The night proved very dark.

The river, swollen by recent rains, overflowed its banks and spread far and wide over the low bottoms.

The river was extremely crooked, and it was with great difficulty that they could keep the channel.

But the instinct of the Indian guide led them safely along, through overhanging boughs and forest glooms, until, a little before midnight, they reached the camp.

There was no time to be lost.