Nor trust great things to another wight, * Soul hath only soul
for confederate."[FN#78]

My boat-raft drifted with the stream, I pondering the issue of my
affair; and the drifting ceased not till I came to the place
where it disappeared beneath the mountain. I rowed my conveyance
into the place which was intensely dark; and the current carried
the raft with it down the underground channel.[FN#79] The thin
stream bore me on through a narrow tunnel where the raft touched
either side and my head rubbed against the roof, return therefrom
being impossible. Then I blamed myself for having thus risked my
life, and said, "If this passage grow any straiter, the raft will
hardly pass, and I cannot turn back; so I shall inevitably perish
miserably in this place." And I threw myself down upon my face on
the raft, by reason of the narrowness of the channel, whilst the
stream ceased not to carry me along, knowing not night from day,
for the excess of the gloom which encompassed me about and my
terror and concern for myself lest I should perish. And in such
condition my course continued down the channel which now grew
wide and then straiter till, sore aweary by reason of the
darkness which could be felt, I fell asleep, as I lay prone on
the raft, and I slept knowing not an the time were long or short.
When I awoke at last, I found myself in the light of Heaven and
opening my eyes I saw myself in a broad stream and the raft
moored to an island in the midst of a number of Indians and
Abyssinians. As soon as these blackamoors[FN#80] saw that I was
awake, they came up to me and bespoke me in their speech; but I
understood not what they said and thought that this was a dream
and a vision which had betided me for stress of concern and
chagrin. But I was delighted at my escape from the river. When