And all of Man were fearless!--On the sea 22 The vast leviathans came up to breathe, With their young giants leaping forth in glee, Or leaving whirlpools where they sank beneath. And round and round the bark the narwal[7] sweeps, With white horn glistening through the sluggish deeps. Uprose a bold Norwegian, hunger-stung, 23 As near the icy marge a walrus lay, Hurl'd his strong spear, and smote the beast, and sprung Upon the frost-field on the wounded prey;-- Sprung and recoil'd--as writhing with the pangs, The bulk crawl'd towards him with its flashing fangs. Roused to fell life--around their comrade throng, 24 Snorting wild wrath, the shapeless, grisly swarms-- Like moving mounts slow masses trail along; Aghast the man beholds the larva-forms-- Flies--climbs the bark--the deck is scaled--is won; And all the monstrous march heaves lengthening on. "Quick to your spears!" the kingly leader cries. 25 Spears flash on flashing tusks; groan the strong planks With the assault: front after front they rise With their bright[8] stare; steel thins in vain their ranks, And dyes with blood their birth-place and their grave; Mass rolls on mass, as rolls on wave a wave. These strike and rend the reeling sides below; 26 Those grappling clamber up and load the decks, With looks of wrath so human on the foe, They seem to horror like the mangled wrecks Of what were men in worlds before the Ark! Thus raged the immane and monster war--when, hark, Crash'd through the dreary air a thunder peal! 27 In their slow courses meet two ice-rock isles Clanging; the wide seas far-resounding reel; The toppling ruin rolls in the defiles; The pent tides quicken with the headlong shock: Broad-billowing heave the long waves from the rock; Far down the booming vales precipitous 28 Plunges the stricken galley,--as a steed Smit by the shaft runs reinless,--o'er the prows Howl the lash'd surges; Man and monster freed By power more awful from the savage fray, Here roaring sink--there dumbly whirl away. The water runs in maelstroms;--as a reed 29 Spins in an eddy and then skirs along,-- Dragg'd round and round, emerged and vanished The mighty ship amidst the mightier throng Of the revolving hell. With abrupt spring Bounding at last--on it shot maddening. Behind it, thunderous swept the glacier masses, 30 Shivering and splintering, hurtling each on each: Narrower and narrower press the frowning passes:-- Jamm'd in the farthest gorge the bark may reach, Where the grim Scylla rocks the direful way, The fierce Charybdis flings her mangled prey.