{"id":"01KG8AM4K1M99T4R1WXMBGKQ2B","cid":"bafkreih5c4oehgjcgfcgodefkfs2ewbe3dnoa4hq5dkdvykephmisbh4ju","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":2099,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:25.200Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 3","source_file":"01KG89J1JYRSHWXR7JM0HYS9D4","start_line":2038,"text":"had affected a landing it poured down in torrents. We fled for shelter\r\nunder cover of an immense canoe-house which stood hard by the beach, and\r\nwaited for the first fury of the storm to pass.\r\n\r\nIt continued, however, without cessation; and the monotonous beating of\r\nthe rain over head began to exert a drowsy influence upon the men, who,\r\nthrowing themselves here and there upon the large war-canoes, after\r\nchatting awhile, all fell asleep.\r\n\r\nThis was the opportunity we desired, and Toby and I availed ourselves\r\nof it at once by stealing out of the canoe-house and plunging into the\r\ndepths of an extensive grove that was in its rear. After ten minutes’\r\nrapid progress we gained an open space from which we could just descry\r\nthe ridge we intended to mount looming dimly through the mists of the\r\ntropical shower, and distant from us, as we estimated, something more\r\nthan a mile. Our direct course towards it lay through a rather populous\r\npart of the bay; but desirous as we were of evading the natives and\r\nsecuring an unmolested retreat to the mountains, we determined, by\r\ntaking a circuit through some extensive thickets, to avoid their\r\nvicinity altogether.\r\n\r\nThe heavy rain that still continued to fall without intermission\r\nfavoured our enterprise, as it drove the islanders into their houses,\r\nand prevented any casual meeting with them. Our heavy frocks soon became\r\ncompletely saturated with water, and by their weight, and that of\r\nthe articles we had concealed beneath them, not a little impeded our\r\nprogress. But it was no time to pause when at any moment we might be\r\nsurprised by a body of the savages, and forced at the very outset to\r\nrelinquish our undertaking.\r\n\r\nSince leaving the canoe-house we had scarcely exchanged a single\r\nsyllable with one another; but when we entered a second narrow opening\r\nin the wood, and again caught sight of the ridge before us, I took Toby\r\nby the arm, and pointing along its sloping outline to the lofty heights\r\nat its extremity, said in a low tone, ‘Now, Toby, not a word, nor a\r\nglance backward, till we stand on the summit of yonder mountain--so no\r\nmore lingering but let us shove ahead while we can, and in a few hours’\r\ntime we may laugh aloud. You are the lightest and the nimblest, so lead\r\non, and I will follow.’\r\n\r\n‘All right, brother,’ said Toby, ‘quick’s our play; only lets keep close\r\ntogether, that’s all;’ and so saying with a bound like a young roe, he\r\ncleared a brook which ran across our path, and rushed forward with a\r\nquick step.\r\n\r\nWhen we arrived within a short distance of the ridge, we were stopped by\r\na mass of tall yellow reeds, growing together as thickly as they could\r\nstand, and as tough and stubborn as so many rods of steel; and we\r\nperceived, to our chagrin, that they extended midway up the elevation we\r\nproposed to ascend.\r\n\r\nFor a moment we gazed about us in quest of a more practicable route; it\r\nwas, however, at once apparent that there was no resource but to pierce\r\nthis thicket of canes at all hazards. We now reversed our order of\r\nmarch, I, being the heaviest, taking the lead, with a view of breaking a\r\npath through the obstruction, while Toby fell into the rear.\r\n\r\nTwo or three times I endeavoured to insinuate myself between the canes,\r\nand by dint of coaxing and bending them to make some progress; but a\r\nbull-frog might as well have tried to work a passage through the teeth\r\nof a comb, and I gave up the attempt in despair.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 3"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJPECYBC7XNGC94A2ZX51","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1JYRSHWXR7JM0HYS9D4","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AM4K1TM7ZZPF9RRY8JYYD","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AM5CKF4RJEFRFVV7GTVP1","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:27.233Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:34.242Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}