64 THE PINE-TREE, OR 



presenting the appearance of a long, dark cloud settling upon the 

 borders of the lake. 



We had plenty of new rum on board, which was used at stat- 

 ed intervals, as, according to the faith of nearly every man in 

 those days, it gave to the arm more vigor in the necessary labor 

 of plying the paddle. It soon became evident that one of our 

 number had imbibed too freely, to the imminent hazard of our 

 lives. The reader may easily imagine our perilous condition 

 under such circumstances. Our frail skiff was about eighteen 

 feet long, and four feet across the top of the gunwale amid-ships, 

 tapering to a point at either end, constructed of thin slips of pine 

 boards nailed to some half dozen pair of slender knees about two 

 inches in diameter. On board were some fifteen hundred pounds 

 of provisions, with seven men, which pressed her into the water 

 nearly to the gunwale ; three inches from the position of a level, 

 and she would fill with water. 



As men usually are quite insensible to danger when in liquor, 

 so was it with " Dan" in this instance. Too comfortable in his 

 feelings to keep still, as indeed was indispensable to the most 

 steady among us, he kept constantly lurching about, and periling 

 us with a capsizing repeatedly. He was admonished in the most 

 pressing and peremptory manner to keep quiet ; but in his drunk- 

 en idiocy he became a terror, and it was manifest that something 

 must be done to insure our safety. 



Our paddles hung powerless over the sides of the frail thing 

 which buoyed us upon the surface of the deep water ; to advance 

 seemed too uncertain and dreadful, while the darkness rested 

 down deeper upon the lake. A hasty consultation was held upon 

 the propriety of putting back to the shore, when the drunken 

 wretch gave a sudden lurch, which settled the gunwale under 

 water ! " My God ! we are gone !" shouted some half dozen 

 voices at the instant. However, by a counter-motion we raised 

 the submerged gunwale from sinking further. In an instant our 



