One month and fifteen days upon the sea, Thus far the voyagers are on their way; Now black before them lies a barren shore, O'ertopped with frowning cliffs, whence comes a roar Of some dread fury of the elements That shakes the air and sweeping wrath foments O'er winds and seas. And see! a yawning cave, There opens vast into a void dislave, Where fremèd shadows ride the hueless waves. Dread Ninazu whose deathless fury craves For hapless victims lashes with a roar The mighty seas upon that awful shore. The Fiends of Darkness gathered lie in wait, With Mammitu, the goddess of fierce hate, And Gibil[2] with his spells, and Nibiru[3] The twin-god of black Fate, and grim Nusku[4] The keeper of red thunders, and Urbat[5] The dog of Death, and fiend of Queen Belat;[6] And Nuk-khu, and the black-browed Ed-hutu[7] The gods of darkness here with Tsi-lat-tu.[8] And see! Dark Rimmon[9] o'er a crag alone! And Gibil with his blasting malisoun, Above with his dark face maleficent, Who wields a power o'er men omnipotent Forlore! forlore! the souls who feel that blast Which sweeps around that black forbidding coast! Fierce whirling storms and hurricanes here leap, With blasting lightnings maltalent and sweep The furious waves that lash around that shore, As the fierce whirl of some dread maëlstrom's power! Above the cavern's arch! see! Ninip[10] stands! He points within the cave with beckoning hands! Ur-Hea cries: "My lord! the tablets[11] say, That we should not attempt that furious way! Those waters of black death will smite us down! Within that cavern's depths we will but drown." "We cannot go but once, my friend, that road," The hero said, "'Tis only ghosts' abode!" "We go, then, Izdubar, its depths will sound, But we within that gloom will whirl around, Around, within that awful whirlpool black,-- And once within, we dare not then turn back,-- How many times, my friend, I dare not say, 'Tis written, we within shall make our way." The foaming tide now grasped them with its power, And billowed round them with continuous roar; Away! they whirl! with growing speed, till now They fly on lightnings' wings and ride the brow Of maddened tempests o'er the dizzy deep. So swift they move,--the waves in seeming sleep Beneath them, whirling there with force unseen. But see! Updarting with a sulphurous gleen, The hag of Death leaps on the trembling prow! Her eyes, of fire and hate, turns on them now! With famine gaunt, and haggard face of doom, She sits there soundless in the awful gloom. "O gods!" shrieked Izdubar in his despair, "Have I the god of Fate at last met here? Avaunt, thou Fiend! hence to thy pit of Hell! Hence! hence! and rid me of thy presence fell!" And see! she nearer comes with deathless ire, With those fierce, moveless, glaring eyes of fire! Her wand is raised! she strikes!