Navigable for a distance of a hundred and forty leagues for steamers of not greater draught than six feet, it may one day become one of the chief waterways in the west of America.
The bad weather was at last met with.

It did not show itself in continual rains, but in frequent storms.

These could not hinder the progress of the raft, which offered little resistance to the wind.

Its great length rendered it almost insensible to the swell of the Amazon, but during the torrential showers the Garral family had to keep indoors.
They had to occupy profitably these hours of leisure.

They chatted together, communicated their observations, and their tongues were seldom idle.
It was under these circumstances that little by little Torres had begun to take a more active part in the conversation.