he tide, too, began to
ebb, so that the progress of the canoes was even more rapid than it
appeared to be; and long before the sun set, they were past the point at
the mouth of the river, and coasting along the shores of the salt ocean.

Outside of them the sea was covered with hummocks and fields of ice,
some of which ever and anon met in the cross currents caused by the
river, with a violent shock. Close to the shore, however, the thickness
of the ice caused it to strand, leaving a lane of open water, along
which the canoes proceeded easily, the depth of water being much more
than sufficient for them, as the largest canoe did not draw more than a
foot. Sometimes, however, this space was blocked up by smaller
fragments, and considerable difficulty was experienced in steering the
canoes amongst them. Had the party travelled in boats, they would have
easily dashed through many of these checks; but with canoes it is far
otherwise. Not only are their bark sides easily broken, but the seams
are covered with a kind of pitch which becomes so brittle in ice-cold
water that it chips off in large lumps with the slightest touch. For
the sea, therefore, boats are best; but when it comes to carrying the
craft over waterfalls and up mountain sides, for days and weeks
together, canoes are more useful, owing to their lightness.

"Take care, Massan," said Mr Stanley, on approaching one of these
floes. "Don't chip the gum off if you can help it. If we spring a
leak, we shan't spend our first night on a pleasant camping-ground, for
the shore just hereabouts does not look inviting."

"No fear, sir," replied Massan. "Dick Prince is in the bow, and as long
as his mouth's shut I keep my mind easy."

"You appear to have unlimited confidence in Prince," said Stanley, with
a smile. "Does he never fail in anything, that you are so sure of him?"

"Fail!" exclaimed the steersman, whose paddle swept constantly in a
circle round his head, while he changed it from side to side as the
motions of the canoe required--"fail! ay, that does he sometimes.
Mortal man must get on the wrong side o' luck now and then. I've seen
Dick Prince fail, but I never saw him make a mistake."

"Well, I've no doubt that he deserves your good opinion. Nevertheless,
be more than ordinarily careful. If you had a wife and child in the
canoe, Massan, you would understand my anxiety better." Stanley smiled
as he said this, and the worthy steersman replied in a