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Nonetheless they saw no sign of an enemy that day； nor the next。 The dullgrey hours passed without event。 As the third day of their voyage wore on thelands changed slowly： the trees thinned and then failed altogether。 On theeastern bank to their left they saw long formless slopes stretching up andaway toward the sky； brown and withered they looked； as if fire had passed
over them； leaving no living blade of green： an unfriendly waste without evena broken tree or a bold stone to relieve the emptiness。 They had e to theBrown Lands that lay； vast and desolate； between Southern Mirkwood and thehills of the Emyn Muil。 What pestilence or war or evil deed of the Enemy hadso blasted all that region even Aragorn could not tell。
Upon the west to their right the land was treeless also； but it was flat；
and in many places green with wide plains of grass。 On this side of the Riverthey passed forests of great reeds； so tall that they shut out all view to thewest； as the little boats went rustling by along their fluttering borders。
Their dark withered plumes bent and tossed in the light cold airs； hissingsoftly and sadly。 Here and there through openings Frodo could catch suddenglimpses of rolling meads； and far beyond them hills in the sunset； and awayon the edge of sight a dark line； where marched the southernmost ranks of theMisty Mountains。
There was no sign of living moving things； save birds。 Of these therewere many： small fowl whistling and piping in the reeds； but they were seldomseen。 Once or twice the travellers heard the rush and whine of swan…wings； andlooking up they saw a great phalanx streaming along the sky。
‘Swans！ ' said Sam。 ‘And mighty big ones too！ '
‘Yes；' said Aragorn； 'and they are black swans。'
‘How wide and empty and mournful all this country looks！ ' said Frodo。 ‘Ialways imagined that as one journeyed south it got warmer and merrier； untilwinter was left behind for ever。'
'But we have not journeyed far south yet；' answered Aragorn。 ‘It is stillwinter； and we are far from the sea。 Here the world is cold until the suddenspring； and we may yet have snow again。 Far away down in the Bay of Belfalas；
to which Anduin runs； it is warm and merry； maybe； or would be but for theEnemy。 But here we are not above sixty leagues； I guess； south of theSouthfarthing away in your Shire； hundreds of long miles yonder。 You arelooking now south…west across the north plains of the Riddermark； Rohan theland of the Horse…lords。 Ere long we shall e to the mouth of the Limlightthat runs down from Fangorn to join the Great River。 That is the northboundary of Rohan； and of old all that lay between Limlight and the WhiteMountains belonged to the Rohirrim。 It is a rich and pleasant land； and itsgrass has no rival； but in these evil days folk do not dwell by the River orride often to its shores。 Anduin is wide； yet the orcs can shoot their arrowsfar across the stream； and of late； it is said； they have dared to cross thewater and raid the herds and studs of Rohan。'
Sam looked from bank to bank uneasily。 The trees had seemed hostilebefore； as if they harboured secret eyes and lurking dangers； now he wishedthat the trees were still there。 He felt that the pany was too naked；
afloat in little open boats in the midst of shelterless lands； and on a riverthat was the frontier of war。
In the next day or two； as they went on； borne steadily southwards； thisfeeling of insecurity grew on all the pany。 For a whole day they took totheir paddles and hastened forward。 The banks slid by。 Soon the Riverbroadened and grew more shallow； long stony beaches lay upon the east； andthere were gravel…shoals in the water； so that careful steering was needed。
The Brown Lands rose into bleak wolds； over which flowed a chill air from theEast。 On the other side the meads had bee rolling downs of withered grassamidst a land of fen and tussock。 Frodo shivered； thinking of the lawns andfountains； the clear sun and gentle rains of Lothlórien。 There was littlespeech and no laughter in any of the boats。 Each member of the pany wasbusy with his own thoughts。
The heart of Legolas was running under the stars of a summer night insome northern glade amid the beech…woods； Gimli was fingering gold in hismind； and wondering if it were fit to be wrought into the housing of theLady's gift。 Merry and Pippin in the middle boat were ill at ease； for Boromirsat muttering to himself； sometimes biting his nails； as if some restlessnessor doubt consumed him； sometimes seizing a paddle and driving the boat close
behind Aragorn's。 Then Pippin； who sat in the bow looking back； caught a queergleam in his eye； as he peered forward gazing at Frodo。 Sam had long ago madeup his mind that； though boats were maybe not as dangerous as he had beenbrought up to believe； they were far more unfortable than even he hadimagined。 He was cramped and miserable； having nothing to do but stare at thewinter…lands crawling by and the grey water on either side of him。 Even whenthe paddles were in use they did not trust Sam with one。
As dusk drew down on the fourth day； he was looking back over the bowedheads of Frodo and Aragorn and the following boats； he was drowsy and longedfor camp and the feel of earth under his toes。 Suddenly something caught hissight： at first he stared at it listlessly； then he sat up and rubbed hiseyes； but when he looked again he could not see it any more。
That night they camped on a small eyot close to the western bank。 Sam layrolled in blankets beside Frodo。 ‘I had a funny dream an hour or two before westopped； Mr。 Frodo；' he said。 ‘Or maybe it wasn't a dream。 Funny it wasanyway。'
‘Well； what was it？ ' said Frodo； knowing that Sam would not settle downuntil he had told his tale； whatever it was。 'I haven't seen or thought ofanything to make me smile since we left Lothlórien。'
‘It wasn't funny that way； Mr。 Frodo。 It was queer。 All wrong； if itwasn't a dream。 And you had best hear it。 It was like this： I saw a log witheyes！ '
‘The log's all right；' said Frodo。 ‘There are many in the River。 Butleave out the eyes！ '
‘That I won't；' said Sam。 ‘ 'Twas the eyes as made me sit up； so tospeak。 I saw what I took to be a log floating along in the half…light behindGimli's boat； but I didn't give much heed to it。 Then it seemed as if the logwas slowly catching us up。 And that was peculiar； as you might say； seeing aswe were all floating on the stream together。 Just then I saw the eyes： twopale sort of points； shiny…like； on a hump at the near end of the log。 What'smore； it wasn't a log； for it had paddle…feet； like a swan's almost； only theyseemed bigger； and kept dipping in and out of the water。
'That's when I sat right up and rubbed my eyes； meaning to give a shout；
if it was still there when I had rubbed the drowse out of my head。 For thewhatever…it…was was ing along fast now and getting close behind Gimli。 Butwhether those two lamps spotted me moving and staring； or whether I came to mysenses； I don't know。 When I looked again； it wasn't there。 Yet I think Icaught a glimpse with the tail of…my eye； as the saying is； of something darkshooting under the shadow of the bank。 I couldn't see no more eyes though。
‘I said to myself： 〃dreaming again； Sam Gamgee；〃 I said： and I said nomore just then。 But I've been thinking since。 and now I'm not so sure。 What doyou make of it； Mr。 Frodo？ '
'I should make nothing of it but a log and the dusk and sleep in youreyes Sam； said Frodo； if this was the first time that those eyes had beenseen。 But it isn't。 I saw them away back north before we reached Lórien。 And Isaw a strange creature with eyes climbing to the flet that night。 Haldir sawit too。 And do you remember the report of the Elves that went after the orcband？
'
‘Ah；' said Sam。 ‘I do； and I remember more too。 I don't like my thoughts；
but thinking of one thing and another； and Mr。 Bilbo's stories and all； Ifancy I could put a name on the creature； at a guess。 A nasty name。 Gollum；
maybe？ '
‘Yes； that is what I have feared for some time；' said Frodo。 ‘Ever sincethe night on the flet。 I suppose he was lurking in Moria； and picked up ourtrail then； but I hoped that our stay in Lórien would throw him off the scentagain。 The miserable creature must have been hiding in the woods by theSilverlode； watching us start off！ '
‘That's about it；' said Sam。 ‘And we'd better be a bit more watchfulourselves； or we'll feel some nasty fingers round our necks one of these
nights； if we ever wake up to feel anything。 And that's what I was leading upto。 No need to trouble Strider or the others tonight。 I'll keep watch。 I cansleep tomorrow； being no more than luggage in a boat； as you might say。'
‘I might；' said Frodo； ‘and I might say 〃luggage with eyes〃。 You shallwatch； but only if you promise to wake me halfway towards morning； if nothinghappens before then。'
In the dead hours Frodo came out of a deep dark sleep to find Sam shakinghim。 ‘It's a shame to wake you；' whispered Sam； ‘but that's what you said。
There's nothing to tell； or not much。 I thought I heard some soft plashing anda sniffing noise； a while back； but you hear a lot of such queer sounds by ariver at night。'
He lay down； and Frodo sat up； huddled in his blankets； and fought offhis slee