Final answer:
The single ash-gray color at the beginning of the given texts is described as gray or slate in several instances, reflecting a dull and somber atmosphere.
Step-by-step explanation:
The single ash-gray color at the beginning of the given texts is described as 'gray' or 'slate' in several instances. In 'The Open Boat,' the waves are described as being of the hue of slate, and in 'WHEN the correspondent again opened his eyes,' the sea and the sky are each described as gray. These descriptions give a sense of the dull, muted, and somber atmosphere at the beginning of the texts.