302 TRAVELS IN THE EIGHTIES. 



whirlpools ; and more particularly owing to the fact 

 that hereabouts the incoming waters meet, and the 

 outgoing waters part, passing and repassing on each 

 side or extremity of Vancouver's Island. These places 

 or points of junction or separation of the two opposing 

 tides, one of the east and the other of the west, are 

 marked upon the Admiralty charts of the coast by 

 arrows pointing in different and opposite directions, 

 and lines to represent the tide-rips, and generally with 

 a warning that in the narrower channels in the 

 vicinity the currents run with dangerous velocity, 

 sometimes, as in the Arran Rapids at the entrance of 

 Bute Inlet and the Cardero Eapids close by, reaching 

 nine knots an hour. Thus are formed the whirls 

 when two such currents or some of lesser velocity 

 meet, so much to be dreaded by canoes or small boats. 

 Through one of these it happened that we were com- 

 pelled to pass that same evening. Eut even when 

 one had decided that the tide had " turned," it was 

 impossible to foretell whether the capricious flood 

 would be favourably disposed to us and assist us on 

 our way, or retard us by persisting in moving in the 

 contrary direction. Who has not watched the flowing 

 tide pouring into small rocky pools between the 

 boulders and stones? For this, greatly magnified, 

 represents the Pacific Ocean rising and falling twice 

 a day among the deep, winding inlets of British 

 Columbia. George would always declare perversely, 

 whenever we found the current contrary, that some- 

 where else on the other side, if I had only gone there, 



