of the
mainland or one side of the gulf. The water was very deep close up to
the shore, but, to his annoyance, the strand appeared black, as if
soaked with the dark water. He skirted along somewhat farther, and found
a ledge of low rocks stretching out into the Lake, so that he was
obliged to run ashore before coming to these.

On landing, the black strand, to his relief, was fairly firm, for he had
dreaded sinking to the knees in it; but its appearance was so unpleasant
that he could not bring himself to sit down. He walked on towards the
ledge of rocks, thinking to find a pleasanter place there. They were
stratified, and he stepped on them to climb up, when his foot went deep
into the apparently hard rock. He kicked it, and his shoe penetrated it
as if it had been soft sand. It was impossible to climb up the reef. The
ground rose inland, and curious to see around him as far as possible, he
ascended the slope.

From the summit, however, he could not see farther than on the shore,
for the pale yellow mist rose up round him, and hid the canoe on the
strand. The extreme desolation of the dark and barren ground repelled
him; there was not a tree, bush, or living creature, not so much as a
buzzing fly. He turned to go down, and then for the first time noticed
that the disk of the sun was surrounded with a faint blue rim,
apparently caused by the yellow vapour. So much were the rays shorn of
their glare, that he could look at the sun without any distress, but its
heat seemed to have increased, though it was now late in the afternoon.

Descending towards the canoe, he fancied the wind had veered
considerably. He sat down in the boat, and took some food; it was
without relish, as he had nothing to drink, and the great heat had tired
him. Wearily, and without thinking, he pushed off the canoe; she slowly
floated out, when, as he was about to hoist up the sail, a tremendous
gust of wind struck him down on the thwarts, and nearly carried him
overboard. He caught the mast as he fell, or over he must have gone into
the black waves. Before he could recover himself, she drifted against
the ledge of rocks, which broke down and sank before the bow, so that
she passed over uninjured.

Felix got out a paddle, and directed the canoe as well as he could; the
fury of the wind was irresistible, and he could only drive before it. In
a few minutes, as he was swept along the shore, he was carried between
it and another immense reef. Here,