As it chanced, the worst of the danger was at an end, and I was so fortunate as to be never again exposed to any violent concussion.

Soon after I must have passed within a little distance of a bush of wallflower, for the scent of it came over me with that impression of reality which characterises scents in darkness.

This made me a second landmark, the ledge being my first.

I began accordingly to compute intervals of time: so much to the ledge, so much again to the wallflower, so much more below.

If I were not at the bottom of the rock, I calculated I must be near indeed to the end of the rope, and there was no doubt that I was not far from the end of my own resources.