wiftlyby。 But they saw little of the country； for they journeyed mostly by night andtwilight； resting by day； and lying as hidden as the land allowed。 In this waythe time passed without event until the seventh day。
The weather was still grey and overcast； with wind from the East； but asevening drew into night the sky away westward cleared； and pools of faintlight； yellow and pale green； opened under the grey shores of cloud。 There thewhite rind of the new Moon could be seen glimmering in the remote lakes。 Samlooked at it and puckered his brows。
The next day the country on either side began to change rapidly。 Thebanks began to rise and grow stony。 Soon they were passing through a hillyrocky land； and on both shores there were steep slopes buried in deep brakesof thorn and sloe； tangled with brambles and creepers。 Behind them stood lowcrumbling cliffs； and chimneys of grey weathered stone dark with ivy； andbeyond these again there rose high ridges crowned with wind…writhen firs。 Theywere drawing near to the grey hill…country of the Emyn Muil； the southernmarch of Wilderland。
There were many birds about the cliffs and the rock…chimneys； and all dayhigh in the air flocks of birds had been circling； black against the pale sky。
As they lay in their camp that day Aragorn watched the flights doubtfully；
wondering if Gollum had been doing some mischief and the news of their voyage
was now moving in the wilderness。 Later as the sun was setting； and thepany was stirring and getting ready to start again； he descried a dark spotagainst the fading light： a great bird high and far off； now wheeling； nowflying on slowly southwards。
'What is that； Legolas？ ' he asked； pointing to the northern sky。 'Is it；
as I think。 an eagle？ '
'Yes。' said Legolas。 ‘It is an eagle； a hunting eagle。 I wonder what thatforebodes。 It is far from the mountains。'
‘We will not start until it is fully dark；' said Aragorn。
The eighth night of their journey came。 It was silent and windless； thegrey east wind had passed away。 The thin crescent of the Moon had fallen earlyinto the pale sunset； but the sky was clear above； and though far away in theSouth there were great ranges of cloud that still shone faintly； in the Weststars glinted bright。
‘e！ ' said Aragorn。 ‘We will venture one more journey by night。 We areing to reaches of the River that I do not know well： for I have neverjourneyed by water in these parts before； not between here and the rapids ofSarn Gebir。 But if I am right in my reckoning； those are still many milesahead。 Still there are dangerous places even before we e there： rocks andstony eyots in the stream。 We must keep a sharp watch and not try to paddleswiftly。'
To Sam in the leading boat was given the task of watchman。 He lay forwardpeering into the gloom。 The night grew dark； but the stars above werestrangely bright； and there was a glimmer On the face of the River。 It wasclose on midnight； and they had been drifting for some while。 hardly using thepaddles； when suddenly Sam cried out。 Only a few yards ahead dark shapesloomed up in the stream and he heard the swirl of racing water。 There was aswift current which swung left； towards the eastern shore where the channelwas clear。 As they were swept aside the travellers could see； now very close；
the pale foam of the River lashing against sharp rocks that were thrust outfar into the stream like a ridge of teeth。 The boats were all huddledtogether。
‘Hoy there； Aragorn！ ' shouted Boromir； as his boat bumped into theleader。 ‘This is madness！ We cannot dare the Rapids by night！ But no boat canlive in Sarn Gebir； be it night or day。'
‘Back； back！ ' cried Aragorn。 'Turn！ Turn if you can！ ' He drove hispaddle into the water； trying to hold the boat and bring it round。
'I am out of my reckoning；' he said to Frodo。 'I did not know that we hade so far： Anduin flows faster than I thought。 Sarn Gebir must be close athand already。'
With great efforts they checked the boats and slowly brought them about；
but at first they could make only small headway against the current； and allthe time they were carried nearer and nearer to the eastern bank。 Now dark andominous it loomed up in the night。
'All together； paddle！ ' shouted Boromir。 'Paddle！ Or we shall be drivenon the shoals。' Even as he spoke Frodo felt the keel beneath him grate uponstone。
At that moment there was a twang of bowstrings： several arrows whistledover them； and some fell among them。 One smote Frodo between the shoulders andhe lurched forward with a cry； letting go his paddle： but the arrow fell back。
foiled by his hidden coat of mail。 Another passed through Aragorn's hood； anda third stood fast in the gunwale of the second boat； close by Merry's hand。
Sam thought he could glimpse black figures running to and fro upon the longshingle…banks that lay under the eastern shore。 They seemed very near。
‘_Yrch！_' said Legolas； falling into his own tongue。
‘Orcs！ ' cried Gimli。
‘Gollum's doing； I'll be bound。' said Sam to Frodo。 ‘And a nice place tochoose； too。 The River seems set on taking us right into their arms！ '
They all leaned forward straining at the paddles： even Sam took a hand。
Every moment they expected to feel the bite of black…feathered arrows。 Manywhined overhead or struck the water nearby； but there were no more hits。 Itwas dark； but not too dark for the night…eyes of Orcs； and in the star…glimmerthey must have offered their cunning foes some mark； unless it was that thegrey cloaks Of Lórien and the grey timber of the elf…wrought boats defeatedthe malice of the archers of Mordor。
Stroke by stroke they laboured on。 In the darkness it was hard to be surethat they were indeed moving at all； but slowly the swirl of the water grewless； and the shadow of the eastern bank faded back into the night。 At last；
as far as they could judge； they had reached the middle of the stream againand had driven their boats back some distance above the jutting rocks。 Thenhalf turning they thrust them with all their strength towards the westernshore。 Under the shadow Of bushes leaning out over the water they halted anddrew breath。
Legolas laid down his paddle and took up the bow that he had brought fromLórien。 Then he sprang ashore and climbed a few paces up the bank。 Stringingthe bow and fitting an arrow he turned； peering back over the River into thedarkness。 Across the water there were shrill cries； but nothing could be seen。
Frodo looked up at the Elf standing tall above him； as he gazed into thenight； seeking a mark to shoot at。 His head was dark； crowned with sharp whitestars that glittered in the black pools of the sky behind。 But now rising andsailing up from the South the great clouds advanced； sending out darkoutriders into the starry fields。 A sudden dread fell on the pany。
‘_Elbereth Gilthoniel！_' sighed Legolas as he looked up。 Even as he didso； a dark shape； like a cloud and yet not a cloud； for it moved far moreswiftly； came out of the blackness in the South； and sped towards the pany；
blotting out all light as it approached。 Soon it appeared as a great wingedcreature； blacker than the pits in the night。 Fierce voices rose up to greetit from across the water。 Frodo felt a sudden chill running through him andclutching at his heart； there was a deadly cold； like the memory of an oldwound； in his shoulder。 He crouched down； as if to hide。
Suddenly the great bow of Lórien sang。 Shrill went the arrow from theelven…string。 Frodo looked up。 Almost above him the winged shape swerved。
There was a harsh croaking scream； as it fell out of the air； vanishing downinto the gloom of the eastern shore。 The sky was clean again。 There was atumult of many voices far away； cursing and wailing in the darkness； and thensilence。 Neither shaft nor cry came again from the east that night。
After a while Aragorn led the boats back upstream。 They felt their wayalong the water's edge for some distance； until they found a small shallowbay。 A few low trees grew there close to the water； and behind them rose asteep rocky bank。 Here the pany decided to stay and await the dawn： it wasuseless to attempt to move further by night。 They made no camp and lit nofire； but lay huddled in the boats； moored close together。
'Praised be the bow of Galadriel； and the hand and eye of Legolas！ ' saidGimli； as he munched a wafer of _lembas_。 'That was a mighty shot in the dark；
my friend！'
'But who can say what it hit？' said Legolas。
'I cannot；' said Gimli。 ‘But I am glad that the shadow came no nearer。 Iliked it not at all。 Too much it reminded me of the shadow in Moria – the
shadow of the Balrog；' he ended in a whisper。
'It was not a Balrog；' said Frodo； still shivering with the chill thathad e upon him。 'It was something colder。 I think it was …' Then he pausedand fell silent。
'What do you think？ ' asked Boromir eagerly； leaning from his boat； as ifhe was trying to catch a glimpse of Frodo's face。
‘I think – No； I will not say；' answered Frodo。 ‘Whatever it was； itsfall has dismayed our enemies。'
‘So it seems；' said Aragorn。 ‘Yet where they are； and how many； and whatthey will do next； we do not know。 This night we must all be sleepless！ Darkhides us now。 But what the day will show who can tell？ Have your weapons close
to hand！ '
Sam sat tapping the hilt of his sword as if he were counting on hisfingers； and looking up at the sky。 ‘It's very strange；' he murmured。 ‘TheMoon's the same in the Shire and in Wilderland； or it ought to be。 But eitherit's out of its running； or I'm all wrong in my reckoning。 You'll remember；
Mr。 Frodo； the Moon was waning as we lay on the flet up in that tree： a weekfrom the full； I reckon。 And we'd been a week on the way last night； when uppops a New Moon as thin as a nail…paring； as if we had never stayed no time inthe Elvish country。
‘Well； I can remember three nights there for certain； and I seem toremember several more； but I would take my oath it was never a whole month。
Anyone would think that time did not count in there！ '
‘And perhaps that was the way of it；' said Frodo。 ‘In that land； maybe；
we were in a time that has elsewhere long gone by。 It was not； I think； untilSilverlode bore us back to Anduin that we returned to the time that flows
through mo