THE JOURNEY DOWN, AND CONCLUSION. 389 



but on this lake we found only two boats, and 

 these, haying been laid up high and dry all the 

 summer, had their planks started by the sun, and 

 were hardly safe. However, my head man — for I 

 took one man whom I knew well, all the way down 

 from Quickiock to lockmock — said that he thought 

 they would carry the baggage over, and, as by 

 crossing this lake we saved the bearers nearly four 

 miles, we launched the boats. They did not seem 

 to make much water, so we packed our things in, 

 and seating myself on the top of one load, and my 

 lad on the other, we put to sea, and sent the bearers 

 round the lake. The rowers at first remonstrated, 

 and said that it was not safe for us two to accom- 

 pany them. I was, however, determined to sink 

 or swim with my collection, and insisted on 

 going ; and lucky it was that we did so, for the 

 boats leaked so much when we got into the lake, 

 that it took all the time of myself and the lad to 

 keep baling out the water. Had the least wind 

 sprung up we must have gone down, for we were 

 loaded up to the very gunwales, and even in 

 smooth water it required the greatest care and 

 steadiness to keep the boats right. I did not 

 perceive the danger until we were out in the lake, 

 and as I did not then like to " show the white 

 feather," I would not turn back. I could see by 

 the faces of the rowers that, although there might 



