The darkness was preferable.
It hid from them the horrors of the river they had to traverse.
Monster lizards crawled up and down the slimy walls which confined the river to its bed.
Fish, with wings, would fly from the water and strike the occupants of the boat as they passed by.
Great crabs, the like of which have never been seen before, struggled on every little ledge of rock or piece of sandy ground.
One big fellow had got into the boat, and was slowly devouring pieces of Selim’s leg.
The poor Arab was unconscious, and it could only be a question of minutes before his soul would leave the mortal tenement.
As Max and Ibrahim realized it they were almost frantic with fear.
“Five when we started,” said Max, “but only three now, and a few moments more there will be but two.”
Ibrahim’s face was as white as death.