And that mariner old, the Nautilus, To steer me over the brine. For he had sailed six thousand years, And knew each isle and bay; And I thought that we, in my little boat, Could merrily steer away. The stores I took were plentiful: The dew as it sweetly fell; And the honey that was hoarded up In the wild bee's summer cell. "Now steer away, thou helmsman good, Over the waters free; To the charmed Isle of the Seven Kings, That lies in the midmost sea." He spread the sail, he took the helm; And, long ere ever I wist, We had sailed a league, we had reached the isle That lay in the golden mist. The charmed Isle of the Seven Kings, 'Tis a place of wondrous spell; And all that happed unto me there In a printed book I'll tell. Said I, one day, to the Nautilus, As we stood on the strand, "Unmoor my ship, thou helmsman good, And steer me back to land; "For my mother, I know, is sick at heart, And longs my face to see. What ails thee now, thou Nautilus? Art slow to sail with me? Up! do my will; the wind is fresh, So set the vessel free." He turned the helm; away we sailed Towards the setting sun: The flying-fish were swift of wing, But we outsped each one. And on we went for seven days, Seven days without a night; We followed the sun still on and on, In the glow of his setting light. Down and down went the setting sun, And down and down went we; 'Twas a splendid sail for seven days On a smooth descending sea. On a smooth, descending sea we sailed, Nor breeze the water curled: My brain grew sick, for I saw we sailed On the down-hill of the world. "Good friend," said I to the Nautilus, "Can this the right course be? And shall we come again to land?" But answer none made he; And I saw a laugh in his fishy eye As he turned it up to me. So on we went; but soon I heard A sound as when winds blow, And waters wild are tumbled down Into a gulf below. And on and on flew the little bark, As a fiend her course did urge; And I saw, in a moment, we must hang Upon the oceans verge. I snatched down the sails, I snapped the ropes, I broke the masts in twain; But on flew the bark and gainst the rocks Like a living thing did strain. "Thou'st steered us wrong, thou helmsman vile!" Said I to the Nautilus bold; "We shall down the gulf; were dead men both! Dost know the course we hold?" I seized the helm with a sudden jerk, And we wheeled round like a bird; But I saw the Gulf of Eternity, And the tideless waves I heard. "Good master," said the Nautilus, "I thought you might desire To have some wondrous thing to tell Beside your mother's fire. "What's sailing on a summer sea? As well sail on a pool; Oh, but I know a thousand things