inding the most convenient
way to go north, even while I might be going the most direct way, and
that there was room for an argument as to whether our most material
progress was not toward a place located in another direction.

At this I suggested that as I was their Moses to lead them out of the
wilderness I could scarcely be blamed for a visit to my birthplace while
the opportunity offered.

Captain Gedney was so exhausted that we were compelled to grope around
until we found a place where he could sit down. Before it was found he
was so completely fagged out that we had to support him, and, when at
last we found where he could sit with his mouth and nose just above
water, the situation had become serious.

Then we appointed a committee of one to explore the neighborhood and
find, is possible, a place where we could sit down conveniently.
Lieutenant Johnson, being the tallest, was selected for this delicate
duty, and we rested (!) for a time while he departed on his quest. We
had several reports from him in the next few minutes, but they had no
bearing upon the object of his mission and are omitted, and then his
voice grew fainter and fainter very rapidly. At last we heard him shout
to come on, and we went toward his locality in as good order as
possible. After some worse floundering than any we had yet had we began
to find hard bottom and more shallow water, and in a short time we
joined him on a bare space around the roots of a big tree, where we all
sat down and awaited daylight, after voting thanks to Johnson for his
timely help in the hour of need. We figured out that we must have walked
at least ten miles through that swamp, and even today I can hear those
frogs and the dismal splash of the water when I allow my mind to dwell
upon that night's experience.

Despite our worn-out and exhausted condition, and the drowsy feeling
which came to us as the result, we were unable to sleep soundly. The
myriads of mosquitoes were not slow to discover our half-stupid
condition, and they took a mean advantage of our partial helplessness. I
have never been able to decide how much of our exhaustion on the
following morning was due to our exertions and how much to the loss of
blood which resulted from the attacks of our musical enemies.

CHAPTER IX.

ON THE TRAMP.

With the coming of light we discovered solid ground in the near
distance, and we very quickly reached it. Most of our provisions and
nearly all our m