160 MOOSE-HUNTING, SALMON-FISHING, ETC 



a boom, the other at an angle of 25 or 30, 

 resting on the bank. To one used to it, there 

 were no attractions, and I never used it when 

 it could be avoided. 



After they were upon the boom, I led the 

 way, to assure and give them confidence, as 

 they were evidently very nervous. The end 

 next the pass was reached safely. Here I 

 stopped a little past the end of the plank, 

 standing on the very end of the boom to allow 

 them to walk ahead of me. Had Mrs. C., who 

 had been walking next me, done this, probably 

 there would have been no trouble, but step- 

 ping aside to allow her sister to proceed 

 nearly cost her her life. Above the boom 

 here and near the end was an accumulation 

 of numberless little pieces of floating wood- 

 ends and boards from the upper mill, mixed 

 in with sawdust, that, to an inexperienced eye 

 like Mrs. C.'s, would give it the appearance 

 of solidity ; and such she thought it was, for 

 she stepped back upon it to let her sister 

 proceed, and back she went. Fortunately 

 for us all, I was near enough to grasp her 

 by the neck of her dress as she fell, and 

 thus kept her head above water, although 



