It might be the case that there had not been so much rain higher up.

The man whom I had sent soon returned, reporting that the river was falling, and would be fordable by the evening.

This was good news indeed.
On the other hand, our horses were exhausted.

They had now for three days been obliged to plough their way through the wet, muddy paths.

We had no forage to give them, and the grass was so young as yet that it did not seem to strengthen them at all.
Nevertheless, we had to be off.