174 Drifting 



snag. To strike such an objeft in mid-river 

 was rather startling. Was I not in or near the 

 channel ? Steamboats come puffing and plow- 

 ing here and sailing craft pass up and down, 

 so my only care had been to avoid them ; but 

 now there came in my path the twisted trunk 

 of an old forest tree and held me fast. All 

 the while the mist rose and fell, giving no 

 inkling of my whereabouts. In the dim, 

 misty light what a strange sea-monster this 

 resurrected tree-trunk seemed to be ! Its 

 thick green coat of silky threads lay closely 

 as the shining fur of the otter, a mane of 

 eel-grass floated on the water, the gnarly 

 growths where branches once had been 

 glistened as huge eyes, and broken limbs 

 were horns that threatened quick destru&ion. 

 There was motion, too. Slowly it rose above 

 the water and then as slowly sunk from view. 

 Could it be possible that some long-necked 

 saurian of the Jersey marls had come to life ? 

 Nonsense ; and yet so real did it seem that 

 I was ready for the river-horse to rise 



" from the waves beneath, 

 And grin through the grate of his spiky teeth.** 



With such an uncanny keeper, I was held a 



