574 
TRAVELS 
and with a long pole which they thruft to the bottom of the river, 
find their point of refinance, and thus pufii the boat againft the 
ftream. This pole is made of a pine, and about fifteen feet long ; 
they are obliged to throw it with all their flrength to the bottom, 
in order to overcome the currrent which conllantly impels it 
backwards. It is a Herculean labour ; befides, it requires infinite 
practice to guide and manage the boat, forming, as circumftances 
demand, many a fharp angle, amidft a multitude of obflacles. 
The moll: difagreeable, and at the fame time the moft dangerous 
fituation is, the man retting by accident the end of his pole upon 
a rock of a fmooth or round furface, in the moment that he ap¬ 
plies to it the whole weight and force of his body, the pole flips 
from under him; he falls in an inftant headlong into the river, 
and the paflenger gives himfelf up for lofi:. The Laplander, how¬ 
ever, quickly recovers himfelf and prepares to repeat the fame 
operation; but it fometimes happens that the current gets the 
afcendant and drives the boat a flern. In this critical juncture 
the whole addrefs of the boatman is exerted to keep the head of 
the boat directly oppofed to the ftream, till he is again in a con¬ 
dition to pufh her forward ; and above all, to prevent her laying 
her fide to the current, as in that pofition, by prefenting a larger 
furface to the water, file would inflantly be overfet. 
In order to have fome refpite from this fevere toil, the boatmen 
requefted that we would difembark and walk along the bank to 
the end of thefe cataradts. We were greatly overjoyed to learn 
that it was pradicable to go by land, and moft cheerfully accepted 
their 
