1366. our] out Cc
1367. three-fourths] three fourths C
1368. centre] center C, D
1369. plaza;] plaza, C, D
1370. 500 or 600] five hundred or six hundred C, D
1371. discs] disks C, D
1372. needle-like] needlelike C, D
1373. rim.] rim. ¶ Cc
1374. shewed] showed B, C, D
1375. at the bottom] om. Cc
1376. recently half-cleared.] B; recently cleared. A, D; cleared. C [HPL has corrected to recently cleared]
1377. ascent] ascent, Cc
1378. sub-glacial] subglacial C, D
1379. region.] region. ¶ Cc
1380. Then] Then, C, D
1381. debris] débris C
1382. debris,] débris, C
1383. places.] places. ¶ Cc
1384. enough—] enough: C, D
1385. equipment.] equipment. ¶ C, D
1386. tarpaulin] tarpaulin, Cc
1387. patent] obvious A; om. C, D
1388. sombre] somber C, D
1389. speculations.] speculations. ¶ Cc
1390. Well known] Well-known A, B, C, D
1391. range] range, Cc
1392. wind-howl] wind howl C, D
1393. epochs.] epochs. ¶ Cc
1394. our] out Cc
1395. as utterly . . . moon.] utterly and irrevocably void of every vestige of normal life. C, D
1396. familiarised] familiarized C, D
1397. sub-glacial] sub-/glacial C; subglacial D
1398. water-bird] water bird C, D
1399. repeated;] repeated, C, D
1400. throat.] throat. ¶ Cc
1401. debris] débris C
1402. trail-blazing] trail blazing C, D
1403. paper-supply] paper supply C, D
1404. curious] curious, C, D
1405. tunnel-mouth,] tunnel mouth, C, D
1406. open.] open. ¶ Cc
1407. well preserved.] well-preserved. A, B, C, D
1408. shewed] showed B, C, D
1409. existed.] existed. ¶ Cc
1410. realise] realize C, D
1411. and . . . sculptures] and, . . . sculptures, C [second comma removed by HPL], D
1412. a] om. D
1413. others.] others. ¶ Cc
1414. left] left, Cc
1415. three] three, Cc
1416. species.] species. ¶ Cc
1417. slits.] slits. ¶ Cc
1418. an] a Cc
1419. them.] them. ¶ Cc
1420. action] notion B, Cc
1421. odour] odor C, D
1422. penguins;] penguins, D
1423. remained.] remained. ¶ Cc
1424. flareup] flare-up C, D
1425. tunnel-mouth] tunnel mouth C, D
1426. We . . . ahead.] We had passed two more penguins. Cc
1427. underground;] underground, Cc
1428. a hundred] 100 A
1429. black] black, C, D
1430. steep] steep, C, D
1431. chiselled] chiseled C, D
1432. lintel.] lintel. ¶ Cc
1433. vapour] vapor C, D
1434. conceal.] conceal. ¶ Cc
1435. tortuous-channelled] tortuous-channeled C, D
1436. vapour] vapor C, D
1437. way;] way— C, D
1438. late,] later, B, Cc
1439. well preserved.] well-preserved. A, B, D; well-preserved. ¶ C [paragraphing error corr. by HPL]
1440. those] these D
1441. hot.] hot. ¶ Cc
1442. floor.] floor. ¶ A, B, Cc
1443. abyss.] abyss. ¶ Cc
1444. place.] place. ¶ Cc
1445. shewn] shown B, C, D
1446. vapour] vapor C, D
1447. tent-cloths] tent-cloth A; tent cloths C [s removed by HPL]; tent cloth D
1448. slashed.] slashed. ¶ Cc
1449. side-galleries,] side galleries, C, D
1450. reached.] reached. ¶ Cc
1451. odour] odor C, D
1452. subterrene fungi.] subterrane fungi. ¶ Cc; subterranean fungi. D
1453. 75 . . . 50] seventy-five . . . fifty C, D
1454. side-passages] side passages A, B, C, D
1455. high] high, C, D
1456. debris,] débris, C
1457. extent.] extent. ¶ Cc
1458. puzzling.] puzzling. ¶ Cc
1459. foetor] fetor C, D
1460. had] have C
1461. as well . . . there,] om. ¶ Cc
1462. cave-mouths.] cave mouths. C, D
1463. trail-blazing] trail blazing C; trailblazing D
1464. no] not D
1465. expected.] expected. ¶ Cc
1466. realised,] realized, C, D
1467. tunnelling;] tunneling, C, D
1468. us.] us. ¶ Cc
1469. counter-sunk] countersunk C, D
1470. surface.] surface. ¶ Cc
1471. conventional;] conventional, C, D
1472. seeming] seemingly D
1473. manifestly] om. Cc [see below], D
1474. recognise] om. Cc [see below]; recognize D
1475. sculptures fashioned] sculptures, performed A, B; om. Cc [see below]
1476. torch] B; flashlight A, D; om. C [corr. by HPL to flashlight; see below]
1477. designs.] B; cartouches. A, D; om. C [corr. by HPL to cartouches; see below]
1478. We . . . designs.] om. C [corr. by HPL as indicated above]
1479. look; . . . tunnels.] look. ¶ Cc
1480. odour] odor C, D
1481. scent.] scent. ¶ Cc
1482. vapour] vapor C, D
1483. sea-cliffs] sea cliffs C, D
1484. an] om. B, Cc
1485. reinspires] re-/inspired Cc
1486. horror.] horror. ¶ Cc
1487. foetor,] fetor, C, D
1488. before us.] before. D
1489. dark-green] dark green D
1490. beaks;] beaks D
1491. penguin] penguins’ D
1492. approach.] approach. ¶ Cc
1493. here.] here. ¶ Cc
1494. daemoniac] demonic C [corr. by HPL to demoniac]; demoniac D
1495. heaven] Heaven B, C, D
1496. realised] realized C, D
1497. decapitation.] decapitation. ¶ Cc
1498. starfish-head] starfish head C, D
1499. cleavage.] cleavage. ¶ Cc
1500. half overshadowed] half-overshadowed A, B
1501. that] the D
1502. route.] route. ¶ Cc
1503. foetor.] fetor. C, D
1504. age 150] Age one hundred and fifty C, D
1505. evil] evil, C, D
1506. slime-coating] slime coating C, D
1507. shoggoths] Shoggoths C, D
1508. re-subjugation.] resubjugation. ¶ C [paragraphing error corr. by HPL]; resubjugation. D
1509. shoggoths] Shoggoths C, D
1510. beings.] beings. ¶ Cc
1511. “Necronomicon”] Necronomicon A, B, C, D
1512. ever] even D
1513. imitative—] imitative! C, D
1514. God!] Heaven! Cc
1515. to] om. D
1516. new . . . odour] new, . . . odor C, D
1517. re-sculptured] re-/sculptured C; resculptured D
1518. in . . . dots] in . . . dots C, D
1519. depths.] depths. ¶ Cc
1520. drag] dig D
1521. homecoming. ¶] homecoming. D
1522. defence] defense C, D
1523. paraphernalia . . . and] paraphernalia. Poor Lake. Poor Godney. And Cc
1524. God,] Lord, Cc
1525. star-spawn] star spawn C, D
1526. worshipped] worshiped C
1527. tree-ferns.] tree ferns. C, D
1528. found?] found? ¶ Cc
1529. dot-groups] dot groups C, D
1530. water-city] water city C, D
1531. recognising] recognizing C, D
1532. moment.] moment.
¶ Cc
1533. frenzied] frenzied, C, D
1534. just] om. D
1535. alley-corner] alley corner C, D
1536. wind-pipings] wind pipings C, D
1537. caves.] caves. ¶ Cc
1538. too;] too, C, D
1539. impression] impressions D
1540. course] course, Cc
1541. “Arthur Gordon Pym”] Arthur Gordon Pym D
1542. ago.] ago. ¶ Cc
1543. gigantic,] gigantic D
1544. insidious] insidious, Cc
1545. so.] so. ¶ Cc
1546. non-aggressive] nonaggressive C, D
1547. capture;] capture, C, D
1548. curiosity.] curiosity. ¶ Cc
1549. an] a Cc
1550. see,] see Cc
1551. scream] scream, C, D
1552. doubt.] doubt. ¶ Cc
1553. foetid,] fetid, C, D
1554. re-carve] recarve C, D
1555. heaven] Heaven B, C, D
1556. them.] them. ¶ Cc
1557. daemon] demon C, D
1558. shewn] shown B, C, D
1559. dead.] dead. ¶ Cc
1560. unaccountability.] unaccountability. ¶ Cc
1561. travelling] traveling C, D
1562. lead.] lead. ¶ Cc
1563. spiralling fog] spiraling fog, C [comma removed by HPL]; spiraling fog D
1564. partly . . . imperfectly] partly, . . . imperfectly, C, D
1565. vapours] vapors C, D
1566. vanish.] vanish. ¶ Cc
1567. re-sculptured] resculptured C, D
1568. half-glimpse] half glimpse C, D
1569. half-glimpse] half glimpse C, D
1570. semi-vision] semivision C, D
1571. senses.] senses. ¶ Cc
1572. centred] centered C, D
1573. analyse] analyze C, D
1574. brain-cells] brain cells C, D
1575. Afterward] Afterward, Cc
1576. realised] realized C, D
1577. foetid slime-coating] fetid slime coating C, D
1578. entity,] entity D
1579. for.] for. ¶ Cc
1580. neighbourhood] neighborhood C, D
1581. foetor] fetor C, D
1582. back—] back D
1583. labyrinth-centre] labyrinth center C, D
1584. ahead.] ahead. ¶ Cc
1585. I might . . . left.] om. Cc; I might . . . left. ¶ D [HPL had failed to indicate that omitted passage was meant to connect with passage that follows.]
1586. an] a C
1587. God] Heaven Cc
1588. Harvard. . . .” Harvard—” C, D
1589. home-feeling.] home feeling. C, D
1590. it.] it. ¶ Cc
1591. ‘thing . . . be’;] “thing . . . be”; D
1592. subterraneous] subterranean D
1593. coloured] colored C, D
1594. burrow . . . cylinder.] burrow. Cc
1595. nightmare] nightmare, C, D
1596. foetid] fetid C, D
1597. sinus;] sinus, C, D
1598. re-thickening] rethickening C, D
1599. abyss-vapour.] abyss vapor. ¶ C [paragraphing error corr. by HPL]; abyss vapor. D
1600. thing] thing, Cc
1601. And] and D
1602. daemoniac shoggoths] demonic Shoggoths C [demonic corr. to demoniac by HPL]; demoniac Shoggoths D
1603. thought,] though, Cc
1604. organ-patterns] organ patterns C, D
1605. dot-groups] dot groups C, D
1606. had . . . masters.] had . . . masters. C, D
1607. dream-fragments] dream fragments C, D
1608. details,] details D
1609. grey] om. C [see below]; gray D
1610. the] om. C [see below], D
1611. exertion. It was . . . sky.] exertion. ¶ Cc
1612. Finally] Finally, Cc
1613. blocks;] blocks, C, D
1614. shewing] showing B, C, D
1615. east. The low . . . landscape.] east. ¶ Cc
1616. ice-vapours,] ice vapors, C; ice-vapors, D
1617. outfit-bags] A, D; outfit bags B; om. C [corr. by HPL to outfit bags; see below]
1618. stumbling] A, D; scrambling B; om. Cc [see below]
1619. the] om. C [see below]; that D
1620. Wearily . . . all.] om. Cc
1621. ahead.] ahead. ¶ Cc
1622. Half way] Halfway C, D
1623. breathing-spell,] breathing spell, C, D
1624. palaeogean] om. C, D
1625. ice-vapours] ice vapors C; ice-vapors D
1626. dream-like] dreamlike A, B, C, D
1627. rose-colour] rose color C, D
1628. table-land,] tableland, C; table-/land, D
1629. shadow.] shadow. ¶ Cc
1630. harbourers] harborers C, D
1631. archaean] Archaean D
1632. of] on D
1633. unholy] om. C [see below], D
1634. We were . . . last.] B; om. A, C, D
1635. night—. . . last.] night. C [restored by HPL except for last sentence]
1636. pre-human] prehuman C, D
1637. 300] three hundred A, B, C, D
1638. jut] appear D
1639. known] om. C [see below], D
1640. peopled] om. C [see below]; peopled only D
1641. heavens. Their height, . . . falls.] heavens. ¶ Cc
1642. slopes] sloping Cc
1643. reticently.] reticently. ¶ Cc
1644. formed] form A, B
1645. long] om. B, Cc
1646. lesser . . . vast enough] lesser, . . . vast enough Cc; lesser . . . vast-enough D
1647. re-crossing] re-/crossing C; recrossing D
1648. us.] us. ¶ Cc
1649. honeycombs] honeycombings C; om. D [see below]
1650. damnable . . . of the] om. D
1651. foetidly] fetidly C, D
1652. cave-mouths] cave mouths C, D
1653. range.] range. ¶ Cc
1654. escaped;] escaped— Cc
1655. vapours] vapors C, D
1656. takeoff] take-off C, D
1657. it—. . .—and] B; it, and A, D; om. C [see below]
1658. city. Below . . . pass.] city. ¶ C [corr. by HPL except for the passage between em-dashes above]
1659. 24,000] twenty-four thousand C, D
1660. practicable.] practicable. ¶ Cc
1661. though] that D
1662. protest.] protest. ¶ Cc
1663. the] The C
1664. mountaintop vapour,] om. Cc [see below]; mountain-top vapor, D
1665. Sirens’] om. Cc [see below]; Siren’s D
1666. pass—. . . But] pass. ¶ But Cc
1667. sky.] sky. ¶ Cc
1668. disaster] disaster, C
1669. safely—yet] safely— Yet Cc
1670. Expedition,] om. C [see below]; expedition, D
1671. Certain . . . conquests.] om. Cc
1672. wormily honeycombed] wormily-honeycombed D
1673. daemoniac] demonic C [corr. by HPL to demoniac]; demoniac D
1674. zenith-clouds,] A; westward zenith-clouds, B; westward zenith clouds, C [westward deleted by HPL]; zenith clouds, D
1675. unrecognised] om. C [see below]; unrecognized D
1676. It is . . . still.] om. Cc
1677. “the] “The D
1678. pit”, . . . rim”, . . . proto-shoggoths”, . . . dimensions”,] pit,” . . . rim,” . . . proto-Shoggoths,” . . . dimensions,” C, D
1679. cylinder”,] cylinders,” C [corr. by HPL to cylinder,]; cylinder,” D
1680. pharos”,] pharos,” C; Pharos,” D
1681. “Yog-Sothoth”, . . . jelly”, . . . colour . . . space”, . . . wings”, . . . darkness”, . . . moon-ladder”, . . . undying”,] “Yog-Sothoth,” . . . jelly,” . . . color . . . space,” . . . wings,” . . . darkness,” . . . moon-ladder,” . . . undying,” C, D
1682. “Necronomicon”] Necronomicon A, B, C, D<
br />
1683. ice-dust] ice dust C, D
1684. and of course] and, of course, C [second comma deleted by HPL], D
1685. those] these C, D
1686. time] time, C, D
1687. single] single, C, D
1688. source: ¶] source: C, D
The Shadow over Innsmouth
I.
During the winter of 1927–28 officials of the Federal government made a strange and secret investigation of certain conditions in the ancient Massachusetts seaport of Innsmouth. The public first learned of it in February, when a vast series of raids and arrests occurred, followed by the deliberate burning and dynamiting—under suitable precautions—of an enormous number of crumbling, worm-eaten, and supposedly empty houses along the abandoned waterfront. Uninquiring souls let this occurrence[1] pass as one of the major clashes in a spasmodic war on liquor.
Keener news-followers, however, wondered at the prodigious number of arrests, the abnormally large force of men used in making them, and the secrecy surrounding the disposal of the prisoners. No trials, or even definite charges, were reported; nor were any of the captives seen thereafter in the regular gaols of the nation. There were vague statements about disease and concentration camps, and later about dispersal in various naval and military prisons, but nothing positive ever developed. Innsmouth itself was left almost depopulated, and[2] is even now only beginning to shew[3] signs of a sluggishly revived existence.
Complaints from many liberal organisations were met with long confidential discussions, and representatives were taken on trips to certain camps and prisons. As a result, these societies became surprisingly passive and reticent. Newspaper men were harder to manage, but seemed largely to coöperate[4] with the government in the end. Only one paper—a tabloid always discounted because of its wild policy—mentioned the deep-diving submarine that discharged torpedoes downward in the marine abyss just beyond Devil Reef. That item, gathered by chance in a haunt of sailors, seemed indeed rather far-fetched; since the low, black reef lies a full mile and a half out from Innsmouth Harbour.
People around the country and in the nearby towns muttered a great deal among themselves, but said very little to the outer world. They had talked about dying and half-deserted Innsmouth for nearly a century, and nothing new could be wilder or more hideous than what they had whispered and hinted years before. Many things had taught them secretiveness, and there was now[5] no need to exert pressure on them. Besides, they really knew very[6] little; for wide salt marshes, desolate and unpeopled, keep[7] neighbours off from Innsmouth on the landward side.
But at last I am going to defy the ban on speech about this thing. Results, I am certain, are so thorough that no public harm save a shock of repulsion could ever accrue from a hinting of what was found by those horrified raiders at Innsmouth. Besides, what was found might possibly have more than one explanation. I do not know just how much of the whole tale has been told even to me, and I have many reasons for not wishing to probe deeper. For my contact with this affair has been closer than that of any other layman, and I have carried away impressions which are yet to drive me to drastic measures.
Collected Fiction Volume 3 (1931-1936): A Variorum Edition Page 18