30 
THE MAINE WOODS. 
on before, reached the river above the falls, not far from 
the outlet of Quakish Lake, and waited for the batteau 
to come up. We had been here but a short time, when 
a thunder-shower was seen coming up from the west, 
over the still invisible lakes, and that pleasant wilder¬ 
ness which we were so eager to become acquainted 
with; and soon the heavy drops began to patter on the 
leaves around us. I had just selected the prostrate 
trunk of a huge pine, five or six feet in diameter, and 
was crawling under it, when, luckily, the boat arrived. 
It would have amused a sheltered man to witness the 
manner in which it was unlashed, and whirled over, 
while the first water-spout burst upon us. It was no 
sooner in the hands of the eager company than it was 
abandoned to the first revolutionary impulse, and to 
gravity, to adjust it; and they might have been seen 
all stooping to its shelter, and wriggling under like so 
many eels, before it was fairly deposited on the ground. 
When all were under, we propped up the lee side, and 
busied ourselves there whittling thole-pins for rowing, 
when we should reach the lakes; and made the woods 
ring, between the claps of thunder, with such boat-songs 
as we could remember. The horses stood sleek and 
shining with the rain, all drooping and crestfallen, while 
deluge after deluge washed over us; but the bottom of a 
boat may be relied on for a tight roof. At length, after 
two hours’ delay at this place, a streak of fair weather 
appeared in the northwest, whither our course now lay, 
promising a serene evening for our voyage ; and the 
driver returned with his horses, while we made haste 
to launch our boat, and commence our voyage in good 
earnest. 
There were six of us, including the two boatmen. 
