"Two things are clear to me," I said, addressing my three companions,
who stared at this spectacle in dismay: "first, that we can't go across
there" (I pointed to the swamp), "and, secondly, that if we stop here we
shall certainly die of fever."
"That's as clear as a haystack, sir," said Job.
"Very well, then; there are two alternatives before us. One is to 'bout
ship, and try and run for some port in the whale-boat, which would be
a sufficiently risky proceeding, and the other to sail or row on up the
river, and see where we come to."
"I don't know what you are going to do," said Leo, setting his mouth,
"but I am going up that river."
Job turned up the whites of his eyes and groaned, and the Arab murmured
"Allah," and groaned also. As for me, I remarked sweetly that as we
seemed to be between the devil and the deep sea, it did not much matter
where we went. But in reality I was as anxious to proceed as Leo. The
colossal negro's head and the stone wharf had excited my curiosity to an
extent of which I was secretly ashamed, and I was prepared to gratify it
at any cost.
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