RAPIDS AHEAD. * 209 
or the night. After this he sat down, to spend the long 
gloomy hours in contemplating the horror of his situation, 
eyond to the settlements. Had he done so, he would have 
eturned to his home, and rested satisfied with his experience 
is a prospector. And when he thought of “home,” it called 
1p the strongest inducements for life, and he resolyed, to use 
is own words, “to die hard, and like a man.” 
Gradually the dawn, long perceptible in the upper world, 
degan to creep down the black cafion, and gave him light to 
trengthen his raft, and launch it again into the treacherous 
iver. As he floated down he remembered the sad fate of 
trole, and took the precaution to lash himself firmly to the 
ait, so as to preclude the possibility of his being separated 
om it. This forethought subsequently saved his life. His 
ourse through the cafion was now over a succession of rapids, 
ocked up by masses of rock, over which his frail raft 
humped and whirled, at times wholly submerged in the 
caming water. At one of these rapids, in the distance of 
bout a hundred yards, he thinks the river must have fallen — 
etween thirty and forty feet. In going over this place the 
0gs composing the raft became separated at the upper end, 
md, spreading out like a fan, White was thrown into the 
water. He struggled to the side by means of his rope, and with 
a desperate strength held the logs together till they floated 
nto calmer water, when he succeeded in refastening them. 
_ White’s trials were not yet at an end, and in relating the 
following incident he showed the only sign of emotion ex- 
ubited during his long series of answers. 
_ VOL, Ir. P 
