SHOOTING DOWN THE LINN. 157 



possibly descend in safety, if we managed our boats 

 well." Charlie looked, and sighed, and looked again : 

 the thing was evidently not in harmony with his ideas ; 

 for he could not swim himself, and he doubted whether 

 his boat would either, when it arrived at the bottom of 

 the fall. However, I decided that I would try the thing 

 alone ; and if it should prove a failure, the example was 

 not, of course, to be followed. So I brought my little 

 boat some way above the cataract, with her head up the 

 stream, and by rowing against it let her fall by degrees 

 stern foremost, by which means I had a clear view 

 before me, and could therefore steer to a nicety. 

 She went down most agreeably, though in nearly a 

 vertical position, but pitched upon a rock below the 

 fall; but before any harm happened, I swung her off 

 by inclining my body to and fro. My fisherman fol- 

 lowed successfully ; and having passed the wide-spread- 

 ing Linn, the channel of the Tay became more con- 

 tracted, and we resumed our former pace, shooting 

 down the rapids like an arrow, and by occasional swift 

 snatches of the oars avoiding the breakers around us. 

 So we passed amongst the hanging woods and impend- 

 ing rocks of this romantic river, till we arrived at 

 Stanley, where groups of people were assembled on the 

 hill-top, who shouted to us with all their might, and 

 made signs and gestures, the meaning of which I could 

 not comprehend, but they seemed to be warning us of 

 some impending danger : I could not catch the import 

 of their words, as the sound was but faintly heard 

 amidst the din of the waves. So I did not perplex 

 myself with attending to them, but thought it wisest to 



