we have lost the first of the ebb

"We have lost the first of the ebb," said the Director suddenly.
I raised my head. The offing was barred by a black bank of clouds, and the tranquil waterway leading to the uttermost ends of the earth flowed sombre under an overcast sky — seemed to lead into the heart of an immense darkness.
-- Joseph Conrad

i read some books, Heart of Darkness, by Conrad, and 'for whom the bell tolls' by Hemingway. i enjoyed them both. i'd love to be able to write like Conrad