On and on she sailed, in warmer seas but void, as though they alone had survived Deucalion's flood; as though all land had vanished from the earth; and once again the ship's routine dislocated time and temporal reality so that this progress was an endless dream, even a circular dream, contained within an unbroken horizon and punctuated only by the sound of guns thundering daily in preparation for an enemy whose real existence it was impossible to conceive.
The protagonist continues her voyage through warm yet desolate seas, where it feels as though only she has emerged after a cataclysmic event, reminiscent of Deucalion's flood. This imagery conveys a sense of isolation and vast emptiness, emphasizing a world devoid of land or familiar sights. Instead, she drifts in an endless loop, marking her journey not by geography but by the routine and rhythm aboard the ship.
The passage captures a surreal quality where time seems to lose its meaning, encapsulating the sailors in a perpetual dreamlike state. The only interruptions to this monotony are the distant sounds of naval preparation, hinting at an impending conflict with an unseen enemy, further enhancing the sense of suspense and unease. In this narrative, the journey becomes a metaphor for both exploration and existential contemplation.
