le. I believe if
it had occurred to a fish to jump out of the water, as often happens,
nothing more would have been required to make me fall over, stiff and
unconscious.

However, by a violent effort I succeeded in becoming almost rational
again. I took up my bottle of rum and took several pulls. Then an idea
came to me, and I began to shout with all my might towards all the
points of the compass in succession. When my throat was absolutely
paralyzed I listened. A dog was howling, at a great distance.

I drank some more rum and stretched myself out at the bottom of the
boat. I remained there about an hour, perhaps two, not sleeping, my eyes
wide open, with nightmares all about me. I did not dare to rise, and yet
I intensely longed to do so. I delayed it from moment to moment. I said
to myself: "Come, get up!" and I was afraid to move. At last I raised
myself with infinite caution as though my life depended on the slightest
sound that I might make; and looked over the edge of the boat. I was
dazzled by the most marvellous, the most astonishing sight that it is
possible to see. It was one of those phantasmagoria of fairyland, one of
those sights described by travellers on their return from distant lands,
whom we listen to without believing.

The fog which, two hours before, had floated on the water, had gradually
cleared off and massed on the banks, leaving the river absolutely clear;
while it formed on either bank an uninterrupted wall six or seven metres
high, which shone in the moonlight with the dazzling brilliance of snow.
One saw nothing but the river gleaming with light between these two
white mountains; and high above my head sailed the great full moon, in
the midst of a bluish, milky sky.

All the creatures in the water were awake. The frogs croaked furiously,
while every few moments I heard, first to the right and then to
the left, the abrupt, monotonous and mournful metallic note of the
bullfrogs. Strange to say, I was no longer afraid. I was in the midst of
such an unusual landscape that the most remarkable things would not have
astonished me.

How long this lasted I do not know, for I ended by falling asleep. When
I opened my eyes the moon had gone down and the sky was full of clouds.
The water lapped mournfully, the wind was blowing, it was pitch dark.
I drank the rest of the rum, then listened, while I trembled, to the
rustling of the reeds and the foreboding sound of the river. I tried to
see, but co