ween
vertical walls of rock. The water forced through from three large arms of
the river joining at that point formed a high and dangerous central
wave.]

Baggage, men, and dogs slid down in confusion, the canoe gliding back
into the water and progressing as swift as an arrow down the channel. The
next moment we were on the point of being dashed against the high
rocky cliff on our right. To my amazement, and just as I was expecting
the impact, the canoe only gracefully shaved the rock, the backwash which
took place along the rocks shifting us once more toward the middle of the
stream.

Once again the great rush of water shot us up in the air, above the
central wave, and this time the canoe bucked and rode down on the other
side of that foaming mass of water.

My men were terrified. "Rema! rema! (Row! row!) for Heaven's sake!" I
shouted to the perplexed men, as I tried to instil into them a little
courage, when within me I really thought we were lost. As I shouted those
words I saw to my horror two of the paddles washed away, and as I quickly
measured with my eye the length of the channel I perceived that we still
had some 200 m. more of that kind of navigation before we should shoot
out of that dangerous place.

Up and down we went several times on that high central wave; several
times did we again shave the rocks on either side of the narrow channel.
We were quite helpless, my men in chorus yelling "We are lost! we are
lost!"

Alcides bravely stuck to the helm for some time, but the force of the
water was so great that he was knocked down into the canoe and had to let
go. When we reached the point where the narrow passage came to an end,
the waters looked so diabolical that when my men shouted "We are lost! we
are lost!" I could not help saying "Yes, we are!"

I held on to the canoe desperately, as we were banged about for a few
seconds in a way that nearly stunned us, the waves striking me in the
face with such force that it took me some moments to recover. When I did
I found that we were already out of the channel and in the whirlpool, the
canoe full of water but fortunately saved.

I lose most things in the world, but I never lose my patience nor my
sense of humour. I could not help laughing when I looked at the
expression on the faces of my dogs--an expression of terror and
astonishment, as they looked first at the place from which we had emerged
and then at me, which I am sure would have meant in words: "