oundings-up of the mud in many places, and monstrous
babblings and puffings-up of strange smoke, as that a great heat went
beneath it in this place and in that.

And surely it went backward into the country for a mighty way, so far as
my sight did go; and I did think it to be no river, but truly a further
sea. And there was no way across; for there were no trees anigh, to make
me a raft, neither might I wade across; for it might be shallow here and
deep there, and the mud be in all places. And, moreover, I had been like
to be caught in one of those upburstings of mud, even did I have a raft
to go upon. And because of all these things, I gat me back again to the
Gorge, and presently I did go upward into the darkness.

Now, I went upward very steady, save that I did stumble oft, and did go
through six great hours. And truly it did seem that I went in an utter
dark, because that I had been awhile in so constant a light.

And, by that I had been six hours in the Gorge, I was gone right away
from the Country of the Seas, and did be as that I was back into some
place that was like to the dreadness of the Night Land. For there were
in this place and in that place of the Gorge, red fire-holes, even as in
the Night Land. Yet not many until that I was come a great way up of the
Gorge. And there did be life of horrid things about the fires, as soon I
did wot; so that I made to keep off from them. Yet, as you shall
perceive, I must come oft pretty near, because that the Gorge was
nowheres scarce an hundred good paces across, and did oft come very
narrow, so that I did come oft anigh to the fire-holes, whether that I
did heed to or not.

And all that time, and ever, did the Gorge go very sharp upward, so that
it was a very weary thing to make great trial of speed, as you shall
know. But yet I went so fast as I could do; for I was grown sudden very
excited about the heart, and to feel as that I did surely draw anigh to
that strange and hid place of the world, where was the Lesser Refuge.

And when I had gone upward through six great hours, as I did say, I took
caution for a place proper to slumber; for I was surely very wearied.

And I saw a place presently, afar upward of the dark side of the Gorge,
upon the right, where a ledge of the Rock did show in the glaring from
one of the fire-holes that made a gloomy light in that place. And I
climbed unto this ledge, and did find it to be secure, and awkward to
come upon. And presentl