JOHN C. FREMONT. 171 



we dashed along, and were, I believe, in the midst 

 of the chorus, when the boat struck a concealed 

 rock immediately at the foot of a fall, which whirled 

 her over in an instant. Three of our men could not 

 swim, and my first feeling was to assist them and 

 save some of our effects ; but a sharp concussion or 

 two convinced me that I had not yet saved myself. 

 A few strokes brought me into an eddy, and I landed 

 on a pile of rocks on the left side. Looking around, 

 I saw that Mr. Preuss had gained the shore on the 

 same side, about twenty yards below ; and a little 

 climbing and swimming soon brought him to my 

 side. On the opposite side, against the wall, lay 

 the boat, bottom up ; and Lambert was in the act 

 of saving Descoteaux, whom he had grasped by the 

 hair, and who could not swim. 'Ldche pas, J said 

 he, as I afterward learned, 'lache pas, cher frere.' 

 'Crams pas,' was the reply; 'je m'en vais mourir avant 

 que de te lacker.' Such was the reply of courage and 

 generosity in the danger. For a hundred yards 

 below, the current was covered with floating books 

 and boxes, bales and blankets, and scattered articles 

 of clothing; and so strong and boiling was the 

 stream, that even our heavy instruments, which 

 were all in cases, kept on the surface, and the 

 sextant, circle, and the long, black box of the tele- 

 scope, were in view at once. For a moment I was 



