miles;
the river inclined to the south of west, and being clear and beautiful,
nearly half a mile in width, with many populous communities of the
beaver along its banks. The 28th of October, however, was a day of
disaster. The river again became rough and impetuous, and was chafed and
broken by numerous rapids. These grew more and more dangerous, and the
utmost skill was required to steer among them. Mr. Crooks was seated in
the second canoe of the squadron, and had an old experienced Canadian
for steersman, named Antoine Clappine, one of the most valuable of the
voyageurs. The leading canoe had glided safely among the turbulent and
roaring surges, but in following it, Mr. Crooks perceived that his canoe
was bearing towards a rock. He called out to the steersman, but his
warning voice was either unheard or unheeded. In the next moment they
struck upon the rock. The canoe was split and overturned. There were
five persons on board. Mr. Crooks and one of his companions were thrown
amidst roaring breakers and a whirling current, but succeeded, by strong
swimming, to reach the shore. Clappine and two others clung to the
shattered bark, and drifted with it to a rock. The wreck struck the
rock with one end, and swinging round, flung poor Clappine off into
the raging stream, which swept him away, and he perished. His comrades
succeeded in getting upon the rock, from whence they were afterwards
taken off.

This disastrous event brought the whole squadron to a halt, and struck
a chill into every bosom. Indeed they had arrived at a terrific strait,
that forbade all further progress in the canoes, and dismayed the most
experienced voyageur. The whole body of the river was compressed into
a space of less than thirty feet in width, between two ledges of rocks,
upwards of two hundred feet high, and formed a whirling and tumultuous
vortex, so frightfully agitated as to receive the name of "The Caldron
Linn." Beyond this fearful abyss, the river kept raging and roaring on,
until lost to sight among impending precipices.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

Gloomy Council.--Exploring Parties--Discouraging Reports--
Disastrous Experiment.--Detachments in Quest of Succor.--
Caches, How Made.--Return of One of the Detachments--
Unsuccessful.--Further Disappointments--The Devil's
Scuttle-Hole

MR. HUNT and his companions encamped upon the borders of the Caldron
Linn, and held gloomy counsel as to their future course. The re