m, none
of the voyageurs could see this dangerous rock. But they could not have
shunned it then. The boat had escaped from their control, and spun
round at will. The rock once more came under the light, but just as the
canoe, with a heavy crash, was driven against it.

For some moments the vessel, pressed by the current against the rock,
remained motionless, but her sides were stove in, and the water was
rushing through. The quick eye of Basil--cool in all crises of extreme
danger--perceived this at a glance. He saw that the canoe was a wreck,
and nothing remained but to save themselves as they best might.
Dropping the oar, and seizing his rifle, he called to his companions to
leap to the rock: and all together immediately sprang over the gunwale.
The dog Marengo followed after.

The canoe, thus lightened, heeled round into the current, and swept on.
The next moment she struck another rock, and was carried over on her
beams. The water then rushed in--the white bodies of the swans, with
the robes, blankets, and implements, rose on the wave; the blazing knots
were spilled from the pan, and fell with a hissing sound: and a few
seconds after they were extinguished, and all was darkness!

The Young Voyageurs--by Captain Mayne Reid

CHAPTER SEVEN.

A BRIDGE OF BUCKSKIN.

The canoe was lost, and all it had contained, or nearly all. The
voyageurs had saved only their guns, knives, and the powder-horns and
pouches, that had been attached to their persons. One other thing had
been saved--an axe which Basil had flung upon the rock as he stepped out
of the sinking vessel. All the rest--robes, blankets, swans, cooking
utensils, bags of provisions, such as coffee, flour, and dried meat--
were lost--irrecoverably lost. These had either drifted off upon the
surface, or been carried under water and hidden among the loose stones
at the bottom. No matter where, they were lost; and our voyageurs now
stood on a small naked rock in the middle of the stream, with nothing
left but the clothes upon their backs, and the arms in their hands.
Such was their condition.

There was something so sudden and awful in the mishap that had befallen
them, that for some minutes they stood upon the spot where they had
settled without moving or addressing a word to one another. They gazed
after the canoe. They knew that it was wrecked, although they could see
nothing either of it or its contents. Thick darkness enveloped them,
render