2y6 Through the BraziHan Wilderness 



I have spoken came down-stream, whirled them around, 

 and swept them so close to the rapids that no human 

 power could avoid going over them. As they were drift- 

 ing into them broadside on, Kermit yelled to the steers- 

 man to turn her head, so as to take them in the only 

 way that offered any chance whatever of safety. The 

 water came aboard, wave after wave, as they raced 

 down. They reached the bottom with the canoe upright, 

 but so full as barely to float, and the paddlers urged her 

 toward the shore. They had nearly reached the bank 

 when another whirlpool or whirling eddy tore them away 

 and hurried them back to midstream, where the dugout 

 filled and turned over. Joao, seizing the rope, started to 

 swim ashore ; the rope was pulled from his hand, but he 

 reached the bank. Poor Simplicio must have been pulled 

 under at once and his life beaten out on the bowlders be- 

 neath the racing torrent. He never rose again, nor did 

 we ever recover his body. Kermit clutched his rifle, his 

 favorite 405 Winchester with which he had done most of 

 his hunting both in Africa and America, and climbed on 

 the bottom of the upset boat. In a minute he was swept 

 into the second series of rapids, and whirled away from 

 the rolling boat, losing his rifle. The water beat his hel- 

 met down over his head and face and drove him beneath 

 the surface; and when he rose at last he was almost 

 drowned, his breath and strength almost spent. He was 

 in swift but quiet water, and swam toward an overhang- 

 ing branch. His jacket hindered him, but he knew he 

 was too nearly gone to be able ta get it off, and, thinking 

 with the curious calm one feels when death is but a mo- 

 ment away, he realized that the utmost his failing strength 



