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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　toget