200 
PERILOUS ASCENT OF THE RAPIDS. 
fortunate that we took such a precaution. The morning 
of the 7tli proved extremely dark, and much rain fell. We 
commenced our journey in the midst of it, and soon gained 
the tail of the rapid. Our attempt to pull up it completely 
failed. The boat, as soon as she entered the ripple, spun 
round like a top, and away we went with the stream. As I 
had anticipated, our ropes were too short ; and it only re- 
mained for us to get into the water, and haul the boat up by 
main force. We managed pretty well at first, and drew 
her alongside a rock to rest a little. We then recommenced 
our efforts, and had got into the middle of the channel. 
We were up to our armpits in the water, and only kept our 
position by means of rocks beside us. The rain was falling, 
as if we were in a tropical shower, and the force of the cur- 
rent was such, that if we had relaxed for an instant, we 
should have lost all the ground we had gained. Just at this 
moment, however, without our being aware of their ap- 
proach, a large tribe of natives, with their spears, lined the 
bank, and took us most completely by surprise. At no 
time during this anxious journey were we ever so com- 
pletely in their power, or in so defenceless a situation. 
It rained so hard, that our firelocks would have been of no 
use, and had they attacked us, we must necessarily have been 
slaughtered without committing the least execution upon 
them. Nothing, therefore, remained for us but to continue 
our exertions. It required only one strong effort to get the 
boat into still water for a time, but that effort was beyond 
our strength, and we stood in the stream, powerless and 
exhausted. 
