He had to shout this out to make himself heard, and Sam, in response, had to speak in the same tones.
"If we can find a place where we can make a landing, I don't care how soon she sinks after that."
"Dar don't appeah to be much show foh a land in dese ar parts," said Ike, as he looked up at the walls that not only formed the sides of the cañon, but which seemed to block their advance, for the course of the river was tortuous in the extreme, so much so, indeed, that they could but rarely see more than a few hundred yards in advance.
At length, and after they must have floated more than twenty miles, the cañon of Gold Cave Creek entered the much greater and more sublime cañon of Grand River.
Here the bed of the river was so much wider, that though there was more water in it, it flowed with a current that was calmness itself when compared with the fierce mountain torrent that had recently made the raft its plaything.
With a great sigh of relief, Wah Shin now proceeded to show that his knowledge of English had come back to him.
"Dees place no so belly bad likee dat place we way back alle come flom."
"This is Grand River," said Ulna, speaking for the first time, and seemingly as calm as if he were in a place of safety, as he added: "And further down all the cañons of the Green and Grand rivers unite to form the mighty Colorado."
"I hope we may be able to land before we reach there," said Sam Willett, who had now discovered that by means of the pole he could steer the raft in the calmer water.
Even the dog regained confidence. Maj had been crouching down on the blankets, and wincing and trembling with fear, but he sat up when the smoother current was reached, and licked his lips and moved his tail in a way that left no doubt as to his approval of the changed condition of affairs.