THE RIVER. 141 



not without a certain beauty, and a certain interest, 

 inseparable from all that has received the buffet of the 

 salt water, and over which the salt spray has flown. 

 Barge too, as she is, she bears her part in the 

 commerce of the world. The very architecture on 

 the shore is old fashioned where these bluff bowed 

 vessels come, narrow streets and over-hanging houses, 

 boat anchors in the windows, sails and tarry ropes ; 

 and is there not a Kow Barge Inn somewhere ? 



"Hoy, ahoy!" 



The sudden shout startles me, and, glancing round, 

 I find an empty black barge, high out of the water, 

 floating helplessly down upon me with the stream. 

 Noiselessly the great hulk had drifted upon me ; as 

 it came the light glinted on the wavelets before the 

 bow, quick points of brilliant light. But two strokes 

 with the sculls carried me out of the way. 



