midnight
The dark-skinned crews bent to the paddle silently , with corded muscles tightening in their lean brown arms , and still , impassive faces fixed upon the seething current or the swiftly flying shores . The gloom deepened slowly with the coming of the night . The waters darkened , the dun forest became black and vague . At last , to my eyes , it seemed that the sailing shadows in the sky , the inky , swirling stream , and the mysterious shores blended in one all-pervading impenetrable midnight . I could not realize that we were moving ; it seemed , rather , that we alone were still , while over us and around us the spirits of the night flew past . I felt the wind of unseen wings lifting my hair ; I heard the splash and gurgle of strange creatures swimming by . With my hands close locked on Barbara 's arm , and wide eyes staring into nothingness , I waited for some human sound to break the palpitating silence .