The reef itself, running all round, seemed to gird the islet in a circle of fire.

Here only were the waves in motion, as if pressed by some subaqueous and invisible power; for beyond, scarcely a breath stirred the sleeping sea.

It lay smooth and silent, while a satellite sky seemed caved out in its azure depths.
On the south, a hundred ships were in the deep roadstead, a cable's length from each other--their hulls, spars, and rigging magnified to gigantic proportions under the deceptive and tremulous moonbeam.

They were motionless as if the sea had been frozen around them into a solid crystal.

Their flags drooped listlessly down, trailing along the masts, or warped and twined around the halyards.
Up against the easy ascent extended the long rows of white tents, shining under the silvery moonbeam like pyramids of snow.