He followed the course of the stream which left the lake, every now and then disturbing wild goats from the cliffs, and twice he saw deer under the oaks across it.  On rounding a spur of down he saw that the river debouched into a much wider lake, which he conjectured must be the Sweet Waters.  He went on till he reached the mouth of the river, and had then no doubt that he was standing once more on the shore of the Sweet Water sea.  On this, the southern side, the banks were low; on the other, a steep chalky cliff almost overhung the river, and jutted out into the lake, curving somewhat towards him.  A fort on that cliff would command the entrance to the river; the cliff was a natural breakwater, so that there was a haven at its base.  The river appeared broad and deep enough for navigation, so that vessels could pass from the great Lake to the inland water; about six or seven miles, he supposed.

Felix was much taken with this spot; the beauty of the inland lake, the evident richness of the soil, the river communicating with the great Lake, the cliff commanding its entrance; never, in all his wanderings, had he seen a district so well suited for a settlement and the founding of a city.  If he had but a thousand men!  How soon he would bring Aurora there, and build a tower, and erect a palisade!  So occupied was he with the thought that he returned the whole distance to the spot where he had made the discovery.  There he remained a long time, designing it all in his mind.

The tower he would build yonder, three-quarters of a mile, perhaps a mile, inland from the opposite shore, on a green knoll, at the base of which the brook flowed.  It would be even more pleasant there than on the shore of the lake.  The forest he would clear back a little, and put up a stout palisade, enclosing at least three miles of grassy land.  By the shore of the lake he would build his town, so that his vessels might be able to go forth into the great Sweet Water sea.  So strongly did imagination hold him that he did not observe how near it was to sunset, nor did he remark the threatening aspect of the sky.  Thunder awoke him from his dream; he looked, and saw a storm rapidly coming from the north-east.

He descended the hill, and sheltered himself as well as possible among some thick fir-trees.  After the lightning, the rain poured so heavily that it penetrated the branches, and he unstrung his bow and placed the string in his pocket, that it might not become wet.  Instantly there was a whoop on either side, and two gipsies darted from the undergrowth towards him.  While the terrible bow was bent they had followed him, tracking his footsteps; the moment he unstrung the bow, they rushed out.  Felix crushed through between the firs, by main force getting through, but only opening a passage for them to follow.  They could easily have thrust their darts through him, but their object was to take him alive, and gratify the revenge of the tribes with torture.