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The River of Darkness
The River of Darkness

Chapter XXXV · Chapter 35

Chapter 35 of The River of Darkness is here in full — 142 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The River of Darkness
Context Illustration Reading 1/28 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
MORE MISERY.
Perceiving that the danger was over, Guy ventured to sit up.
His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.
His companions were still sprawled out on the raft, holding to the logs with all their strength.
When Guy assured them that all danger was past they sat up, looking very pale and dazed.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The River of Darkness

Chapter XXXV · Chapter 35

Chapter 35 of The River of Darkness is here in full — 142 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/28 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
MORE MISERY.
/mɔːr ˈmɪzəri/
Line 2
Perceiving that the danger was over, Guy ventured to sit up.
/pərˈsiːvɪŋ ðæt ðə ˈdeɪndʒər wɑːz ˈoʊvər ɡaɪ ˈventʃərd tuː sɪt ʌp/
Line 3
His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.
/hɪz kloʊðz wɜːr ˈdrɪpɪŋ wet bʌt ˈfɔːrtʃənətli hiː kept hɪz ˈmætʃəz ɪn ə tɪn bɑːks ənd ˈstraɪkɪŋ wʌn ˈkɔːʃəsli hiː lɪt ə tɔːrtʃ wɪtʃ hæd bɪn ˈlaɪɪŋ ˈpɑːrtli ˈʌndər hɪz ˈbɑːdi ənd wɑːz nɑːt tuː dæmp tuː bɜːrn/
Line 4
His companions were still sprawled out on the raft, holding to the logs with all their strength.
/hɪz kəmˈpænjənz wɜːr stɪl sprɔːld aʊt ɑːn ðə ræft ˈhoʊldɪŋ tuː ðə lɔːɡz wɪð ɔːl ðer streŋkθ/
Line 5
When Guy assured them that all danger was past they sat up, looking very pale and dazed.
/wen ɡaɪ əˈʃʊrd ðem ðæt ɔːl ˈdeɪndʒər wɑːz pæst ðeɪ sæt ʌp ˈlʊkɪŋ ˈveri peɪl ənd deɪzd/

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

dazed adjective US /deɪzd/

in a state of mental numbness especially as resulting from shock

From this reading “When Guy assured them that all danger was past they sat up, looking very pale and dazed.”

dripping noun US /ˈdrɪpɪŋ/

a liquid (as water) that flows in drops (as from the eaves of house)

From this reading “His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.”

logs noun US /lɔːɡz/

plural of “log” — a segment of the trunk of a tree when stripped of branches

From this reading “His companions were still sprawled out on the raft, holding to the logs with all their strength.”

matches noun US /ˈmætʃəz/

plural of “match” — lighter consisting of a thin piece of wood or cardboard tipped with combustible chemical; ignites with friction

From this reading “His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.”

Perceiving verb US /pərˈsiːvɪŋ/

-ing form of “perceive” — to become aware of through the senses

From this reading “Perceiving that the danger was over, Guy ventured to sit up.”

raft noun US /ræft/

a flat float (usually made of logs or planks) that can be used for transport or as a platform for swimmers

From this reading “His companions were still sprawled out on the raft, holding to the logs with all their strength.”

sprawled verb US /sprɔːld/

past form of “sprawl” — sit or lie with one's limbs spread out

From this reading “His companions were still sprawled out on the raft, holding to the logs with all their strength.”

torch noun US /tɔːrtʃ/

a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance

From this reading “His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.”

All words in this reading · 66

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading His companions were still sprawled out on the raft, holding to the logs with all their strength.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

assuredadjectiveUS /əˈʃʊrd/

marked by assurance; exhibiting confidence

From this reading When Guy assured them that all danger was past they sat up, looking very pale and dazed.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/

the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

boxnounUS /bɑːks/

a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

burnverbUS /bɜːrn/

To consume or be consumed by fire.

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

cautiouslyadverbUS /ˈkɔːʃəsli/

as if with kid gloves; with caution or prudence or tact

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

clothesnounUS /kloʊðz/

clothing in general

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

companionsnounUS /kəmˈpænjənz/

plural of “companion” — a friend who is frequently in the company of another

From this reading His companions were still sprawled out on the raft, holding to the logs with all their strength.

dampadjectiveUS /dæmp/

slightly wet

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

dangernounUS /ˈdeɪndʒər/

the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury

From this reading Perceiving that the danger was over, Guy ventured to sit up.

dazedadjectiveUS /deɪzd/

in a state of mental numbness especially as resulting from shock

From this reading When Guy assured them that all danger was past they sat up, looking very pale and dazed.

drippingnounUS /ˈdrɪpɪŋ/

a liquid (as water) that flows in drops (as from the eaves of house)

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

fortunatelyadverbUS /ˈfɔːrtʃənətli/

by good fortune

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

GuynounUS /ɡaɪ/

an informal term for a youth or man

From this reading Perceiving that the danger was over, Guy ventured to sit up.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

HisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

holdingnounUS /ˈhoʊldɪŋ/

the act of retaining something

From this reading His companions were still sprawled out on the raft, holding to the logs with all their strength.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

keptadjectiveUS /kept/

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

litadjectiveUS /lɪt/

provided with artificial light

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

logsnounUS /lɔːɡz/

plural of “log” — a segment of the trunk of a tree when stripped of branches

From this reading His companions were still sprawled out on the raft, holding to the logs with all their strength.

lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading When Guy assured them that all danger was past they sat up, looking very pale and dazed.

lyingnounUS /ˈlaɪɪŋ/

the deliberate act of deviating from the truth

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

matchesnounUS /ˈmætʃəz/

plural of “match” — lighter consisting of a thin piece of wood or cardboard tipped with combustible chemical; ignites with friction

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

MISERYnounUS /ˈmɪzəri/

a state of ill-being due to affliction or misfortune

From this reading MORE MISERY.

MOREadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading MORE MISERY.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading His companions were still sprawled out on the raft, holding to the logs with all their strength.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading His companions were still sprawled out on the raft, holding to the logs with all their strength.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Perceiving that the danger was over, Guy ventured to sit up.

paleadjectiveUS /peɪl/

very light colored; highly diluted with white

From this reading When Guy assured them that all danger was past they sat up, looking very pale and dazed.

partlyadverbUS /ˈpɑːrtli/

to some extent; in some degree; not wholly

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

pastnounUS /pæst/

the time that has elapsed

From this reading When Guy assured them that all danger was past they sat up, looking very pale and dazed.

PerceivingverbUS /pərˈsiːvɪŋ/

-ing form of “perceive” — to become aware of through the senses

From this reading Perceiving that the danger was over, Guy ventured to sit up.

raftnounUS /ræft/

a flat float (usually made of logs or planks) that can be used for transport or as a platform for swimmers

From this reading His companions were still sprawled out on the raft, holding to the logs with all their strength.

satnounUS /sæt/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading When Guy assured them that all danger was past they sat up, looking very pale and dazed.

sitverbUS /sɪt/

be seated

From this reading Perceiving that the danger was over, Guy ventured to sit up.

sprawledverbUS /sprɔːld/

past form of “sprawl” — sit or lie with one's limbs spread out

From this reading His companions were still sprawled out on the raft, holding to the logs with all their strength.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading His companions were still sprawled out on the raft, holding to the logs with all their strength.

strengthnounUS /streŋkθ/

the property of being physically or mentally strong

From this reading His companions were still sprawled out on the raft, holding to the logs with all their strength.

strikingadjectiveUS /ˈstraɪkɪŋ/

sensational in appearance or thrilling in effect

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Perceiving that the danger was over, Guy ventured to sit up.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Perceiving that the danger was over, Guy ventured to sit up.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading His companions were still sprawled out on the raft, holding to the logs with all their strength.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading When Guy assured them that all danger was past they sat up, looking very pale and dazed.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading When Guy assured them that all danger was past they sat up, looking very pale and dazed.

tinnounUS /tɪn/

a silvery malleable metallic element that resists corrosion; used in many alloys and to coat other metals to prevent corrosion; obtained chiefly from cassiterite where it occurs as tin oxide

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Perceiving that the danger was over, Guy ventured to sit up.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

torchnounUS /tɔːrtʃ/

a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Perceiving that the danger was over, Guy ventured to sit up.

venturedverbUS /ˈventʃərd/

past form of “venture” — proceed somewhere despite the risk of possible dangers

From this reading Perceiving that the danger was over, Guy ventured to sit up.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading When Guy assured them that all danger was past they sat up, looking very pale and dazed.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Perceiving that the danger was over, Guy ventured to sit up.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

wetadjectiveUS /wet/

covered or soaked with a liquid such as water

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When Guy assured them that all danger was past they sat up, looking very pale and dazed.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading His clothes were dripping wet, but fortunately he kept his matches in a tin box, and striking one cautiously, he lit a torch which had been lying partly under his body, and was not too damp to burn.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading His companions were still sprawled out on the raft, holding to the logs with all their strength.

Chapter 35 of The River of Darkness by William Murray Graydon holds 142 sentences, grouped into 29 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 35 of The River of Darkness contain?

Chapter 35 holds 142 sentences of The River of Darkness, unabridged, divided into 29 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 35 of The River of Darkness by William Murray Graydon exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 142 sentences, grouped into 29 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 35 of The River of Darkness?

Work through the 29 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 29 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 35 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 35 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading The River of Darkness

Common questions about reading The River of Darkness by William Murray Graydon on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The River of Darkness?

Yes. All 3841 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #24297 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The River of Darkness is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #24297, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The River of Darkness take to read?

About 320 minutes of reading across 769 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The River of Darkness section by section

How to work through The River of Darkness section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The River of Darkness

Words and structures a reader meets early in The River of Darkness, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

River
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The River of Darkness; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Darkness
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The River of Darkness; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Under
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The River of Darkness; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Africa
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The River of Darkness; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.