76 TRAVELS IN THE EIGHTIES. 



anxious to descend with him in the boat and observe 

 more closely than I could from the shore his skill and 

 watermanship. After explaining that the boat must 

 be lightly loaded and making various objections to the 

 proposal, he at length consented to take me, and told 

 me to sit well in the centre of the boards on the 

 bottom. As he pushed off, I suddenly experienced an 

 almost irresistible desire to jump out. Next moment 

 the boat was being carried rapidly down towards 

 apparent destruction. As we topped the brink the 

 speed quickly increased, we were violently tossed to 

 and fro, while waves broke in upon the boat, making 

 me gasp convulsively and cling helplessly to my air 

 cushion, which I had filled with air to act as a kind of 

 effectual life-preserver in case of accidents. 



A vision of Carl, straining at the oars as we shot 

 within an inch of a tower of water foaming and 

 dashing against an opposing rock, and next moment 

 the danger was over, for we found ourselves floating 

 placidly on the Ledvatnet, with only twenty miles 

 more to row to Bastusele. While we waited for 

 Olaf to come round with the luggage through the 

 wood I captured a few grayling with a couple of 

 small flies, which the large trout seemed not to 

 fancy at all. These Carl took back with him, as 

 there would be plenty lower down. 



Below Slagnas, walled in by sombre pines, the 

 great Shellefteo continues a winding course. A last 

 rapid had to be negotiated before reaching Bastusele, 

 whose muffled roar had long been audible. The 



