362 THE RAPID CHOKED UP WITH ICE. 



windings of the valleys, could be traced to 

 about four miles of where we stood, this short 

 intermediate space being occupied by a line of 

 shallow rapids. To the north-east, indeed, in- 

 terrupted glimpses were caught of a serpentine 

 stream leading to some sand-hills; but, made 

 cautious by disappointment, we put little faith 

 in such appearances. 



Whilst making these observations, I had not 

 once turned round ; but now doing so with the 

 intention of proceeding on the voyage, I per- 

 ceived, to my amazement, that there was no 

 spray rising from the rapid, and that its deafen- 

 ing roar had subsided into a grinding and hollow 

 noise, which betokened the destruction of what- 

 ever it was which caused it. A phenomenon so 

 utterly at variance with what had existed an hour 

 before made me hasten down, more, however, to 

 look after the boat, than for the satisfaction of 

 any curiosity, as upon consideration I could not 

 but infer that it was the ice driven by the wind 

 and current together from Lake Macdougall, that 

 was choking up the rapid. And so it proved ; it 

 was the disruption of the main body of the ice, or, 

 as it is called, the last break up of the season, 

 when fine weather may be expected. With this 

 new obstacle there was no immediate contend- 

 ing ; for in such a torrent the boat would have 

 been crushed to atoms. At length, however, 



