380 
DANGEROUS RETURN, 
than the sea throws up the sandy bar, and again confines 
the stream to its own narrow vale. 
The sun being nearly down, we left the beach to return 
to the settlement, over the hills on the east, or opposite 
bank of the river from that by which we had descended. 
Our progress was at length stopped by the deep bed of a 
river, skirted on the other side by an impenetrable wood. 
We descended and passed along its margin among tall 
grass, and it being almost dark our horses had many 
hairbreadth escapes from stepping into deep holes, made 
by the burrowing of the wild boar. At length coming 
to a wide sheet of water, Mr. Ulbricht, after hastily 
saying it was the road, dashed into it, when instantly 
nothing more than his own and his horse's head appeared 
above water. This mode of crossing rather startling us, 
occasioned a pause, and we could not help v^ishing for 
either a boat or a bridge. Observing our hesitation Mr. 
Ulbricht immediately recrossed to us, soaked with water, 
and proposed trying a pass through the wood, made by 
the wild beasts, which he feared would be difficult to 
penetrate with horses. Resolving to attempt it rather 
than wade up to the neck, we followed him to a narrow 
passage in the wood higher up the river, into which we 
entered, dragging our horses after us. As it was extremely 
dark we were obliged to feel our way, and had our pro- 
gress frequently obstructed owing to the saddles being 
caught by strong branches hanging across the pass, and 
from which it sometimes was not easy to get free. Other 
branches were brought down by the shoulders of the horses 
coming against them, and shut up the path till they could 
be removed out of the way. In addition to these difficul- 
ties, the track being on a descent the horses were fre- 
quently tripped up, by their feet striking against roots 
which lay across. We several times turned down pathg 
to the left, which seemed to lead out of the forest, but 
finding the way impassable, from deep pools of water, 
we were obliged to return to the old track, where we 
