16 SPORT INDEED 



beech, while the waving masses of ferns that fringe 

 the river's edge had changed their greens for various 

 shades of yellow and brown, and spread their dainty 

 texture along the banks as if anxious to show what 

 nature could do in the way of embroidery. 



Everything looked radiant and happy save our 

 three guides who were taciturn and troubled. The 

 reason was plain. It was half-past four in the after- 

 noon when we reached the Half-way House. We had 

 stated that we desired particularly to be at Chesun- 

 cook Lake (twenty miles down the river) that night, 

 and there would have been no trouble in making the 

 journey by daylight if the steamer Comet had been 

 more prompt in starting from Greenville. Now, 

 below us, six miles down, is a great stretch of rapids 

 called the Rocky Eips, a mile and a half long. Below 

 these rapids come the Pine Stream Falls, half a mile 

 long. 



Our three canoes were deeply loaded. Should we 

 risk the run or not ? It was finally decided to risk it, 

 and away we went ; but with all our lively paddling 

 it was dark when we reached the head of the Rips, 

 and we were in for it. 



'Tis a beautiful sight in daylight to see the canoes 

 on these rapids rushing one after the other from shore 

 to shore, dodging this rock, sliding over that shelf, or 

 doubling around some intruding ledge, all the while 

 striving to keep in the channel which in some places is 



