THE THOUSAND ISLES. 189 
CHAPTER XX. 
THE THOUSAND ISLES. 
At tlie up23er edge of the State of 'New York, where 
civilization terminates and Canada begins, a mighty 
river, the outlet of a hundred lakes and thousand streams, 
flows amid innumerable islands in a fierce current 
toward the sea. It bears upon its broad bosom in im- 
mense rafts the wealth of the forests of the ]N"orthwest. 
Enormous quantities of timber, collected from all its 
tributaries, even from the region around Lake Superior, 
are brought in large vessels, mostly three-masted schoon- 
ers, to the head-waters of this stream, and there, at Cape 
Yincent or its neighborhood, are bound together into 
rafts, preparatory to descending the rapids. These rafts 
cover acres in extent, and sometimes have as many as 
fifty shanties built upon them to accommodate one hun- 
dred men for months, or until they shall reach Quebec or 
Montreal. Launched upon their journey, they are car- 
ried along by the current, and by sails when the wind 
is favorable, and even without the latter, moving as they 
do by the force of gravity faster than the stream, can be 
steered to some extent. Rough oars are fastened on the 
fore and after part, by a vigorous use of which the raft 
can be kept from danger and retained in the middle of 
the stream. They press on with resistless force, some- 
