There was an unconscious Confederate cordon about him and he must pass through it somewhere.

He moved farther toward the river, but only went deeper into the swamp.
He turned to the south and soon reached firm ground, but he heard Confederate pickets talking in front of him.

Then he caught glimpses of two or three men watching among the trees, and he lay down in a clump of bushes.

He might pass them as he had passed the others, but he thought it wiser not to take the risk.
He was willing also to rest a little, as he had done a lot of hard walking.

His clothing was now dry, and the mud had dried upon it.
He turned aside into one of the deep ravines and then into a smaller one leading from it.