Thus each working day was sadly shortened, for even where the bends were most favourable, the warm sun shone upon us only for the middle hours.

The walls were close together and very straight; they grew higher and more threatening with every mile of progress, so that it seemed as if another day or two would shut out the sun from the bottom altogether.

On account of our limited larder, if for no other reason, we were obliged to push ahead as rapidly as possible.

The next day we were at it early, easily running the first cataract, but just below it an immediate landing was imperative at the head of another which no man in his senses would think of running.

Some hard work put us below that, and then came one far worse.