2o8 THROUGH THE HEART OF PATAGONIA 



the main channel difficult to follow with the eye, and round several 

 corners we were positively feeling for it. 



In places it seemed as if the launch were running into an impasse, 

 and at such times it was necessary to send her along at her highest 

 pressure in order to have the more command of the tiller. We 

 would rush down upon such a place, and not until we were within 

 forty yards would the river open out grey and shining, the helm be 

 put over, and we find ourselves flying down another reach. We 

 always kept to the rip, and by so doing attempted to follow the 

 main channel. 



About midway down the river came some more difficult places 

 where the cliffs narrowed. One of these gave us a curious experi- 

 ence for the water seemed to absolutely go downhill, so steep was 

 the angle of incline. Before reaching this spot we had come in 

 sight of the top of the cliff that overhung it, and whose base, we 

 could judge by the line of the channel, must be washed by the water. 

 On turning a corner we came within full view of the place, and a 

 strange view it was. The river appeared to race downhill and to 

 end in a froth of yeasty foam at the foot of the towering black 

 bluff. Look as we might, we could not see any way out of that 

 tumbled smother of water ; we knew there must be one, of course, 

 but the question was in which direction did it lie. There was 

 nothing for it but to pile on fuel to make the boat answer 

 handily. 



The sun striking obliquely on the river dazzled our eyes and 

 turned all our forward course into a golden splendour. We knew 

 that somewhere lower down the river there was a bad place where 

 its bed was thick-set with rocks, but we had no idea how soon we 

 might come upon the spot. Presently, as we drew rapidly nearer 

 and nearer to the cliff face, it became evident that the channel bent 

 very sharply to starboard, and that we should have uncommonly 

 little room to turn in. We were now running in shadow, the hiah 

 banks having blotted out the sun. We rushed on towards the clfff, 

 and almost at the last moment saw that the channel bent away to 

 the right ; Cattle put the helm hard over, and our craft whirled 

 round the point with small space to spare, and we found ourselves 

 snaking through the eddies of another reach. 



