midnight
The night was clouded and dark , and so much of the way now lay through forests that there was little reason to apprehend detection . The chief causes of delay were the rifts , and the portages , as had been the case the night before . Luckily , le Bourdon had been up and down the stream so often as to be a very tolerable pilot in its windings . He assumed the control , and by midnight the greatest obstacle to that evening 's progress was overcome . At the approach of day , Pigeonswing pointed out another creek , in another swamp , where the party found a refuge for the succeeding day . In this manner four nights were passed on the river , and as many days in swamps , without discovery . The Chippewa had nicely calculated his time and his distances , and not the smallest mistake was made .