132 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



single heavy step, the most trivial of all accidents, 

 might have "broken up their whole plan, and fixed 

 them there for ever. Their sensations, as they found 

 themselves gliding down the river of Sinamary, with- 

 out a sound from the fort, without a symptom of 

 pursuit, without a single ground for believing that 

 they might not yet effect their entire object, and 

 reach Europe and their friends and families, may 

 have been among the keenest that man can bear on 

 this side of insanity. 



But another source of anxiety arose. The redoubt 

 at the river's mouth. It had a garrison of eight 

 soldiers, and a gun from its bastion would sink them 

 in an instant. Luckily the Medoc had made its way 

 there too. The garrison were all drunk, the canoe 

 was not hailed, and no gun was fired. 



They reached the river's mouth, the ocean spread 

 before them ; the moon rose, and her light, which 

 seems to have been intended from the beginning to 

 quiet or to elevate the heart of man, never looked so 

 glorious to them. They felt the light, in this spot of 

 rocks and shallows, as in some degree an interposition 

 of Heaven ; and, if they had not been Eevolutionists, 

 might at that time have been betrayed into gratitude, 

 and even into prayer. 



They had still an alarm. Two guns were heard 

 from Sinamary, which were answered by one from 

 the redoubt. But by this time they had gained two 

 hours on the pursuit, and they had nothing to dread 



