Collected Works of Poe | Page 9

means of a nail
driven into the under side--the carpet, of course, resuming its original
position on the floor of the stateroom, and all traces of the aperture
being concealed.
The taper gave out so feeble a ray that it was with the greatest difficulty
I could grope my way through the confused mass of lumber among
which I now found myself. By degrees, however, my eyes became
accustomed to the gloom, and I proceeded with less trouble, holding on
to the skirts of my friend's coat. He brought me, at length, after
creeping and winding through innumerable narrow passages, to an
iron-bound box, such as is used sometimes for packing fine
earthenware. It was nearly four feet high, and full six long, but very
narrow. Two large empty oil-casks lay on the top of it, and above these,
again, a vast quantity of straw matting, piled up as high as the floor of
the cabin. In every other direction around was wedged as closely as
possible, even up to the ceiling, a complete chaos of almost every
species of ship-furniture, together with a heterogeneous medley of

crates, hampers, barrels, and bales, so that it seemed a matter no less
than miraculous that we had discovered any passage at all to the box. I
afterward found that Augustus had purposely arranged the stowage in
this hold with a view to affording me a thorough concealment, having
had only one assistant in the labour, a man not going out in the brig.
My companion now showed me that one of the ends of the box could
be removed at pleasure. He slipped it aside and displayed the interior,
at which I was excessively amused. A mattress from one of the cabin
berths covered the whole of its bottom, and it contained almost every
article of mere comfort which could be crowded into so small a space,
allowing me, at the same time, sufficient room for my accommodation,
either in a sitting position or lying at full length. Among other things,
there were some books, pen, ink, and paper, three blankets, a large jug
full of water, a keg of sea-biscuit, three or four immense Bologna
sausages, an enormous ham, a cold leg of roast mutton, and half a
dozen bottles of cordials and liqueurs. I proceeded immediately to take
possession of my little apartment, and this with feelings of higher
satisfaction, I am sure, than any monarch ever experienced upon
entering a new palace. Augustus now pointed out to me the method of
fastening the open end of the box, and then, holding the taper close to
the deck, showed me a piece of dark whipcord lying along it. This, he
said, extended from my hiding-place throughout an the necessary
windings among the lumber, to a nail which was driven into the deck of
the hold, immediately beneath the trap-door leading into his stateroom.
By means of this cord I should be enabled readily to trace my way out
without his guidance, provided any unlooked-for accident should
render such a step necessary. He now took his departure, leaving with
me the lantern, together with a copious supply of tapers and
phosphorous, and promising to pay me a visit as often as he could
contrive to do so without observation. This was on the seventeenth of
June.
I remained three days and nights (as nearly as I could guess) in my
hiding-place without getting out of it at all, except twice for the
purpose of stretching my limbs by standing erect between two crates
just opposite the opening. During the whole period I saw nothing of

Augustus; but this occasioned me little uneasiness, as I knew the brig
was expected to put to sea every hour, and in the bustle he would not
easily find opportunities of coming down to me. At length I heard the
trap open and shut, and presently he called in a low voice, asking if all
was well, and if there was any thing I wanted. "Nothing," I replied; "I
am as comfortable as can be; when will the brig sail?" "She will be
under weigh in less than half an hour," he answered. "I came to let you
know, and for fear you should be uneasy at my absence. I shall not
have a chance of coming down again for some time- perhaps for three
or four days more. All is going on right aboveboard. After I go up and
close the trap, do you creep along by the whipcord to where the nail is
driven in. You will find my watch there -- it may be useful to you, as
you have no daylight to keep time by. I suppose you can't tell how long
you have been buried- only three days- this is the twentieth. I