I	O
The	O
Nellie	O
,	O
a	O
cruising	O
yawl	O
,	O
swung	EVENT
to	O
her	O
anchor	O
without	O
a	O
flutter	O
of	O
the	O
sails	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
at	O
rest	EVENT
.	O

The	O
flood	EVENT
had	O
made	EVENT
,	O
the	O
wind	EVENT
was	O
nearly	O
calm	O
,	O
and	O
being	O
bound	O
down	O
the	O
river	O
,	O
the	O
only	O
thing	O
for	O
it	O
was	O
to	O
come	O
to	O
and	O
wait	O
for	O
the	O
turn	O
of	O
the	O
tide	O
.	O

The	O
sea-reach	O
of	O
the	O
Thames	O
stretched	O
before	O
us	O
like	O
the	O
beginning	O
of	O
an	O
interminable	O
waterway	O
.	O

In	O
the	O
offing	O
the	O
sea	O
and	O
the	O
sky	O
were	O
welded	O
together	O
without	O
a	O
joint	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
the	O
luminous	O
space	O
the	O
tanned	O
sails	O
of	O
the	O
barges	O
drifting	EVENT
up	O
with	O
the	O
tide	O
seemed	O
to	O
stand	O
still	O
in	O
red	O
clusters	O
of	O
canvas	O
sharply	O
peaked	O
,	O
with	O
gleams	O
of	O
varnished	O
sprits	O
.	O

A	O
haze	EVENT
rested	O
on	O
the	O
low	O
shores	O
that	O
ran	O
out	O
to	O
sea	O
in	O
vanishing	O
flatness	O
.	O

The	O
air	O
was	O
dark	O
above	O
Gravesend	O
,	O
and	O
farther	O
back	O
still	O
seemed	O
condensed	O
into	O
a	O
mournful	O
gloom	O
,	O
brooding	O
motionless	O
over	O
the	O
biggest	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
greatest	O
,	O
town	O
on	O
earth	O
.	O

The	O
Director	O
of	O
Companies	O
was	O
our	O
captain	O
and	O
our	O
host	O
.	O

We	O
four	O
affectionately	O
watched	EVENT
his	O
back	O
as	O
he	O
stood	O
in	O
the	O
bows	O
looking	EVENT
to	O
seaward	O
.	O

On	O
the	O
whole	O
river	O
there	O
was	O
nothing	O
that	O
looked	O
half	O
so	O
nautical	O
.	O

He	O
resembled	O
a	O
pilot	O
,	O
which	O
to	O
a	O
seaman	O
is	O
trustworthiness	O
personified	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
difficult	O
to	O
realize	O
his	O
work	O
was	O
not	O
out	O
there	O
in	O
the	O
luminous	O
estuary	O
,	O
but	O
behind	O
him	O
,	O
within	O
the	O
brooding	O
gloom	O
.	O

Between	O
us	O
there	O
was	O
,	O
as	O
I	O
have	O
already	O
said	EVENT
somewhere	O
,	O
the	O
bond	O
of	O
the	O
sea	O
.	O

Besides	O
holding	O
our	O
hearts	O
together	O
through	O
long	O
periods	O
of	O
separation	O
,	O
it	O
had	O
the	O
effect	O
of	O
making	O
us	O
tolerant	O
of	O
each	O
other	O
's	O
yarns	O
--	O
and	O
even	O
convictions	O
.	O

The	O
Lawyer	O
--	O
the	O
best	O
of	O
old	O
fellows	O
--	O
had	O
,	O
because	O
of	O
his	O
many	O
years	O
and	O
many	O
virtues	O
,	O
the	O
only	O
cushion	O
on	O
deck	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
lying	O
on	O
the	O
only	O
rug	O
.	O

The	O
Accountant	O
had	O
brought	EVENT
out	O
already	O
a	O
box	O
of	O
dominoes	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
toying	EVENT
architecturally	O
with	O
the	O
bones	O
.	O

Marlow	O
sat	O
cross-legged	O
right	O
aft	O
,	O
leaning	O
against	O
the	O
mizzen-mast	O
.	O

He	O
had	O
sunken	O
cheeks	O
,	O
a	O
yellow	O
complexion	O
,	O
a	O
straight	O
back	O
,	O
an	O
ascetic	O
aspect	O
,	O
and	O
,	O
with	O
his	O
arms	O
dropped	O
,	O
the	O
palms	O
of	O
hands	O
outwards	O
,	O
resembled	O
an	O
idol	O
.	O

The	O
director	O
,	O
satisfied	EVENT
the	O
anchor	O
had	O
good	O
hold	O
,	O
made	EVENT
his	O
way	O
aft	O
and	O
sat	EVENT
down	O
amongst	O
us	O
.	O

We	O
exchanged	EVENT
a	O
few	O
words	O
lazily	O
.	O

Afterwards	O
there	O
was	O
silence	O
on	O
board	O
the	O
yacht	O
.	O

For	O
some	O
reason	O
or	O
other	O
we	O
did	O
not	O
begin	O
that	O
game	O
of	O
dominoes	O
.	O

We	O
felt	O
meditative	O
,	O
and	O
fit	O
for	O
nothing	O
but	O
placid	O
staring	O
.	O

The	O
day	O
was	O
ending	O
in	O
a	O
serenity	O
of	O
still	O
and	O
exquisite	O
brilliance	O
.	O

The	O
water	O
shone	EVENT
pacifically	O
;	O
the	O
sky	O
,	O
without	O
a	O
speck	O
,	O
was	O
a	O
benign	O
immensity	O
of	O
unstained	O
light	O
;	O
the	O
very	O
mist	EVENT
on	O
the	O
Essex	O
marsh	O
was	O
like	O
a	O
gauzy	O
and	O
radiant	O
fabric	O
,	O
hung	O
from	O
the	O
wooded	O
rises	O
inland	O
,	O
and	O
draping	O
the	O
low	O
shores	O
in	O
diaphanous	O
folds	O
.	O

Only	O
the	O
gloom	O
to	O
the	O
west	O
,	O
brooding	O
over	O
the	O
upper	O
reaches	O
,	O
became	O
more	O
sombre	EVENT
every	O
minute	O
,	O
as	O
if	O
angered	O
by	O
the	O
approach	O
of	O
the	O
sun	O
.	O

And	O
at	O
last	O
,	O
in	O
its	O
curved	O
and	O
imperceptible	O
fall	EVENT
,	O
the	O
sun	O
sank	EVENT
low	O
,	O
and	O
from	O
glowing	O
white	O
changed	EVENT
to	O
a	O
dull	O
red	O
without	O
rays	O
and	O
without	O
heat	O
,	O
as	O
if	O
about	O
to	O
go	O
out	O
suddenly	O
,	O
stricken	O
to	O
death	O
by	O
the	O
touch	O
of	O
that	O
gloom	O
brooding	O
over	O
a	O
crowd	O
of	O
men	O
.	O

Forthwith	O
a	O
change	EVENT
came	O
over	O
the	O
waters	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
serenity	O
became	O
less	O
brilliant	O
but	O
more	O
profound	O
.	O

The	O
old	O
river	O
in	O
its	O
broad	O
reach	O
rested	O
unruffled	O
at	O
the	O
decline	O
of	O
day	O
,	O
after	O
ages	O
of	O
good	O
service	O
done	O
to	O
the	O
race	O
that	O
peopled	O
its	O
banks	O
,	O
spread	O
out	O
in	O
the	O
tranquil	O
dignity	O
of	O
a	O
waterway	O
leading	O
to	O
the	O
uttermost	O
ends	O
of	O
the	O
earth	O
.	O

We	O
looked	EVENT
at	O
the	O
venerable	O
stream	O
not	O
in	O
the	O
vivid	O
flush	O
of	O
a	O
short	O
day	O
that	O
comes	O
and	O
departs	O
for	O
ever	O
,	O
but	O
in	O
the	O
august	O
light	O
of	O
abiding	O
memories	O
.	O

And	O
indeed	O
nothing	O
is	O
easier	O
for	O
a	O
man	O
who	O
has	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
phrase	O
goes	O
,	O
“	O
followed	O
the	O
sea	O
”	O
with	O
reverence	O
and	O
affection	O
,	O
than	O
to	O
evoke	O
the	O
great	O
spirit	O
of	O
the	O
past	O
upon	O
the	O
lower	O
reaches	O
of	O
the	O
Thames	O
.	O

The	O
tidal	O
current	O
runs	O
to	O
and	O
fro	O
in	O
its	O
unceasing	O
service	O
,	O
crowded	O
with	O
memories	O
of	O
men	O
and	O
ships	O
it	O
had	O
borne	O
to	O
the	O
rest	O
of	O
home	O
or	O
to	O
the	O
battles	O
of	O
the	O
sea	O
.	O

It	O
had	O
known	O
and	O
served	O
all	O
the	O
men	O
of	O
whom	O
the	O
nation	O
is	O
proud	O
,	O
from	O
Sir	O
Francis	O
Drake	O
to	O
Sir	O
John	O
Franklin	O
,	O
knights	O
all	O
,	O
titled	O
and	O
untitled	O
--	O
the	O
great	O
knights-errant	O
of	O
the	O
sea	O
.	O

It	O
had	O
borne	O
all	O
the	O
ships	O
whose	O
names	O
are	O
like	O
jewels	O
flashing	O
in	O
the	O
night	O
of	O
time	O
,	O
from	O
the	O
_	O
Golden	O
Hind	O
_	O
returning	O
with	O
her	O
rotund	O
flanks	O
full	O
of	O
treasure	O
,	O
to	O
be	O
visited	O
by	O
the	O
Queen	O
's	O
Highness	O
and	O
thus	O
pass	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
gigantic	O
tale	O
,	O
to	O
the	O
_	O
Erebus	O
_	O
and	O
_	O
Terror	O
_	O
,	O
bound	O
on	O
other	O
conquests	O
--	O
and	O
that	O
never	O
returned	O
.	O

It	O
had	O
known	O
the	O
ships	O
and	O
the	O
men	O
.	O

They	O
had	O
sailed	O
from	O
Deptford	O
,	O
from	O
Greenwich	O
,	O
from	O
Erith	O
--	O
the	O
adventurers	O
and	O
the	O
settlers	O
;	O
kings	O
'	O
ships	O
and	O
the	O
ships	O
of	O
men	O
on	O
'	O
Change	O
;	O
captains	O
,	O
admirals	O
,	O
the	O
dark	O
“	O
interlopers	O
”	O
of	O
the	O
Eastern	O
trade	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
commissioned	O
“	O
generals	O
”	O
of	O
East	O
India	O
fleets	O
.	O

Hunters	O
for	O
gold	O
or	O
pursuers	O
of	O
fame	O
,	O
they	O
all	O
had	O
gone	O
out	O
on	O
that	O
stream	O
,	O
bearing	O
the	O
sword	O
,	O
and	O
often	O
the	O
torch	O
,	O
messengers	O
of	O
the	O
might	O
within	O
the	O
land	O
,	O
bearers	O
of	O
a	O
spark	O
from	O
the	O
sacred	O
fire	O
.	O

What	O
greatness	O
had	O
not	O
floated	O
on	O
the	O
ebb	O
of	O
that	O
river	O
into	O
the	O
mystery	O
of	O
an	O
unknown	O
earth	O
!	O

...	O
The	O
dreams	O
of	O
men	O
,	O
the	O
seed	O
of	O
commonwealths	O
,	O
the	O
germs	O
of	O
empires	O
.	O

The	O
sun	O
set	EVENT
;	O
the	O
dusk	O
fell	EVENT
on	O
the	O
stream	O
,	O
and	O
lights	O
began	O
to	O
appear	EVENT
along	O
the	O
shore	O
.	O

The	O
Chapman	O
light-house	O
,	O
a	O
three-legged	O
thing	O
erect	O
on	O
a	O
mud-flat	O
,	O
shone	EVENT
strongly	O
.	O

Lights	O
of	O
ships	O
moved	EVENT
in	O
the	O
fairway	O
--	O
a	O
great	O
stir	EVENT
of	O
lights	O
going	EVENT
up	O
and	O
going	EVENT
down	O
.	O

And	O
farther	O
west	O
on	O
the	O
upper	O
reaches	O
the	O
place	O
of	O
the	O
monstrous	O
town	O
was	O
still	O
marked	O
ominously	O
on	O
the	O
sky	O
,	O
a	O
brooding	O
gloom	O
in	O
sunshine	O
,	O
a	O
lurid	O
glare	O
under	O
the	O
stars	O
.	O

“	O
And	O
this	O
also	O
,	O
”	O
said	EVENT
Marlow	O
suddenly	O
,	O
“	O
has	O
been	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
dark	O
places	O
of	O
the	O
earth	O
.	O
”	O

He	O
was	O
the	O
only	O
man	O
of	O
us	O
who	O
still	O
“	O
followed	O
the	O
sea	O
.	O
”	O

The	O
worst	O
that	O
could	O
be	O
said	O
of	O
him	O
was	O
that	O
he	O
did	O
not	O
represent	O
his	O
class	O
.	O

He	O
was	O
a	O
seaman	O
,	O
but	O
he	O
was	O
a	O
wanderer	O
,	O
too	O
,	O
while	O
most	O
seamen	O
lead	O
,	O
if	O
one	O
may	O
so	O
express	O
it	O
,	O
a	O
sedentary	O
life	O
.	O

Their	O
minds	O
are	O
of	O
the	O
stay-at-home	O
order	O
,	O
and	O
their	O
home	O
is	O
always	O
with	O
them	O
--	O
the	O
ship	O
;	O
and	O
so	O
is	O
their	O
country	O
--	O
the	O
sea	O
.	O

One	O
ship	O
is	O
very	O
much	O
like	O
another	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
sea	O
is	O
always	O
the	O
same	O
.	O

In	O
the	O
immutability	O
of	O
their	O
surroundings	O
the	O
foreign	O
shores	O
,	O
the	O
foreign	O
faces	O
,	O
the	O
changing	O
immensity	O
of	O
life	O
,	O
glide	O
past	O
,	O
veiled	O
not	O
by	O
a	O
sense	O
of	O
mystery	O
but	O
by	O
a	O
slightly	O
disdainful	O
ignorance	O
;	O
for	O
there	O
is	O
nothing	O
mysterious	O
to	O
a	O
seaman	O
unless	O
it	O
be	O
the	O
sea	O
itself	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
the	O
mistress	O
of	O
his	O
existence	O
and	O
as	O
inscrutable	O
as	O
Destiny	O
.	O

For	O
the	O
rest	O
,	O
after	O
his	O
hours	O
of	O
work	O
,	O
a	O
casual	O
stroll	O
or	O
a	O
casual	O
spree	O
on	O
shore	O
suffices	O
to	O
unfold	O
for	O
him	O
the	O
secret	O
of	O
a	O
whole	O
continent	O
,	O
and	O
generally	O
he	O
finds	O
the	O
secret	O
not	O
worth	O
knowing	O
.	O

The	O
yarns	O
of	O
seamen	O
have	O
a	O
direct	O
simplicity	O
,	O
the	O
whole	O
meaning	O
of	O
which	O
lies	O
within	O
the	O
shell	O
of	O
a	O
cracked	O
nut	O
.	O

But	O
Marlow	O
was	O
not	O
typical	O
(	O
if	O
his	O
propensity	O
to	O
spin	O
yarns	O
be	O
excepted	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
him	O
the	O
meaning	O
of	O
an	O
episode	O
was	O
not	O
inside	O
like	O
a	O
kernel	O
but	O
outside	O
,	O
enveloping	O
the	O
tale	O
which	O
brought	O
it	O
out	O
only	O
as	O
a	O
glow	O
brings	O
out	O
a	O
haze	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
likeness	O
of	O
one	O
of	O
these	O
misty	O
halos	O
that	O
sometimes	O
are	O
made	O
visible	O
by	O
the	O
spectral	O
illumination	O
of	O
moonshine	O
.	O

His	O
remark	EVENT
did	O
not	O
seem	O
at	O
all	O
surprising	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
just	O
like	O
Marlow	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
accepted	EVENT
in	O
silence	O
.	O

No	O
one	O
took	O
the	O
trouble	O
to	O
grunt	O
even	O
;	O
and	O
presently	O
he	O
said	EVENT
,	O
very	O
slow	O
--	O
“	O
I	O
was	O
thinking	EVENT
of	O
very	O
old	O
times	O
,	O
when	O
the	O
Romans	O
first	O
came	O
here	O
,	O
nineteen	O
hundred	O
years	O
ago	O
--	O
the	O
other	O
day	O
...	O
.	O

Light	O
came	O
out	O
of	O
this	O
river	O
since	O
--	O
you	O
say	O
Knights	O
?	O

Yes	O
;	O
but	O
it	O
is	O
like	O
a	O
running	O
blaze	O
on	O
a	O
plain	O
,	O
like	O
a	O
flash	O
of	O
lightning	O
in	O
the	O
clouds	O
.	O

We	O
live	O
in	O
the	O
flicker	O
--	O
may	O
it	O
last	O
as	O
long	O
as	O
the	O
old	O
earth	O
keeps	O
rolling	O
!	O

But	O
darkness	O
was	O
here	O
yesterday	O
.	O

Imagine	O
the	O
feelings	O
of	O
a	O
commander	O
of	O
a	O
fine	O
--	O
what	O
d'ye	O
call	O
'em	O
?	O

--	O
trireme	O
in	O
the	O
Mediterranean	O
,	O
ordered	O
suddenly	O
to	O
the	O
north	O
;	O
run	O
overland	O
across	O
the	O
Gauls	O
in	O
a	O
hurry	O
;	O
put	O
in	O
charge	O
of	O
one	O
of	O
these	O
craft	O
the	O
legionaries	O
--	O
a	O
wonderful	O
lot	O
of	O
handy	O
men	O
they	O
must	O
have	O
been	O
,	O
too	O
--	O
used	O
to	O
build	O
,	O
apparently	O
by	O
the	O
hundred	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
month	O
or	O
two	O
,	O
if	O
we	O
may	O
believe	O
what	O
we	O
read	O
.	O

Imagine	O
him	O
here	O
--	O
the	O
very	O
end	O
of	O
the	O
world	O
,	O
a	O
sea	O
the	O
colour	O
of	O
lead	O
,	O
a	O
sky	O
the	O
colour	O
of	O
smoke	O
,	O
a	O
kind	O
of	O
ship	O
about	O
as	O
rigid	O
as	O
a	O
concertina	O
--	O
and	O
going	O
up	O
this	O
river	O
with	O
stores	O
,	O
or	O
orders	O
,	O
or	O
what	O
you	O
like	O
.	O

Sand-banks	O
,	O
marshes	O
,	O
forests	O
,	O
savages	O
,	O
--	O
precious	O
little	O
to	O
eat	O
fit	O
for	O
a	O
civilized	O
man	O
,	O
nothing	O
but	O
Thames	O
water	O
to	O
drink	O
.	O

No	O
Falernian	O
wine	O
here	O
,	O
no	O
going	O
ashore	O
.	O

Here	O
and	O
there	O
a	O
military	O
camp	O
lost	O
in	O
a	O
wilderness	O
,	O
like	O
a	O
needle	O
in	O
a	O
bundle	O
of	O
hay	O
--	O
cold	O
,	O
fog	O
,	O
tempests	O
,	O
disease	O
,	O
exile	O
,	O
and	O
death	O
--	O
death	O
skulking	O
in	O
the	O
air	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
water	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
bush	O
.	O

They	O
must	O
have	O
been	O
dying	O
like	O
flies	O
here	O
.	O

Oh	O
,	O
yes	O
--	O
he	O
did	O
it	O
.	O

Did	O
it	O
very	O
well	O
,	O
too	O
,	O
no	O
doubt	O
,	O
and	O
without	O
thinking	O
much	O
about	O
it	O
either	O
,	O
except	O
afterwards	O
to	O
brag	O
of	O
what	O
he	O
had	O
gone	O
through	O
in	O
his	O
time	O
,	O
perhaps	O
.	O

They	O
were	O
men	O
enough	O
to	O
face	O
the	O
darkness	O
.	O

And	O
perhaps	O
he	O
was	O
cheered	O
by	O
keeping	O
his	O
eye	O
on	O
a	O
chance	O
of	O
promotion	O
to	O
the	O
fleet	O
at	O
Ravenna	O
by	O
and	O
by	O
,	O
if	O
he	O
had	O
good	O
friends	O
in	O
Rome	O
and	O
survived	O
the	O
awful	O
climate	O
.	O

Or	O
think	O
of	O
a	O
decent	O
young	O
citizen	O
in	O
a	O
toga	O
--	O
perhaps	O
too	O
much	O
dice	O
,	O
you	O
know	O
--	O
coming	O
out	O
here	O
in	O
the	O
train	O
of	O
some	O
prefect	O
,	O
or	O
tax-gatherer	O
,	O
or	O
trader	O
even	O
,	O
to	O
mend	O
his	O
fortunes	O
.	O

Land	O
in	O
a	O
swamp	O
,	O
march	O
through	O
the	O
woods	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
some	O
inland	O
post	O
feel	O
the	O
savagery	O
,	O
the	O
utter	O
savagery	O
,	O
had	O
closed	O
round	O
him	O
--	O
all	O
that	O
mysterious	O
life	O
of	O
the	O
wilderness	O
that	O
stirs	O
in	O
the	O
forest	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
jungles	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
hearts	O
of	O
wild	O
men	O
.	O

There	O
's	O
no	O
initiation	O
either	O
into	O
such	O
mysteries	O
.	O

He	O
has	O
to	O
live	O
in	O
the	O
midst	O
of	O
the	O
incomprehensible	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
also	O
detestable	O
.	O

And	O
it	O
has	O
a	O
fascination	O
,	O
too	O
,	O
that	O
goes	O
to	O
work	O
upon	O
him	O
.	O

The	O
fascination	O
of	O
the	O
abomination	O
--	O
you	O
know	O
,	O
imagine	O
the	O
growing	O
regrets	O
,	O
the	O
longing	O
to	O
escape	O
,	O
the	O
powerless	O
disgust	O
,	O
the	O
surrender	O
,	O
the	O
hate	O
.	O
”	O