The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 3Poe, Edgar Allan
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The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 3
Poe, Edgar Allan
American fiction -- 19th century; Fantasy fiction; Horror tales, American
In regard to the “left or most northwardly” of the indentures in
figure 4, it is more than probable that the opinion of Peters was
correct, and that the hieroglyphical appearance was really the
work of art, and intended as the representation of a human form.
The delineation is before the reader, and he may, or may not,
perceive the resemblance suggested; but the rest of the
indentures afford strong confirmation of Peters’ idea. The upper
range is evidently the Arabic verbal root “To be white,” whence
all the inflections of brilliancy and whiteness. The lower range
is not so immediately perspicuous. The characters are somewhat
broken and disjointed; nevertheless, it can not be doubted that,
in their perfect state, they formed the full Egyptian word, “The
region of the south.” It should be observed that these
interpretations confirm the opinion of Peters in regard to the
“most northwardly” of the figures. The arm is outstretched toward
the south.
Conclusions such as these open a wide field for speculation and
exciting conjecture. They should be regarded, perhaps, in
connection with some of the most faintly detailed incidents of
the narrative; although in no visible manner is this chain of
connection complete. Tekeli-li! was the cry of the affrighted
natives of Tsalal upon discovering the carcase of the
_white_animal picked up at sea. This also was the shuddering
exclamatives of Tsalal upon discovering the carcass of the
_white_materials in possession of Mr. Pym. This also was the
shriek of the swift-flying, _white, _and gigantic birds which
issued from the vapory _white_curtain of the South. Nothing
_white_was to be found at Tsalal, and nothing otherwise in the
subsequent voyage to the region beyond. It is not impossible that
“Tsalal,” the appellation of the island of the chasms, may be
found, upon minute philological scrutiny, to betray either some
alliance with the chasms themselves, or some reference to the
Ethiopian characters so mysteriously written in their windings.
_“I have graven it within the hills, and my vengeance upon the
dust within the rock.”_
NOTES TO THE THIRD VOLUME
{*1} Whaling vessels are usually fitted with iron oil-tanks—why
the _Grampus_ was not I have never been able to ascertain.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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