272 THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE BY LAND. 



We then crawled carefally forwards to the rescue 

 of the woman. She was, however, so far below, that 

 it was impossible to lift her out, and we therefore 

 held her as well as we could, and shouted to The 

 Assiniboine to be quick with a rope. 



He, in the meantime, had caught up the raft in 

 its swift career, and cried loudly to Mr. O'B., who sat 

 motionless in the stern, to throw the end of the 

 broken rope. Mr. O'B. responded only by a gentle 

 shaking of the head, and a " No, no ; no, thank you," 

 looking solemnly straight before him. The raft, 

 however, bringing up for a moment against another 

 overhanging tree, w^as arrested by The Assiniboine. 

 Mr. O'B. instantly seized the opportunity of escape, 

 darted on shore, and buried himself in the woods, 

 regardless of the entreaties of his deliverer, to help in 

 securing the raft. 



After we had shouted some time. The Assiniboine 

 seemed to understand us, and hastened to unfasten a 

 rope. But this took time, and we began to fear we 

 should not be able to keep the woman up until he 

 came. Presently Mr. O'B. appeared on the bank, 

 gazing at us in a bewildered manner. We cried to 

 him to run down to The Assiniboine and tell him 

 to bring a rope quickly ; but he did not seem to 

 comprehend, and untying his neckerchief, held 

 that out to us. The boy, coming up at the 

 moment, brought it to the tree, and with that and 

 Milton's belt, passed round the woman's w^aist, he 

 kept her above the water until her husband arrived 

 with a rope, — and Mrs. Assiniboine was saved. She 



