EYE WATCHED ME FROM THE DARK

It is not my intention to chronicle all those minor happenings that
befell us at this time, lest my narrative prove over-long and therefore
tedious to the reader. Suffice it then that the fair weather foretold
by Godby had set in and day by day we stood on with a favouring wind.
Nevertheless, despite calm weather and propitious gale, the
disaffection among the crew waxed apace by reason of the great black
ship that dogged us, some holding her to be a bloody pirate and others
a phantom-ship foredooming us to destruction.

As to myself, never was poor wretch in more woeful plight for,
'prisoned in the stifling hold where no ray of kindly sun might ever
penetrate, and void of all human fellowship, I became a prey to wild,
unholy fancies and a mind-sickness bred of my brooding humours; my evil
thoughts seemed to take on stealthy shapes that haunted the fetid gloom
about me, shapes of horror and murder conjured up of my own vengeful
imaginations. An evil time indeed this, of long, uneasy sleepings, of
hateful dreams and ill wakings, of sullen humours and a horror of all
companionship, insomuch that when came Godby or Adam to supply my daily
wants, I would hide myself until they should be gone; thereafter,
tossing feverishly upon my miserable bed, I would brood upon my wrongs,
hugging to myself the thought of vengeance and joying in the knowledge
that every hour brought me the nearer its fulfilment.

And now it was that I became possessed of an uneasy feeling that I was
not alone, that beyond my crazy door was a thing, soft-breathing, that
lurked watchful-eyed in the gloom, hearkening for my smallest movement
and following on soundless feet whithersoever I went. This unease so
grew upon me that when not lost in fevered sleep I would lie, with
breath in check, listening to such sounds as reached me above the
never-ceasing groaning of the vessel's labour, until the squeak and
scutter of some rat hard by, or any unwonted rustling beyond the door,
would bring me to an elbow in sweating panic.

To combat the which sick fancies it became my custom to steal up from
my fetid hiding-place at dead of night and to prowl soft-footed about
the ship where none stirred save myself and the drowsy watch above
deck. None the less (and go where I would) it seemed I was haunted
still, that behind me lurked a nameless dread, a silent, unseen
presence. Night after night I roamed the ship thus, my fingers
cle