At length they descended the slope of a small ravine, almost a hole, along the bottom of which a brook flowed lazily, overgrown with sedge, and strewed with mossy boulders.

Descending into this ravine, they were completely concealed from the view of all the plain occupied by the Zaporovian camp.

At least Andrii, glancing back, saw that the steep slope rose behind him higher than a man.

On its summit appeared a few blades of steppe-grass; and behind them, in the sky, hung the moon, like a golden sickle.

The breeze rising on the steppe warned them that the dawn was not far off.