d to find my worst apprehensions fulfilled.

At length we got near the edge of the cataract. A dark ledge of rocks
ran, it appeared, across the stream, some rising high above the water,
which flowed with terrific force between them. There was, however, from
the western shore on which we stood a point which ran out for some
distance, and within this the water circled round, forming a back eddy.
My only hope was, from not having seen the canoe on any of the islands,
that she might have drifted into this eddy. We searched the shore on
every side, but nowhere was she to be seen. That she could possibly
have floated down the cataract without turning over, I feared was
impossible. We, however, continued our way, not without difficulty,
till we reached the lower level, and looking back, saw the stream
rushing over its rocky bed, making a fall and leaping madly downwards to
a depth of fifty or sixty feet, where it bubbled and foamed in a vast
caldron, which sent up unceasing clouds of spray high into the air.
Then after a time it began to flow more calmly, till it went gliding on
as if fatigued by its hurried course. We now more narrowly examined the
banks, not with any hope of finding our companions, but in the
possibility that the canoe might have been drifted on shore, and that we
might thus ascertain to a certainty their fate.

We went on till we readied another stream which ran into the main river.
Here our companions placed themselves before us, and signified that we
must go no further. I could only conjecture that they looked upon it as
the border of their territory, and were afraid that should we pass it we
should attempt to make our escape. I saw them looking out eagerly over
the country beyond the stream, as if to ascertain whether any enemies
were in the neighbourhood. They then signed to us that we must
accompany them back again. As we returned we still continued examining
the banks, in case we might have passed any spot where the canoe could
be drawn up. We had not gone far when Natty, who had run through a
narrow pathway leading down to the water, exclaimed, "Here, here!
Andrew. I think I see the canoe a little way up the bank! Come and
look!" I hastened to him. There, under some bushes at the end of a
little point some few hundred yards from us, I saw an object which
looked very like a canoe. Still, it might be that of some of the
natives. We marked it well, and then hastened up again along the b