and of the foaming waters
as they clashed against each other; we sometimes, indeed, could scarcely
hear each other's voices. There being now no sail, we were able to keep
our eyes turning in every direction.

"When we do reach the shore, we must take care not to lose our things,"
said Manley, with due thought. "Let each man seize his rifle and
knapsack; for if we fail to get into a harbour, we shall probably be
dashed against a rocky shore, or among overhanging trees, where our raft
will, no doubt, quickly be knocked to pieces."

Dangerous as was our present position, we had to confess that the
operation of landing might prove even more perilous; still we were eager
to go through it, trusting that, notwithstanding the danger, we should
escape.

At length Sergeant Custis cried out, "Land ahead! We shall be close to
it in a few minutes. It seems to me to be covered with wood, with
mountains rising beyond. Yes! no doubt about it! We must each try to
get hold of a stout branch or trunk of a tree, and cling on to it until
daylight returns and we can see our way."

The sergeant was right, although the time we took to reach the shore was
longer than he expected it would be. In daylight we could have made our
escape without difficulty, but now we ran the most fearful risk of being
crushed against the raft, as it surged up and down; or against the
trees, which hung, some with their branches in the water, others but
slightly raised above it, while the seething waters whirled and leapt
around their trunks with a force which must soon reduce our raft to
fragments.

"Now is our time!" cried the sergeant. "Quick, quick, gentlemen!" and
seizing a branch, he swung himself up into a tree, hauling his rifle and
knapsack after him. The next instant he extended his hand to me, by
which assistance I was enabled to follow his example. On looking round,
I lost sight of Manley. Had he been washed off, or struck by a bough?

"Manley, Manley!" I shouted; "where are you?"

"All right!" he answered, greatly to my relief.

The sound came from a distance, for even after I had left the raft it
had been driven some way on before he could manage to grasp a bough. We
had at all events succeeded in our object of crossing the lake, although
we had not landed exactly in the manner we desired, nor could we tell
our whereabouts. We might be at the very southern end of the lake,
should the wind have shifted to the northward, or we migh