The difficulties were so great that the column moved only three-quarters of a mile an hour.
The carriers struggled on, carrying their burdens with surprising cheerfulness, staggering over the slippery mud, and frequently falling.

The gun carriers had the worst time of all, for the parts into which these weapons divide are too heavy for single loads; and have to be carried, swung on bamboo poles, by four men--but often, at the acute bends in the path, the whole burden had to be supported by two.
Nevertheless, the column managed to advance.

The river Fum was rising, but was still fordable, and they crossed it, with difficulty.

It was now necessary to give up scouting, and depend entirely on the volleys of the men in front to discover ambuscades.
One or two deserted or thinly populated villages were passed.

Then, after two hours of this trying tramp, the advance guard came upon the Fum again; but at this point its volume and width were more than doubled.