e river was very broad, extending
almost into a lake. This under some, circumstances might be to our
advantage, but during the night we ran the risk of losing our way, for
though Charley still had in his possession the pocket compass, it was so
dark that we could not see it, and we did not venture to strike a light.
Charley and I, however, paddled along with all our might, hoping that
even should our savage pursuers again catch sight of us, they would be
still unable to procure canoes in which to follow us.

The night was unusually dark, and by Charley's advice we all kept
silence, that our voices might not betray our position, should there be
any of the enemy near us. Although our canoe was somewhat smaller than
the others, yet as they were more heavily laden, we managed to keep
ahead. We must have paddled on for a couple of hours or so, when we
found ourselves on a broad lake. A thick mist obscured the sky, so that
not a star was twinkling overhead to guide us, and we were only able to
steer by ascertaining in which direction the current was running. The
darkness was so great that we could not even see the other canoes, and
we were afraid, for the reason I have before mentioned, of shouting to
attract their notice. We thought that unless we paddled on we should be
overtaken by daylight. At length, however, my strength began to fail,
my arms ached, though by this time I was pretty well used to bodily
exertion. Charley continued working away without uttering a word, and
sometimes I wished that he would speak, for the silence oppressed me;
Iguma lay perfectly still in the bottom of the canoe; it was evident she
fully comprehended the danger we were in.

On we went, hour after hour passed by. Daylight broke sooner than I had
expected, and yet it seemed that we had been in the canoe a long time.
A mist hung over the water shrouding all objects, so that we were unable
to see the land, or discover which bank we were nearest. Though we
listened attentively, we could not hear the slightest splash of paddles
to indicate the whereabouts of our friends. We were afraid that
something had happened to them, either that they had been overtaken, or
that the canoes had run on snags. We said nothing to Iguma, however,
lest we should alarm her, but it was absolutely necessary that we should
rest our arms and take some food, of which we had brought a supply in
our knapsacks, some also had been put in the canoe. Not knowing ho