But by the way, there is a great Quicksand, xviii And a whirlepoole of hidden ieopardy, Therefore, Sir Palmer, keepe an euen hand; For twixt them both the narrow way doth ly. Scarse had he said, when hard at hand they spy That quicksand nigh with water couered; But by the checked waue they did descry It plaine, and by the sea discoloured: It called was the quicksand of _Vnthriftyhed_. They passing by, a goodly Ship did see, xix Laden from far with precious merchandize, And brauely furnished, as ship might bee, Which through great disauenture, or mesprize[833], Her selfe had runne into that hazardize; Whose mariners and merchants with much toyle, Labour’d in vaine, to haue recur’d their prize, And the rich wares to saue from pitteous spoyle, But neither toyle nor trauell might her backe recoyle. On th’other side they see that perilous Poole, xx That called was the _Whirlepoole of decay_, In which full many had with haplesse doole Beene suncke, of whom no memorie did stay: Whose circled waters rapt with whirling sway, Like to a restlesse wheele, still running round, Did couet, as they passed by that way, To draw their[834] boate within the vtmost bound Of his wide _Labyrinth_, and then to haue them dround. But th’heedfull[835] Boateman strongly forth did stretch xxi His brawnie armes, and all his body straine, That th’vtmost sandy breach they shortly fetch, Whiles the dred daunger does behind remaine. Suddeine they see from midst of all the Maine, The surging waters like a mountaine rise, And the great sea puft vp with proud disdaine, To swell aboue the measure of his guise, As threatning to deuoure all, that his powre despise. The waues come rolling, and the billowes rore xxii Outragiously, as they enraged were, Or wrathfull _Neptune_ did them driue before His whirling charet, for exceeding feare: For not one puffe of wind there did appeare, That all the three thereat woxe much afrayd, Vnweeting, what such horrour straunge did reare. Eftsoones they saw an hideous hoast arrayd, Of huge Sea monsters, such as liuing sence dismayd. Most vgly shapes, and horrible aspects, xxiii Such as Dame Nature selfe mote feare to see, Or shame, that euer should so fowle defects From her most cunning hand escaped bee; All dreadfull pourtraicts of deformitee: Spring-headed _Hydraes_, and sea-shouldring Whales, Great whirlpooles, which all fishes make to flee, Bright Scolopendraes, arm’d with siluer scales, Mighty _Monoceroses_[836], with immeasured tayles.