THE START UP RIVER. 
387 
Chap. XXIV.—B. P.J 
legs and huge feet from intruding on my privacy. The 
other four men seated themselves two and two as far 
forward as they could get, placing the mast in mid¬ 
ships, partly sticking out over the hows; their machetes 
and a couple of fowling-pieces, together with the 
provisions, cooking utensils, and clothes basket, were 
packed together in the middle of the canoe, and well 
covered over to protect them from the weather. 
Then we pushed off from the shore, each man 
flourishing his paddle, and bringing it down with a 
deep diagonal cut into the water, seeming to lift the 
canoe bodily, and forcing her rapidly forward, 
“ Give her fits, boys ! let her rip ! ” came in hoarse 
tones from the coxswain; “ let her gane, two for one !” 
was echoed from the bows; and down came the flash¬ 
ing paddles twice in the interval of the one deep stroke 
at starting. Away we went like an arrow, cutting 
through the smooth and glassy water, which looked like 
silver in the moonbeams, and leaving behind a wake 
of phosphorescent light, which broke up into little 
rippling waves, throwing out hundreds of minute 
flashes as the canoe dashed on her course. 
Nothing could be more beautiful than the scene, or 
more exhilarating than the rapid rate of the little 
craft. Even the sharp tap which the men gave with 
their paddles at each stroke, seemed to add to the 
effect; and it was, therefore, anything but agreeable, 
awakening one, as it were, from a pleasant dream, 
when, in about twenty minutes from starting, the men 
began to slacken their efforts, and to paddle so slowly 
as almost to bring the canoe to standstill. 
2 c 2 
