LOSS OF BOAT. 43 



and the rush of the water bore her under. At the same time 

 Cary was carried from his footing and just managed to grasp 

 the line as he came up and escape being borne down the 

 stream. When things were collected and an inventory taken of 

 the loss, it was found to include about one-fourth of the pro- 

 visions, the barometer and chronometer rendered useless and 

 practically lost, measuring chain, cooking utensils, rifles with 

 much of the ammunition, axe and small stores, such as salt, 

 sugar, coffee, etc. The loss was a severe one, and arose from 

 failure to fasten the stores into the boats before starting, as had 

 been ordered. The time given the party for the trip was so 

 short, the distance so uncertain, and the things they desired to 

 have an opportunity to do on the return that would require 

 comparative leisure were so many, that they begrudged the 

 few minutes necessary to properly lash the loads into the 

 boats, each time they broke camp ; and delay and disaster were 

 the results. As the day was nearly spent, camp was made but 

 about a mile from the last, and time used in repairing damages. 

 A very ingenious baker for bread was contrived by Cole from 

 an empty flour tin, a new paddle made to replace the one lost, 

 and a redistribution of the baggage remaining effected. 



In the following five days sixty-six miles were made with a 

 few short carries, some rowing and a good deal of hard tracking. 

 Having passed the Mininipi river and rapids, the latter being 

 the worst on the river, the bank furnishing almost no foothold 

 for tracking the Mauni rapids were reached and finally at 5 

 P. M., Aug. 6th, the party emerged into Lake Waminikapo. As 

 Cary's journal puts it, here the party " first indulged in hilarity." 

 The hardest part of the work was over and had been done in 

 much less time than had been expected. According to all ac- 

 counts the falls should be found only thirty miles beyond the head 

 of the lake, which is forty miles long and good rowing water, and 

 about three weeks time yet remained before they were due at 

 Rigolette. Added to this a perfect summer afternoon, com- 

 paratively smooth water, running around the base of a magnifi- 

 cent cliff and opening out through a gorge with precipitous 

 sides, showing a beautiful vista of lake and mountain, with the 



