A RIVER VIEW. 215 



many sleepers along shore remembered next day that 

 the sound of a bell had floated across their dreams, 

 without arousing them. One man was awakened be- 

 fore long by a loud pounding at his door. On open- 

 ing it, a tall form, wet and icy, fell in upon him with 

 the cry, " The Sunnyside is sunk ! " The man proved 

 to be one of her officers and was in quest of help. 

 He had made his way up a long hill through the 

 darkness, his wet clothes freezing upon him, and his 

 strength gave way the moment succor was found. 

 Other dwellers in the vicinity were aroused, and with 

 their boats rendered all the assistance possible. The 

 steamer sank but a few yards from shore, only a 

 part of her upper deck remaining above water, yet a 

 panic among the passengers the men behaving very 

 badly swamped the boats as they were being filled 

 with the women, and a dozen or more persons were 

 drowned. 



When the river is at its wildest, usually in March, 

 the eagles appear. They prowl about amid the ice- 

 floes, alighting upon them or flying heavily above 

 them in quest of fish, or a wounded duck or other 

 game. 



I have counted ten of these noble birds at one 

 time, some seated grim and motionless upon cakes of 

 ice, usually surrounded by crows, others flap- 

 ping along, sharply scrutinizing the surface beneath. 

 Where the eagles are, there the crows do congregate. 

 The crow follows the eagle as the jackal follows the 

 lion, in hope of getting the leavings of the royal 



