Зов Ктулху
The Madness from the Sea
OurAucklandcorrespondentgivestheEmmaandhercrewanexcellentreputation,andJohansenisdescribedasasoberandworthyman. Theadmiraltywillinstituteaninquiryonthewholematterbeginningtomorrow, atwhicheveryeffortwillbemadetoinduceJohansentospeakmorefreelythanhehasdonehitherto.
Thiswasall,togetherwiththepictureofthehellishimage; butwhatatrainofideasitstartedinmymind! HerewerenewtreasuriesofdataontheCthulhuCult,andevidencethatithadstrangeinterestsatseaaswellasonland. WhatmotivepromptedthehybridcrewtoorderbacktheEmmaastheysailedaboutwiththeirhideousidol? WhatwastheunknownislandonwhichsixoftheEmma’screwhaddied,andaboutwhichthemateJohansenwassosecretive? Whathadthevice-admiralty’sinvestigationbroughtout,andwhatwasknownofthenoxiouscultinDunedin? Andmostmarvellousofall,whatdeepandmorethannaturallinkageofdateswasthiswhichgaveamalignandnowundeniablesignificancetothevariousturnsofeventssocarefullynotedbymyuncle?
March1st—ourFebruary28thaccordingtotheInternationalDateLine—theearthquakeandstormhadcome. FromDunedintheAlertandhernoisomecrewhaddartedeagerlyforthasifimperiouslysummoned, andontheothersideoftheearthpoetsandartistshadbeguntodreamofastrange,dankCyclopeancitywhilstayoungsculptorhadmouldedinhissleeptheformofthedreadedCthulhu. March23rdthecrewoftheEmmalandedonanunknownislandandleftsixmendead; andonthatdatethedreamsofsensitivemenassumedaheightenedvividnessanddarkenedwithdreadofagiantmonster’smalignpursuit,whilstanarchitecthadgonemadandasculptorhadlapsedsuddenlyintodelirium!
