After struggling for some time, he paused, beginning to fear that his voyage had already reached an end.
A minute's thought, more potent than the strength of ten men, showed him that the canoe required lightening.

There was no cargo to throw overboard, nor ballast.

He was the only weight.

He immediately undressed, and let himself overboard at the prow, retaining hold of the stem.

His feet sank deep into the ooze; he felt as if, had he let go, he should have gradually gone down into this quicksand of fine mud.