162 "LA GRANDE DECHAKGE" OF LAKE ST. JOHN 



little leaping cascades in the passes between the rocks 

 jauntily shot the canoe, until she suddenly stood still 

 in the middle of a slide, caught upon an unseen rock 

 and held there in balance in the centre of the rapid. 

 Morel called to his assistant, instructing him how to 

 balance the canoe in order to cause it to slide sideways 

 from the rock upon which it was stuck and leap the 

 remainder of the rapid. The instruction was given 

 rapidly in French, and Stocking imagined that the 

 part of it having reference to a leap was addressed to 

 him, and, suiting the action to the word, made a rapid 

 survey of the nearest route to the shore and quietly 

 commenced raising himself in the canoe preparatory 

 to taking a plunge into the water. His motion, or 

 that of the guides, had in the meantime freed the 

 canoe, and once again 



"It floated on the river 

 Like a yellow leaf in autumn, 

 Like a yellow water-lily," 



and friend Stocking, who says that he fears no evil in 

 following the directions of his guide, was saved the 

 unpleasantness of a serious wetting and the unneces- 

 sary exertion and risk of a long swim to the shore 

 through exceedingly rapid water. His thorough con- 

 fidence in his guides in all cases of difficulty and dan- 

 ger that occurred during the trip was fully justified by 

 the consummate ability and skill with which they at 

 all times conducted the canoe under the most trying 

 of circumstances. 



The portage around the first chute is on the main- 

 land, north of the Discharge, a good, easy foot-path cut 



