34 A SUMMER BOATING TRIP 



by their motions they were going to make a rush by 

 me up stream. At a signal from the old one, on they 

 came, and passed within a few feet of me. It was 

 almost incredible, the speed they made. Their pink 

 feet were like swiftly revolving wheels placed a little 

 to the rear; their breasts just skimmed the surface, 

 and the water was beaten into spray behind them. 

 They had no need of wings; even the mother bird did 

 not use hers; a steamboat could hardly have kept up 

 with them. I dropped my paddle and cheered. They 

 kept the race up for a long distance, a«d I saw them 

 making a fresh spirt as I entered upon the rift and 

 dropped quickly out of sight. I next disturbed an 

 eagle in his meditations upon a dead treetop, and a cat 

 sprang out of some weeds near the foot of the tree. 

 Was he watching for puss, while she was watching 

 for some smaller prey ? 



I passed Partridge Island — which is or used to 

 be the name of a post-office — unwittingly, and en- 

 camped for the night on an island near Hawk's Point. 

 I slept in my boat on the beach, and in the morning 

 mv locks were literally wet with the dews of the night, 

 and my blankets too; so I waited for the sun to dry 

 them. As I was gathering driftwood for a fire, a voice 

 came over from the shadows of the east shore : " Seems 

 to me you lay abed pretty late!" 



"I call this early," I rejoined, glancing at the sun 

 "Wall, it may be airly in the forenoon, but it ain't 

 airly in the mornin';" a distinction I was forced to 

 admit. Before I had reembarked some cows came 

 down to the shore, and I watched them ford the river 

 to the island. They did it with great ease and preci- 

 sion. I was told they will sometimes, during high water, 



