Still we made in, and soon towering cliffs appeared, with jagged ridges of hills on the high land.
But now the light began to fade, so that the island could no longer be seen. Darkness fell apace; and, as it did so, the wind sunk and died quite away. Hereupon, within two miles of the shore, we anchored the ship.
Now, at this time, and, indeed, from a good while previous, we heard from the land a booming sound, which at first we took to be nothing but the clamour of breakers; but Thalass told us it was the voice of a great waterfall from the lofty cliff.
I supped that night with my brother and with Surgeon Burke in the great cabin, and I expected the Captain would speak of his plans. But, on the contrary, he spoke scarce a word, seeming to brood in his mind. Only, having risen from his chair, he told us that he went to give orders for our ports to be opened and our guns run out, new-primed and double-shotted; for, that, though it was unlikely any menace or danger from the island would come up in the night, yet he thought it convenient to be prepared.
I thought my brother was become thinner of late; his face was pale, and had a drawn, grim look; and, though he was yet but young, methought he had gotten grey hairs.
After he had gone, Burke and I sat awhile over the board, talking of the mysterious chances of the morrow; I say of the morrow, for neither did we anticipate anything to happen during the night.
At last we rose, and went on deck, towards the end of the first watch. There all hands were gathered. They stood most by the starboard bulwarks forward, and in the waist, gazing upon the island, which, the moon being risen, appeared like a shadow on the sea.
They were strangely silent. I became sensible of a tenseness amongst them. If any man spoke, ’twas in a whisper, or scarce more than a whisper; as if terror possessed their minds. And now, no doubt, they recalled, and believed implicitly, every word and dark terrible hint spoken of the Haunted Island by the mad maroon. To make a clean breast, I must confess, I began to be uneasy myself.
The wind was fallen to a flat calm, the sea moved with a sluggish, and yet fitful motion—as if it, too, were uneasy, and affrighted, and unable to sleep. The moon was at the full, yet having none of the extraordinary brightness common in these latitudes, and showing small and dull, as through a veil of crape. It shone upon the ship, and upon the stagnant sea, with a pale dank light, that had mystery in it, and waiting, and devilry.
Suddenly it began to grow darker. Darkness closed in on all sides around like a quivering black curtain. I looked up. As far as eye could see, a thickening layer of cloud closed slowly upon the moon.