RUNNING THK RAPIDS. 77 



the rocks to get her through. In shooting ra[)- 

 ids the oarsman faces down stream in order to 

 watch the currents, direct his course, and, if need 

 be, when within his power, and danger is ahead, to 

 check his flight and choose another course. The 

 great thing and the essential thing to learn and 

 do is to take the advantage of the currents, whirls, 

 and eddies, so as to sway your boat, and pass from 

 this to that side of the rapids easily. The agree- 

 ment was, that John should precede me in his 

 boat ; that I, watching his motions, and guided 

 by his course somewhat, might be assisted in the 

 descent by his experience. A good arrangement, 

 surely ; but 



" The best laid schemes o' mice and men 

 Gang aft agley," 



as we found before half a mile of the course 

 had been run ; for my l)oat, being new and light, 

 beside less lieavily loaded than John's, caught at 

 the head of some falls by the swift current, darted 

 down the steep decline, and entering side by side, 

 with a mighty leap, the yeasty foam, shot out 

 ahead, and from that moment led the race to the 

 foot of the rapids. But I anticipate. 



Thus, as I said, I sat in my boat, holding her 

 steadily, by strength of oar, in mid-stream, where 

 the water smoothed itself for the plunge, until 

 John, with friend Burns sitting upon his feet like 



