Collected Works of Poe

THE WORKS OF EDGAR ALLAN POE
IN FIVE VOLUMES

Contents Volume III
Narrative of A. Gordon Pym
Ligeia
Morella
A Tale of the Ragged Mountains
The Spectacles
King Pest
Three Sundays in a Week

NARRATIVE OF A. GORDON PYM
INTRODUCTORY NOTE
UPON my return to the United States a few months ago, after the
extraordinary series of adventure in the South Seas and elsewhere, of
which an account is given in the following pages, accident threw me
into the society of several gentlemen in Richmond, Va., who felt deep
interest in all matters relating to the regions I had visited, and who were
constantly urging it upon me, as a duty, to give my narrative to the
public. I had several reasons, however, for declining to do so, some of
which were of a nature altogether private, and concern no person but
myself; others not so much so. One consideration which deterred me

was that, having kept no journal during a greater portion of the time in
which I was absent, I feared I should not be able to write, from mere
memory, a statement so minute and connected as to have the
appearance of that truth it would really possess, barring only the
natural and unavoidable exaggeration to which all of us are prone when
detailing events which have had powerful influence in exciting the
imaginative faculties. Another reason was, that the incidents to be
narrated were of a nature so positively marvellous that, unsupported as
my assertions must necessarily be (except by the evidence of a single
individual, and he a half-breed Indian), I could only hope for belief
among my family, and those of my friends who have had reason,
through life, to put faith in my veracity-the probability being that the
public at large would regard what I should put forth as merely an
impudent and ingenious fiction. A distrust in my own abilities as a
writer was, nevertheless, one of the principal causes which prevented
me from complying with the suggestions of my advisers.
Among those gentlemen in Virginia who expressed the greatest interest
in my statement, more particularly in regard to that portion of it which
related to the Antarctic Ocean, was Mr. Poe, lately editor of the
"Southern Literary Messenger," a monthly magazine, published by Mr.
Thomas W. White, in the city of Richmond. He strongly advised me,
among others, to prepare at once a full account of what I had seen and
undergone, and trust to the shrewdness and common-sense of the
public-insisting, with great plausibility, that however roughly, as
regards mere authorship, my book should be got up, its very
uncouthness, if there were any, would give it all the better chance of
being received as truth.
Notwithstanding this representation, I did not make up my mind to do
as he suggested. He afterward proposed (finding that I would not stir in
the matter) that I should allow him to draw up, in his own words, a
narrative of the earlier portion of my adventures, from facts afforded by
myself, publishing it in the "Southern Messenger" under the garb of
fiction. To this, perceiving no objection, I consented, stipulating only
that my real name should be retained. Two numbers of the pretended
fiction appeared, consequently, in the "Messenger" for January and

February (1837), and, in order that it might certainly be regarded as
fiction, the name of Mr. Poe was affixed to the articles in the table of
contents of the magazine.
The manner in which this ruse was received has induced me at length to
undertake a regular compilation and publication of the adventures in
question; for I found that, in spite of the air of fable which had been so
ingeniously thrown around that portion of my statement which
appeared in the "Messenger" (without altering or distorting a single
fact), the public were still not at all disposed to receive it as fable, and
several letters were sent to Mr. P.'s address, distinctly expressing a
conviction to the contrary. I thence concluded that the facts of my
narrative would prove of such a nature as to carry with them sufficient
evidence of their own authenticity, and that I had consequently little to
fear on the score of popular incredulity.
This exposé being made, it will be seen at once how much of what
follows I claim to be my own writing; and it will also be understood
that no fact is misrepresented in the first few pages which were written
by Mr. Poe. Even to those readers who have not seen the "Messenger,"
it will be unnecessary to point out where his portion ends and my own
commences; the difference in point of style will be readily perceived.
A. G. PYM.
CHAPTER 1

MY name is Arthur Gordon