An Iceland Fisherman

crossing the sky in fitful flashes,foretelling nasty weather. During the past few days it had been toofine to last. The winds blew upon that swarm of boats, as if to clearthe sea of them; a

ey were frosted over with white foam spread outin patches; and then, with a whizzing sound

ried to make sail and someto seek for shelter in the fjords, while yet others preferred to roundthe southern point o

wagged as poor wearied birds fleeing; themasts tipped, but ever and anon righted, like the we

ver the surface. It seemed indestructible, for vainly didthe winds stretch it, pull and toss it asunder, continually tearingaway dark strips, which

neremained upon the seething sea, which now took an ill-boding look

he distance grew greater, t

run after each other,to reassemble and climb on o

nd instead of the pastsilence, the uproar was deafening. The present agitation was adissolving view, unconscientio

and darkening all. A few yellow clefts remained,through which the sun shot its ra

ils storm-reefed; she bounded lightlyand elastic; for all the horrid confusion, she seemed to be playing

d a setdome, unless a steadier gaze ascertained that everything was in thefull rush of motion; endless gray veils were drawn al

was of buoyancy, thedelight of being carried along without effort or trouble, in a springysort of way. The /Marie/ mounted over the waves without any shaking,as if the wind had lifted her clean up; and her subsequent descent wasa slide. She almost slid backward, though, at times, the mountainslowering before her as if continuing to run, and then she suddenlyfound herself dropped into one of the measureless hollows that evadedher also; without injury she sounded its horrible depths, amid a loudsplashing of water, which did not even sprinkle her decks, but wasblown on and on like everything else, evaporating in finer and finerspray until it was thinned away to nothing. In the trough it wasdarker, and when each wav

ntes"; intoxicated with the quiver of speed, they sang out loudly,laughing

lled out Guermeur tothem, passing his bearded face u

ngfaith in the strength of their barkey and their arms. And theyfurthermore relied upon the protection of that china Virgin, which hadvoy

before them like a cloud withthe greatest rapidity over the heaving surface. But from time to timea gleam of sunlight pierced through the north-west sky, through whicha squall threatened; a shuddering light would appear from above, arather spun-out dimness, making the dome of the heavens denser thanbefore, and

d above, shrieking,bellowing, calling, as from a great distance. It was only the wind,the great motive breath of all this disorder, the voice of theinvisible power ruling all

ges and hurled them, too, upon the poop,like a demon's game of snowballing, till dashed to atoms on thebulwarks. Heavier masses fell on the planks with a hammering sound,till the /Marie/ shivered throughout, as if in pain. Nothing could bedistinguished over the side, because of the screen of crea

tarred strings, and likewise at wrists and ankles toprevent the water from running in, and the rain only poured off them;when it fell too heavily, they arc

ver, they exchanged glances,grinning at t

visitation. The fury of men and beasts soonfalls and dies away; but the fury of lifeless thing

their pale lips still came the refrain of the old song, but asfr

g and mouths contracted,they had become changed, all the primitive wildness in man appearingagain. They could not see one another truly, but still were aware ofbeing companioned. In the instants of greatest danger, each time thata fresh mountain of water rose behind them, came to overtower them,and crash horribly against their boat, one of their hands would moveas if involuntarily,