noon
With the increasing clamour of appalling conflict on deck , this excitement grew at every moment stronger , until it finally became irrepressible , so that at length , when through the cabin windows there suddenly streamed a flood of yellow light , extinguishing that of the lamp that threw its flickering beams around the cabin , she flung herself impetuously from the berth , and , despite of the aged and trembling female who attempted to detain her , burst open the narrow entrance to the cabin , and rushed up the steps communicating with the deck . The picture that here met her eyes was at once graphic and fearful in the extreme . On either side of the river lines of streaming torches were waved by dusky warriors high above their heads , reflecting the grim countenances , not only of those who bore them , but of dense groups in their rear , whose numbers were alone concealed by the foliage of the forest in which they stood . From the branches that wove themselves across the centre of the river , and the topmast and rigging of the vessel , the same strong yellow light , produced by the bark of the birch tree steeped in gum , streamed down upon the decks below , rendering each line and block of the schooner as distinctly visible as if it had been noon on the sunniest of those far distant lakes . The deck itself was covered with the bodies of slain men -- sailors , and savages mixed together ; and amid these were to be seen fierce warriors , reclining triumphantly and indolently on their rifles , while others were occupied in securing the arms of their captives with leathern thongs behind their backs . The silence that now prevailed was strongly in contrast with , and even more fearful than , the horrid shouts by which it had been preceded ; and , but for the ghastly countenances of the captives , and the quick rolling eyes of the savages , Miss de Haldimar might have imagined herself the sport of some extraordinary and exciting illusion . Her glance over these prominent features in the tragedy had been cursory , yet accurate .