A CANOE VOYAGE. 
103 
twenty-five persons or more will put themselves 
in a crouching position, each armed with a 
wooden paddle shaped like a tea-spoon. At a 
given signal the paddles are dashed into the 
water, and the boat shoots forward with an 
enormous jerk on her way across the stream. 
Every one on board the crazy craft is obliged to 
preserve his equilibrium, as the slightest devia¬ 
tion, or movement even, is often sufficient to 
precipitate the whole party into the water, and 
send the empty “ dug-out ” to the bottom. The 
motion of the canoe is not, however, disagreeable, 
and the way is enlivened by songs and laughter 
from the boatmen, who keep up an incessant 
round of jokes and fun to the end. Some of 
their compositions are impromptu, and embrace 
the probable history of their master for the time 
being, who sits amongst them in perfect ignor¬ 
ance all the while, it may be, of the fact that he 
is the theme of their adulation and the cause of 
their hilarity. One of them will lead off with a 
glowing description of the stranger, his personal 
beauty, his prowess, his magnanimity and moral 
worth, calling upon his companions from time to 
time to support him in his description, which 
they do most heartily by a rousing chorus, in 
which they declare their unfeigned belief that 
the gentleman is full of generous impulses, has 
plenty of money, and that they are certain he 
