"Jump out for your lives, lads!" cried Alick, setting us the example.
The water, we found, was rushing over the ledge on to which he stepped.
Martin and I followed, carrying our guns. Robin sprang after us, catching hold of the sail; while Bouncer, acting as a brave sailor does, was the last to quit the ship.
I had just time to leap forward and catch hold of the iron pot when the canoe was whirled away down the rapids. On examining our position we found ourselves on a large rock nearly in the middle of the stream, which afforded us a resting-place, but how we were to reach the bank was the question.
We sat down very disconsolate to discuss the matter. It did not do just then to think too much of the future. Our first business was to get on sh.o.r.e where food was to be obtained; though, fortunately, having had a good supper we were not hungry. As far as we could judge in the darkness, the way to the left bank was most practicable; but even in that direction there were broad places to be pa.s.sed, across which we might be unable to wade.
We had gone through many adventures, but this was the most trying and perhaps the most dangerous. The rapids below us boiled and foamed, and ran with great force. Should we lose our footing we might be carried away and dashed against the rocks.
"Though this is not a pleasant place on which to pa.s.s the night, I think we shall do wisely to remain here till daylight will enable us better to see our way," observed Alick.
Our position was too uncomfortable to allow us to sleep; indeed, had we done so we should have run the risk of slipping off into the water. We therefore discussed various plans for getting on sh.o.r.e.
"If we had but a rope we might do it without danger," said Martin, "and I think we have materials enough to manufacture one. The sail cut up and twisted will form a good length."
"You shall have my overcoat," said Alick. "We must try to kill a deer, the skin of which will make a covering for me at night. I can do very well without it in the daytime."
I also had a coat, and imitating Alick offered to sacrifice it for the public good. "A shirt which I have in my knapsack will supply its place," I observed.
"I have a strong linen shirt in mine," said Martin.
Robin had a couple of handkerchiefs, besides which we had the straps of our knapsacks and pouch-belts. With these materials we considered that we could make a rope sufficiently strong for our purpose. It required considerable ingenuity to fasten all these together. The parcel of sinews which Martin had found were exceedingly useful; indeed, I don"t know how we could have secured the straps without them. We had to wait, however, till daylight before we could perform the neater work, though there was light sufficient in the open river to enable us to cut up and twist some of the articles we had destined for the purpose. We had thus made a pretty strong bit of rope when day broke.
We then began to secure the straps together. To do this we had to make holes in the ends with the p.r.i.c.kers of our knives, through which to pa.s.s the threads--a long and tedious operation, as, of course, it was of vital importance that they should be firmly secured: a weak part might endanger our safety. As may be supposed, we worked very diligently, for we were getting hungry, and had no chance of obtaining food where we were. How long it might be after we reached the sh.o.r.e before we could fall in with game of some sort it was impossible to say.
Our spears had been lost, so that even should we see any fish in the rapids we could not catch them.
At last the rope was completed. It was sufficiently long, we calculated, to reach from one side to the other of the broadest pa.s.sage we should have to cross, as there were several rocks which would serve as resting-places between us and the left or northern bank.
Before using it, by Alick"s advice we tried every part, hauling with all our might, two against two. It was fortunate it did not give way, for had it done so we all four might have fallen into the river on opposite sides of the rock.
"Come, that will do," said Alick; "I"ll go first, and you three hold on to the other end. If I miss my footing, haul me in; but if I succeed, you, David, remain behind, and let either Martin or Robin make their way across, holding on to the rope. When they are safe over, you fasten it round your waist, and we"ll haul you after us."
The plan seemed a good one, with every prospect of success. The water was apparently of no great depth, and did not run with nearly as much force on the north side of the rapids as it did on the south, towards which by a bend of the river the princ.i.p.al current was directed; still, as we looked at the foaming, hissing, roaring waters below us, we saw the fearful danger to which we should be exposed should we miss our footing and be carried away in them. Indeed, without a rope, the pa.s.sage seemed to be altogether impossible.
Alick, of course, ran the chief danger, as he had nothing to support him, and had, besides, the rope to drag and his rifle to carry. We scrambled over to the west side of the rock, or that which looked up the stream; then Alick fastened the rope round his waist, and offering up a short prayer for protection, he stepped carefully into the foaming water. At first it did not reach much above his ankles, but it soon began to rise higher and higher, until it reached his knees; and as we saw it foaming round him, we feared every instant that he would be carried off his legs.
Though he stepped directly across the stream he kept looking upwards, so that, should he have to swim, he might strike out at once in the right direction. More than half the pa.s.sage had been accomplished. There was ample length of rope, which we allowed occasionally to run out as it was required. Still the water got deeper.
Alick stopped for a moment, as if hesitating whether he should proceed.
Then again he stepped out, and the water surged up almost to his waist, as it seemed to us at that distance.
A cry escaped us. We thought he had gone, but he recovered himself and sprang to a higher level. Again the water reached no higher than his knees. He went on with more confidence, till he stood safe on the rock for which he was making.
"Hold on tightly to the rope," he shouted.--"Robin, you come next.
Don"t let go your grasp, though you may find yourself carried off your legs."
"Ay, ay!" answered Robin. "I"ll not do that; the rope is what I"m going to trust to." And without more ado he plunged in, not walking steadily as Alick had been compelled to do, but leaping like a dog in shallow water, so that he got across in much less time with apparently less risk.
Martin followed his example, and was twice nearly carried off his legs.
It was now my turn. The rope, should it not break, would haul me back should I lose my footing; but the danger was that it might break, as it would have to bear my weight with the current pressing against it, as also that of the articles I carried.
There was a piece of rope to spare. I put the end into Bouncer"s mouth, and patting him on the head told him to hold on and swim after me. He understood perfectly what was to be done. I did not for a moment hesitate, as there was no time to be lost; and springing in, instead of going directly across I waded diagonally up the stream, Bouncer holding tight on to the rope, and bravely breasting the current. By this means I found, as I expected, that I was in shallower water, and was able to get across almost as fast as the others had done with the aid of the rope.
The next pa.s.sage we had to make was shorter, but was quite as deep, and for a few seconds Alick was in great danger of being carried down the stream. Two other watery s.p.a.ces had still to be crossed; the last looked the more dangerous, but Alick got over and stood safely on the bank. He then went up the stream some way, when Robin and Martin crossed as they had done at the other places. I followed, with Bouncer towing after me, though I had to put no small strain on the rope to enable myself to get over.
Every moment I thought that it would give way, but it held fast, and most thankful we were to find ourselves at length safe on the northern bank of the river. We had kept our guns and ammunition dry, though of course our lower garments were perfectly wet.
"My boys," said Alick, "we have reason every day to be thankful to G.o.d for His watchful care over us, but especially now we should return thanks for our preservation, for I tell you we have run a fearful risk of losing our lives. We might have been all drowned together when the canoe was destroyed, and at any moment in crossing above these rapids we might have been carried off our feet and swept down them."
We all acknowledged the truth of his remarks, and together kneeling down on the gra.s.s, we lifted up our voices in a prayer of thanksgiving. We then hurried away to collect wood for a fire, that we might dry our drenched clothes and consider what was next to be done.
"One thing is very clear," observed Alick, as we sat round the fire.
"We have no food, and being hungry the sooner we can get some the better. Our way is down the stream, and we must set off as soon as possible in that direction."
The sun and wind a.s.sisted the fire in drying our clothes, and we were soon ready to commence our journey. We kept our eyes about us as we went on, on the chance of any birds or animals appearing. Hunger, it is truly said, makes keen sportsmen, and we should not have let a mouse escape us if we had seen one. We kept close to the bank, and for a mile or more the rapids continued, though we saw that on the opposite side a canoe might descend without danger. Alick was constantly examining the bank. "I thought so," he exclaimed, when we had got about half a mile below the rapid. Running forward he picked up three of our paddles and one of the spears. The others could not be far off, unless they had struck in the crevice of a rock. This, perhaps, they had done, for we could not find them.
Martin immediately took possession of the spear.
"I may still have a chance of killing a fish, if we come to any deep little bay or bend of the river, where some are likely to be at rest,"
he observed.
It was getting late, and unless we could kill something soon we should have to go supperless to bed.
"Hillo! I see something," cried Robin, and rushing forward he held up one of the despised swans.
The sight at all events gave pleasure to Bouncer, who began barking and leaping round it.
"You shall have some directly, old fellow," cried Robin.
As we saw a suitable spot for encamping a little distance from the bank, we agreed to stop for the night. The wind blowing somewhat colder than usual, a wigwam, or at all events a lean-to, was considered advisable.
Martin and I set to work to collect the necessary materials, while Alick and Robin lighted the fire and spitted the swan for cooking.
CHAPTER NINE.
WOOD-PIGEONS AND SQUIRREL FOR SUPPER--BEAR"S MEAT--CANOE-BUILDING-- GRa.s.sHOPPERS--SHE FLOATS EVEN--ROW, BROTHERS, ROW!--THE THUNDERSTORM-- OUR NARROW ESCAPE--OUR HUT--DEER--THE BUCK IS DEAD--VENISON IN PLENTY-- IMPROVIDENCE OF THE INDIANS--BREAKERS AHEAD.
I cannot describe our adventures from day to day as I have been lately doing.
While eating our somewhat unsavoury swan, we discussed how we should next proceed. We knew but little of the bank of the river on which we found ourselves, but at all events we should have a long journey on foot before us, and we did not fancy the tramp through the woods.
"But if we do not go on foot how are we ever to get to Fort Ross?"
exclaimed Robin. "We can scarcely expect to find another canoe."
"Why, of course we must build one," said Martin. "I have never made one entirely myself, but I have seen them built frequently, and have helped sometimes, and I am very sure that we all together could manage to construct one which will carry us safely down the river."