With all his strength he strove to launch her, yet paused, for over the surface of the black water, now smooth and waveless, played immense curling flames, stretching out like endless serpents, weaving, winding, rolling over each other.

Suddenly they contracted into a ball, which shone with a steady light, and was as large as the full moon.

The ball swept along, rose a little, and from it flew out long streamers till it was unwound in fiery threads.
But remembering that the flames had not even scorched the canvas, he pushed the canoe afloat, determined at any risk to leave this dreadful place.

To his joy he felt a faint air rising; it cooled his forehead, but was not enough to fill the sail.

He paddled with all the strength he had left.