102 DANGERS OF NAVIGATION. 



Mississippi and American rivers ' snaggs ; ' an 

 unfortunate Dimdi, or Zoruk, if caught by one of 

 these is soon a wreck. 



"In tracking against the stream the rope is 

 passed through a hole in the top of the mast, and 

 then connected with the stern post ; considerable 

 length is allowed to permit the boat to shoot into 

 deep water, and on tracking near the banks, 

 shoals are announced by the leading tracker, 

 when the spare rope is given out and the boat 

 flies off into the deep stream. These ropes con- 

 tinually break, particularly in attempting to 

 turn points round which the stream rushes with 

 great force, and thus a mile or two, the best 

 portion perliaps of a day's labour, is lost, for it is 

 no easy matter to arrest the progress of a craft 

 when once the stream has caught her. The 

 number of trackers varies with the size of the 

 craft, but is generally very inadequate to the 

 work to be performed." 



The same author expresses it as his opinion 

 that the shape of the Dundi is well adapted to 

 the navigation of the Indus, and were it intend- 

 ed to increase the number of sailing boats on the 

 river, the Dundi of more durable materials might 



