stream。〃
  This　direction　was　followed；　and；　giving　a　vigorous
  shove；　the　Pathfinder；　who　was　in　the　flower　of　his　strength
  and　activity；　made　a　leap；　landing　lightly；　and　without
  disturbing　its　equilibrium；　in　the　bow　of　the　canoe。　　As
  soon　as　it　had　reached　the　centre　of　the　river　or　the
  strength　of　the　current；　the　boat　was　turned；　and　it　began
  to　glide　noiselessly　down　the　stream。
  The　vessel　in　which　Cap　and　his　niece　had　embarked　for
  their　long　and　adventurous　journey　was　one　of　the　canoes
  of　bark　which　the　Indians　are　in　the　habit　of　constructing；
  and　which；　by　their　exceeding　lightness　and　the　ease　with
  which　they　are　propelled；　are　admirably　adapted　to　a
  navigation　in　which　shoals；　flood…wood；　and　other　similar
  obstructions　so　often　occur。　　The　two　men　who　composed
  its　original　crew　had　several　times　carried　it；　when　emptied
  of　its　luggage；　many　hundred　yards；　and　it　would　not　have
  exceeded　the　strength　of　a　single　man　to　lift　its　weight。
  Still　it　was　long；　and；　for　a　canoe；　wide；　a　want　of　steadi…
  ness　being　its　principal　defect　in　the　eyes　of　the　unin…
  itiated。　　A　few　hours　practice；　however；　in　a　great　measure
  remedied　this　evil；　and　both　Mabel　and　her　uncle　had
  learned　so　far　to　humor　its　movements；　that　they　now
  maintained　their　places　with　perfect　composure；　nor　did
  the　additional　weight　of　the　three　guides　tax　its　power　in
  any　particular　degree；　the　breath　of　the　rounded　bottom
  allowing　the　necessary　quantity　of　water　to　be　displaced
  without　bringing　the　gunwale　very　sensibly　nearer　to　the
  surface　of　the　stream。　　Its　workmanship　was　neat；　the
  timbers　were　small；　and　secured　by　thongs；　and　the　whole
  fabric；　though　it　was　so　slight　to　the　eye；　was　probably
  capable　of　conveying　double　the　number　of　persons　which
  it　now　contained。
  Cap　was　seated　on　a　low　thwart；　in　the　centre　of　the
  canoe；　the　Big　Serpent　knelt　near　him。　　Arrowhead　and
  his　wife　occupied　places　forward　of　both；　the　former　hav…
  ing　relinquished　his　post　aft。　　Mabel　was　half　reclining
  behind　her　uncle；　while　the　Pathfinder　and　Eau…douce
  stood　erect；　the　one　in　the　bow；　and　the　other　in　the　stern；
  each　using　a　paddle；　with　a　long；　steady；　noiseless　sweep。
  The　conversation　was　carried　on　in　low　tones；　all　the　party
  beginning　to　feel　the　necessity　of　prudence；　as　they　drew
  nearer　to　the　outskirts　of　the　fort；　and　had　no　longer　the
  cover　of　the　woods。
  The　Oswego；　just　at　that　place；　was　a　deep　dark　stream
  of　no　great　width；　its　still；　gloomy…looking　current　wind…
  ing　its　way　among　overhanging　trees；　which；　in　particular
  spots；　almost　shut　out　the　light　of　the　heavens。　　Here　and
  there　some　half…fallen　giant　of　the　forest　lay　nearly　across
  its　surface；　rendering　care　necessary　to　avoid　the　limbs；
  and　most　of　the　distance；　the　lower　branches　and　leaves　of
  the　trees　of　smaller　growth　were　laved　by　its　waters。　　The
  picture　so　beautifully　described　by　our　own　admirable
  poet；　and　which　we　have　placed　at　the　head　of　this　chapter；
  was　here　realized；　the　earth　fattened　by　the　decayed
  vegetation　of　centuries；　and　black　with　loam；　the　stream
  that　filled　the　banks　nearly　to　overflowing；　and　the　〃fresh
  and　boundless　wood；〃　being　all　as　visible　to　the　eye　as　the
  pen　of　Bryant　has　elsewhere　vividly　presented　them　to　the
  imagination。　　In　short；　the　entire　scene　was　one　of　a　rich
  and　benevolent　nature；　before　it　had　been　subjected　to　the
  uses　and　desires　of　man；　luxuriant；　wild；　full　of　promiSe；
  and　not　without　the　charm　of　the　picturesque；　even　in　its
  rudest　state。　　It　will　be　remembered　that　this　was　in　the
  year　175…；　or　long　before　even　speculation　had　brought　any
  portion　of　western　New　York　within　the　bounds　of　civili…
  zation。　　At　that　distant　day　there　were　two　great　channels
  of　military　communication　between　the　inhabited　por…
  tion　of　the　colony　of　New　York　and　the　frontiers　which
  lay　adjacent　to　the　Canadas；　　that　by　Lakes　Champlain
  and　George；　and　that　by　means　of　the　Mohawk；　Wood
  Creek；　the　Oneida；　and　the　rivers　we　have　been　describ…
  ing。　　Along　both　these　lines　of　communication　military
  posts　had　been　established；　though　there　existed　a　blank
  space　of　a　hundred　miles　between　the　last　fort　at　the　head
  of　the　Mohawk　and　the　outlet　of　the　Oswego；　which　em…
  braced　most　of　the　distance　that　Cap　and　Mabel　had　jour…
  neyed　under　the　protection　of　Arrowhead。
  〃I　sometimes　wish　for　peace　again；〃　said　the　Pathfinder；
  〃when　one　can　range　the　forest　without　searching　for　any
  other　enemy　than　the　beasts　and　fishes。　　Ah's　me！　many
  is　the　day　that　the　Sarpent；　there；　and　I　have　passed　hap…
  pily　among　the　streams；　living　on　venison；　salmon；　and
  trout　without　thought　of　a　Mingo　or　a　scalp！　　I　some…
  times　wish　that　them　blessed　days　might　come　back；　for
  it　is　not　my　real　gift　to　slay　my　own　kind。　　I'm　sartain
  the　Sergeant's　daughter　don't　think　me　a　wretch　that　takes
  pleasure　in　preying　on　human　natur'？〃
  As　this　remark；　a　sort　of　half　interrogatory；　was　made；
  Pathfinder　looked　behind　him；　and；　though　the　most
  partial　friend　could　scarcely　term　his　sunburnt　and　hard
  features　handsome；　even　Mabel　thought　his　smile　attrac…
  tive；　by　its　simple　ingenuousness　and　the　uprightness　that
  beamed　in　every　lineament　of　his　honest　countenance。
  〃I　do　not　think　my　father　would　have　sent　one　like
  those　you　mention　to　see　his　daughter　through　the　wilder…
  ness；〃　the　young　woman　answered；　returning　the　smile　as
  frankly　as　it　was　given；　but　much　more　sweetly。
  〃That　he　wouldn't；　the　Sergeant　is　a　man　of　feeling；　and
  many　is　the　march　and　the　fight　that　we　have　had　　stood
  shoulder　to　shoulder　in；　as　_he_　would　call　it　　though　I　always
  keep　my　limbs　free　when　near　a　Frencher　or　a　Mingo。〃
  〃You　are；　then；　the　young　friend　of　whom　my　father
  has　spoken　so　often　in　his　letters？〃
  〃His　_young_　friend　　the　Sergeant　has　the　advantage　of
  me　by　thirty　years；　yes；　he　is　thirty　years　my　senior；　and
  as　many　my　better。〃
  〃Not　in　the　eyes　of　the　daughter；　perhaps；　friend　Path…
  finder；〃　put　in　Cap；　whose　spirits　began　to　revive　when　he
  found　the　water　once　more　flowing　around　him。　　〃The
  thirty　years　that　you　mention　are　not　often　thought　to　be
  an　advantage　in　the　eyes　of　girls　of　nineteen。〃
  Mabel　colored；　and；　in　turning　aside　her　face　to　avoid
  the　looks　of　those　in　the　bow　of　the　canoe；　she　encountered
  the　admiring　gaze　of　the　young　man　in　the　stern。　　As　a
  last　resource；　her　spirited　but　soft　blue　eyes　sought　refuge
  in　the　water。　　Just　at　this　moment　a　dull；　heavy　sound
  swept　up　the　avenue　formed　by　the　trees；　borne　along　by　a
  light　air　that　hardly　produced　a　ripple　on　the　water。
  〃That　sounds　pleasantly；〃　said　Cap；　pricking　up　his
  ears　like　a　dog　that　hears　a　distant　baying；　〃it　is　the　surf
  on　the　shores　of　your　lake；　I　suppose？〃
  〃Not　so　　not　so；〃　answered　the　Pathfinder；　〃it　is
  merely　this　river　tumbling　over　some　rocks　half　a　mile
  below　us。〃
  〃Is　there　a　fall　in　the　stream？〃　demanded　Mabel；　a　still
  brighter　flush　glowing　in　her　face。
  〃The　devil！　　Master　Pathfinder；　or　you；　Mr。　Eau…douce〃
  （for　so　Cap　began　to　style　Jasper）；　〃had　you　not　better
  give　the　canoe　a　sheer；　and　get　nearer　to　the　shore？　　These
  waterfalls　have　generally　rapids　above　them；　and　one　might
  as　well　get　into　the　Maelstrom　at　once　as　to　run　into　their
  suction。〃
  〃Trust　to　us；　friend　Cap；〃　answered　Pathfinder；　〃we
  are　but　fresh…water　sailors；　it　is　true；　and　I　cannot　boast
  of　being　much　even　of　that；　but　we　understand　rifts　and
  rapids　and　cataracts；　and　in　going　down　these　we　shall　do
  our　endeavors　not　to　disgrace　our　edication。〃
  〃In　going　down！〃　exclaimed　Cap。　　〃The　devil；　man！
  you　do　not　dream　of　going　down　a　waterfall　in　this　egg
  shell　of　bark！〃
  〃Sartain；　the　path　lies　over　the　falls；　and　it　is　much
  easier　to　shoot　them　than　to　unload　the　canoe　and　to　carry
  that　and　all　it　contains　around　a　portage　of　a　mile　by
  hand。〃
  Mabel　turned　her　pallid　countenance　towards　the　young
  man　in　the　stern　of　the　canoe；　for；　just　at　that　moment；
  a　fresh　roar　of　the　fall　was　borne　to　her　ears　by　a　new
  current　of　the　air；　and　it　really　sounded　terrific；　now　tlnat
  the　cause　was　understood。
  〃We　thought　that；　by　landing　the　females　and　the　two
  Indians；〃　Jasper　quietly　observed；　〃we　three　white　men；
  all　of　whom　are　used　to　the　water；　might　carry　the　canoe
  over　in　safety；　for　we　often　shoot　these　falls。〃
  〃And　we　counted　on　you；　friend　mariner；　as　a　main…
  stay；〃　said　Pathfinder；　winking　to　Jasper　over　his　shoulder；
  〃for　you　are　accustomed　to　see　waves　tumbling　about；　and
  without　some　one　to　steady　the　cargo；　all　the　finery　of　the
  Sergeant's　daughter　might　be　washed　into　the　river　and
  be　lost。〃
  Cap　was　puzzled。　　The　idea　of　going　over　a　waterfall
  was；　perhaps；　more　serious　in　his　eyes　than　it　would　have
  been　in　those　of　one　totally　ignorant　of　all　that　pertained
  to　boats；　for　he　understood　the　power　of　the　element；　and
  the　total　feebleness　of　man　when　exposed　to　its　fury。　　Still
  his　pride　revolted　at　the　thought　of　deserting　the　boat；
  while　others　not　only　steadily；　but　coolly；　proposed　to　con…
  tinue　in　it。　　Notwithstanding　the　latter　feeling；　and　his
  innate　as　well　as　acquired　steadiness　in　danger；　he　would
  probably　have　deserted　his　post；　had　not　the　images　of
  Indians　tearing　scalp