180 BT HOOK AND BT CEOOK. 



as fine a field of sword- rushes as usually falls to any 

 one man's lot, with not a break in them. 



Foiled in this mean device, we retraced our steps and 

 faced the rushes, which, in accordance with the disagree- 

 able habit peculiar to their race, elected to keep their 

 feet bathed in a foot or two of water and slush, this treat- 

 ment rearing themto aheight considerably above our own. 



After toiling knee-deep for about an hour, we by the 

 merest accident came across an old tub and hailed it 

 with as much delight as did Xenophon's Greeks the 

 sea; but our joy was rather premature, as inspection 

 suggested the probability of its breaking up during 

 removal to the water, some twenty yards distant. 



With tender and loving hands we hauled her to her 

 true element, and placed her on the bosom of the lake, 

 a kindly action which she immediately resented by freely 

 admitting water into her most secret compartments, 

 necessitating a temporary return to her mud home. 



With paper and pocket-handkerchiefs we managed to 

 plug the holes and got her afloat, then succeeded in 

 finding one oar or rather scull — the second defied all 

 search, so we had to make shift with a piece of broken 

 paling lashed to a branch ; so fitted out we put to sea, 

 or, rather, to lake, then of course stumbled over the 

 missing scull. 



The sky was clouding over and rain seemed close at 

 hand, so we put up one rod and commenced casting under 

 the lee-shore, thinking that any feed would find their 

 way thither ; but not a fish could we see rise, although 

 there was a fair show of the natural insect. 



