xn ITINERARY. 



well known ; but it takes time. Frequent accidents, often with heavy 

 loss of life, were met with in the falls generally, mostly througii in- 

 experience, xuitil legislation provided that both captains and bowmen 

 Avere to be licensed for the different rivers — and even among these are 

 the venturesome ones who take unnecessary risks, resulting at times in 

 disaster. 



As it will be unnecessary to give later any description of the return 

 through these falls, I might tell here of an exciting incident which will 

 illustiate another aspect of the dangers in these waters. We were 

 running the Itakki Falls, down a long cataract of very rough antl 

 heavy water, curving around from left to right, when the large pnddle 

 of the bowman of the second boat caught on a rock below the water; 

 and from the half-standing stooping posture in which a bowman places 

 liimself when running the falls, with his legs braced against the sides, 

 he was pitched up and forward completely out of the boat. By the 

 merest accident, as he fell, he was able to giip the gunwale with both 

 hand's by the fingei's, but unfortunately in the very dangerous position 

 between the boat and the i-ocks of the cui've along which we were 

 rushing at a ti-emendous pace. 80 narrow was the interspace at times 

 from projecting rocks in front, that it seemed impossible that he could 

 escape from being crushed. His gi'ip must have been like that of a 

 vice, for he was constantly s})lashed and buffeted by the rough water ; 

 and any attempt to haul himself up into the boat must have been 

 disasti'ous. The man's life lay, of course, in Ritchie's steering, and it 

 was splendid. He had constantly, down the long run, to keep the l)oat 

 sufficiently out from the rocks at the side of the curve and from those 

 projecting into the channel, both for the safety of the man and of the 

 boat itself, both of these opei-ations usually being very largely a part 

 of the bowman's work by heading off the boat with his long paddle. 

 Ritchie's success again depended on the pace the paddlers could give 

 over the rushing water, and this every man in the boat — all Indians — 

 knew, and they struck with every ounce of their strength to give 

 Ritchie the exti-a headway on the boat that success requii-ed. 



We in the first boat had not seen the accident. Running through 

 the cataracts is always exciting, and this one from its cre.at cui-ve and 

 numerous rocks was dangerous. We were spell-bound by it. Jacob's 

 attention, even amid the sound of our quick paddles had been caught, 

 however, by the extra heavy and rapid rattle behind. He had glanced 

 round for an instant, and then his sliaip and loud call " Headway ! " 

 rang over the boat in so unusual a tone that we glanced back at him, 

 and then we saw. It was horribly fascinating! A Inmi.an life in our 

 charge, so to speak, in great jeopardy : the boat leaping forward at a 

 tremendous pace towards us; and Ritchie, standing to his g!eat paddle, 

 braced like a figure of energy. Our men probably had glanced back 

 too at the call, so unusual in the midst of a cataract, for our paddles 

 rang out even quicker to give extra pace before the oncoming boat, 

 though the captain's call was as much one to the men behind as 

 to ours. 



It was like a hard grip off one's heart when we reached smooth water 

 below and the Indian was drawn into the boat by two of the others, 

 safe. He was quiet and trembling, but he at once turned to get 



