A BEAR IN THE CAMP. 41 



eddy, the dark tide of the river moves onward to 

 the sea, trailing with it the floating skirts of moss 

 that still cling to the trees. On the far side a dense 

 canebrake arises from the low bank, from whose fast- 

 nesses, as the shadows settled on the view, came forth 

 the quacking of ducks and the booming of bittern. 



On such a scene we looked one afternoon, and forth- 

 with began our preparations for crossing. Selecting from 

 the fallen pine trees one or two logs of medium size, we 

 cut them in uniform lengths, and dragged them to the 

 water's edge, where they were bound in couples with 

 grape-vine wythes. After having having made several 

 couples, they were gently launched over the drifting 

 wood and tangled roots that cluttered up the side of the 

 river, and were all connected together with a rope, and 

 then tied to a tree. This was our ark, and on it were 

 placed, first of all, the powder and other ammunition, and 

 Mike, as captain, and the two negroes as crew, each 

 armed with a long pole and a rude paddle, began the first 

 trip. First fastening the end of a long rope to a tree on 

 the shore from whence they started, they poled out until 

 the depth of the water prevented them from touching 

 bottom, and then with the paddle slowly worked their 

 way to the opposite bank. Then commenced the difii- 

 culty. The tall canes grew down into the water, and 

 presented a barrier to the entrance of so obtuse a vehi- 

 cle as a raft ; and though they might be pushed aside 

 sufficiently to eifect an entrance, they would spring up 

 on every side, and hedge the pioneers in an inclosure as 



