90 SPOKT IN NOETH AMEEICA. 



Samson pulled a couple of strokes with tlie oars, 

 and seized me with a potent and a friendly grasp. It 

 was high time, for I was not a good swimmer, and 

 in a few minutes more should have found myself a 

 passenger on Charon's boat, with nothing but a fish 

 to offer him for my passage-money ; unless, indeed, 

 he would have agreed to accept my purse containing 

 some thirty dollars of United States paper, which 

 I am afraid would have scarcely satisfied him. 

 Thanks, • however, to Samson, I was rescued, and 

 lost no time in putting on the suit of dry clothes 

 which I had provided myself with in case of 

 accident. 



This mishap was soon over and quite as soon for- 

 gotten, for feeling the necessity of a little additional 

 exercise to make me warm, I set to work again with 

 redoubled zeal; and I am happy to say that my 

 nocturnal cold bath had neither then, nor at a 

 subsequent time, any ill effects. In this fashion, 

 Mr. Bergeron and I continued fishing as long as the 

 supply of torches lasted ; but about eleven o'clock 

 the moon rose, and it was useless to continue our 

 harpoon sport. The time had now arrived for draw- 

 ing the net which had been placed across the 

 channel of the Dyots. Obedient to a signal given 

 by Samson and Mr, Bergeron, another boat quitted 

 the shore and came to join us. It was manned by 

 men from the sugar camp, who, imitating ourselves, 

 rowed onwards, beating the water with gaffs and 



