day, the whirlpool is still for half an
hour or more. when boats may then
pass through. but half way between
| food and ebe tide the passage be
comes dangerous, although It can be
used by steamers and large vessels
when there is no wind for several
hours day. Toward the height of
the tide or when gale is blowing
the water revolves with a speed of
twenty-six miles an hour in mighty
whirlpools, in which the largest
steamers would be helpless"
The Norwegian fishermen, like all
people who live close to nature, and
are constantly confronted with dan
gers and natural phenomena, are very
superstitious. Their Imagination has
peopled the mysterious fjords with
demons and reads signs and omens
in the sky, the winds and the water.
Some of them rub their fishing lines
with dirt from the graves of Films,
who are always buried in separate
corner of the church yard.
A Havmand corresponds to the leg
endary "old man of the sea, and
| figures in many set stories. A draugc
is II vindictive monster who inhabits
the waters and Is the cause of many
disasters. He has the power of as
suming several forms and expanding
and reducing his size at will Some
times he appears as shriveled dwarf
and again monster as large as
cloud He always sails In half OF
a boat. and whoever sees him Is sure
to be followed by disaster or bad
luck.
There was once Norsemen called
Elias who lived with his wife. called
Karen, on a little rocky island among
the Lofoden fishing grounds. One
day while walking with a harpoon
in his hands a gigantic seal came out
of the water. opened his mouth so
wide and showed such a set of teeth
he gathered himself together and bur.
led his harpoon in the neck of tho
monster The seal fell back into
the sea which was reddened with its
blood, and disappeared in the water.
carrying the harpoon with him.
The next time Elias went out fish.
ing the seal appeared again and he
saw the iron end of the harpoon In
| it's neck. The mouth grew larger and
larger and mysterious voice said.
| Beware of new boats. Elias" A
long time afterward Elias bought a
new boat at neighboring fishing
station and sailed home in 1t with his
wife and five children. Shortly after
he started another boat appeared to
be sailing the same course and came
so near that he could have tossed a
biscuit into 1t. Suddenly the sea
rose and wave washed over both.
When the water subsidized he discoy
cred that Marthe and Nils, his young
est children, had been washed over
board, and Elias could see their
bodies in the other boat. Within
few moments another wave buried
the boat. and when 1t righted Karen
and another child were gone. third
wave carried of the rest OF the fam
lily except Elias and Bernt, his eldest
son. boy OF l6 AS Elias raised his
head the ghost boat drew closer ar
he saw his dead wife and children ly-
ing In the bottom. with the seal
the stern. the iron end OF the har
Doon still sticking out of the back OF
his neck With mocking smile the
nraupa turned and asked.
How does the new boat suit you.
E,lias?"
WILLIAM F.. CURTIS.