Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-06-21


lad hcen working since daylight, and were all
wet fa,igued and hungry
I'VE re-embarked at nine O'Clock, and ia
abou, twenty minutes reached the next canon.
Landing on a rocking shore at its commence
meni. we ascended the ridge TO reconnoilre.--
Portage was out of hequestion. So far as we
could see, the jagged rocks pointed out the
course Of tho canon, on winding line Of seven
or eight miles. II was simply narrow. dark
chasm in the rock aud here the perpendicular
iaces were much higher than in the previous
pass, being at this end two to three hundred,
and iuriher down, as VIC afterwards asceriained,
i've hundred feet in vertical height Our pre-
'ions success had made US bold, and we deter
mined again TO run the canun. Everything was
secured as firmly as possible and having d.
vested ourselves Of the greater part of our
clothing, we pushed into the stream. To save
our chronomeicr from accident, Mr. Preuss took
it, and attempted 10 proceed along the shore on
the masses OF rock, which in places were piled
up on either side but, aiter he had walked
about FIVE minutes. everything like shore dis
appeared. and the Vertical wall came squarely
down into The water. He therefore waited m
I'll we came up. An ugly pass lay before US.
We had made fast TO the stern Of the boat a
strong rope about fly feet long and thee of
the men clambered along among the rocks, and
with this rope let her down slowly through the
pass. In several places high rocks lay scatter
ed about in the channel and in the narrows il
required all strength and skill TO avoid slav-
/ ing the boat on the sharp points. 10 one Of
these the boat proved little too bread, and
stuck fast for an instant, as our united strength
L E,rcad Al.
swept overheard only sexiant and pair of
saddle bags. ! caught the sextant as il passed
by me; but the saddle-bags became The prey of
the whiIpools. We reached the place whero
MIR Freuss was standing, took him on board,
and, with the aid Of the boat, put the men with
the rope on the succeeding pile of rocks. We
found this passage much worse than the previ-
Gus one, and our position was rather bad one.
To go back, was impossible before Us, the
cataract was sheet of foam; and shut up in
the chasm by the rocks, which in some places,
seemed almost 10 meet overhead, the roar Of
water was deafening. We pushed OF again
but after making little distance, the force Of
the current became TOO great for the men on
shore, and two Of them let 60 the rope. La
jcunesse, the third man, hung on, and was jerk
ed head-foremosi into the river from a rock
about twelve feet hish and down the boat shot
like an arrow, Basil following US in the rapid
current, aud exeriing all his strength to keepin
mid channel-his head only seen occasionally
like black spot in the whie foam. How far
he went. do moi exactly know but we sue
ceeded in turning the boat into an eddy below.
IRE Diea,' said Basil Lajeunesse, as be arnv-
ed Immediately after us. '.Ie croise bien eue j'ai
4 a 4 = =
his skili i swimmer, aud determined 10 take
him and the two others on board, and trust to
skill and fortune to reach the other end in safe
~. We placed ourselves on our knees, with
tho short paddles in our hands, the most skilfuI
boaimen being at the bow and again we COM
menced our rapid descent. We cleared rock
afier rock and shot past fall after fall, our little
boat seeming to play with the cataract. We
became flushed with success, and familiar with
the danger; and yielding to the excitement Of
the occasion, broke forth together into Cana
dian buat song. Singing, or rather shouting,
we dashed along; and were, believe, 10 the
midst Of The chorus, when the boat struck
concealed rock Immediately a, the foot Of fall,
which whiflei hes eyer in an instant. Three
Of my men could not swim, and my first feel
ing was TO assist them, and save some Of our
effects; bu, sharp conclusion or two convinc-
ed me that had not yet saved myself. A few
strokes brought me into an eddy, and l landed
on pile Of rocks on the left side. Looking
around, saw that Mr. Prenss had gained the
shore on the same side. about twenty yards be-
low; and little climbing and swimming soon
brought him to my side. On the opposite side
against the wall, lay the boat, bottom up: and
Lambert was in the act Of saving Descoteaux,
whom he had grasped by the hair, and who.
could not swim 'i.aeie pas said he, as af-
terwards learned 'faehe pas, etere frae' Grams
pas was the reply, 'Je men rois nourir aranf'
qae de te laeher Such was the reply of cour-
age and generosity IN this danger. For hun
dred yards below the current was covered with
floating books and boxes, bales of blankets, and