THE HOME OF THE CARIBOU 



Pierre, with his skill, judgment and unflinching nerve, was 

 usually able to map out his course and steer it successfully, 

 sometimes between rocks and through channels little wider 

 than his canoe. 



Upon one occasion, which I well recollect, Pierre led the 

 way for the centre of a wild, rocky rapid. We soon saw that 

 he was making for a heavy chute between two great boulders, 

 where the channel was barely wide enoiigh to allow us to 



DUBAWNT RIVER. 



pass. I determined to follow, but our third canoe sought a 

 channel nearer shore. Pierre, by keeping straight in the 

 centre of the current, was shot through the notch in safety, 

 but my steersman, less skillful, allowed our canoe to be caught 

 by an eddy. Like a flash it was whirled end for end, and, 

 happily for us, struck the chute stern first instead of side- 

 ways and was carried through safely, no thanks to the steers- 

 man! The third canoe fared worst of the three, for it was 



75 



