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Helpless and Hopeless

           Thepoorfellow’sgreatesttroublewasthedelayhisconditionmightcauseGlenarvan,andhemadehimpromisethattheyshouldleavehiminthecampunderWilson’scare,shouldthepassageoftheriverbecomepracticable.

           But,unfortunately,nopassagewaspracticable,eitherthatdayorthenext(January17);Glenarvanwasindespair.LadyHelenaandtheMajorvainlytriedtocalmhim,andpreachedpatience.

           Patience,indeed,whenperhapsatthisverymomentBenJoycewasboardingtheyacht;whentheDuncan,loosingfromhermoorings,wasgettingupsteamtoreachthefatalcoast,andeachhourwasbringinghernearer.

           JohnManglesfeltinhisownbreastallthatGlenarvanwassuffering.Hedeterminedtoconquerthedifficultyatanyprice,andconstructedacanoeintheAustralianmanner,withlargesheetsofbarkofthegum-trees.Thesesheetswerekepttogetherbybarsofwood,andformedaveryfragileboat.Thecaptainandthesailormadeatrialtripinitduringtheday.Allthatskill,andstrength,andtact,andcouragecoulddotheydid;buttheywerescarcelyinthecurrentbeforetheywereupsidedown,andnearlypaidwiththeirlivesforthedangerousexperiment.Theboatdisappeared,draggeddownbytheeddy.JohnManglesandWilsonhadnotgonetenfathoms,andtheriverwasamilebroad,andswollenbytheheavyrainsandmeltedsnows.

           Thuspassedthe19thand20thofJanuary.TheMajorandGlenarvanwentfivemilesuptheriverinsearchofafavorablepassage,buteverywheretheyfoundthesameroaring,rushing,impetuoustorrent.

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