DANGER FROM THE RAPIDS. 319 



divided it from another lane. This ice being 

 in shallow water, was porous and rotten, so that 

 it yielded to the united effect of the axe and the 

 weight of the men ; and, at the expiration of an 

 hour and a half, the boat was got through, 

 though not without some awkward scrapings. 



An easy rapid, and the shelving shore of a 

 sand-hill, rather encouraged the hope that the 

 river would turn out favourably; but that il- 

 lusion was soon dispelled by a very long rapid 

 immediately succeeding, where the boat was 

 only saved by all hands jumping into the break- 

 ers, and keeping her stern up the stream until 

 she was cleared from a rock that had brought 

 her up. We had hardly time to get into our 

 places again, when we were carried with con- 

 siderable velocity past a river which joined from 

 the westward ; a rapid then followed ; after 

 which another tributary was observed coming 

 from the same quarter. 



The hills in that direction did not exceed 

 three hundred feet in height, and often not 

 fifty ; but they had the same sterile appearance, 

 and were spotted with the same dark fragments 

 of rocks or stones as those already passed. On 

 the eastern side sandy banks were frequently* 

 met with, which gradually rose into acclivities, 

 or gently sloping mounds, with small streamlets 

 winding round their bases, affording pasturage 



