Page 90 - HEART OF DARKNESS

Heart of Darkness

but as we opened the reach more, I perceived it was the
head of a long sand-bank, or rather of a chain of shallow
patches stretching down the middle of the river. They
were discoloured, just awash, and the whole lot was seen

just under the water, exactly as a man’s backbone is seen
running down the middle of his back under the skin.
Now, as far as I did see, I could go to the right or to the
left of this. I didn’t know either channel, of course. The
banks looked pretty well alike, the depth appeared the
same; but as I had been informed the station was on the
west side, I naturally headed for the western passage.
‘No sooner had we fairly entered it than I became
aware it was much narrower than I had supposed. To the
left of us there was the long uninterrupted shoal, and to
the right a high, steep bank heavily overgrown with
bushes. Above the bush the trees stood in serried ranks.
The twigs overhung the current thickly, and from distance
to distance a large limb of some tree projected rigidly over
the stream. It was then well on in the afternoon, the face
of the forest was gloomy, and a broad strip of shadow had
already fallen on the water. In this shadow we steamed
up—very slowly, as you may imagine. I sheered her well
inshore—the water being deepest near the bank, as the
sounding-pole informed me.

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