The banks of the river were steep--in some places so much so that
Jacques found it a matter of no small difficulty to climb over the
broken rocks with the unwieldy canoe on his back; the more so that the
branches interlaced overhead so thickly as to present a strong barrier,
through which the canoe had to be forced, at the risk of damaging its
delicate bark covering. On reaching the comparatively level land above,
however, there was more open space, and the hunter threaded his way
among the tree stems more rapidly, making a detour occasionally to avoid
a swamp or piece of broken ground; sometimes descending a deep gorge
formed by a small tributary of the stream they were ascending, and
which, to an unpractised eye, would have appeared almost impassable,
even without the encumbrance of a canoe. But the said canoe never bore
Jacques more gallantly or safely over the surges of lake or stream than
did he bear _it_ through the intricate mazes of the forest; now diving
down and disappearing altogether in the umbrageous foliage of a dell;
anon reappearing on the other side and scrambling up the bank on
all-fours, he and the canoe together looking like some frightful yellow
reptile of antediluvian proportions; and then speeding rapidly forward
over a level plain until he reached a sheet of still water above the
rapids. Here he deposited his burden on the grass, and halting only for
a few seconds to carry a few drops of the clear water to his lips,
retraced his steps to bring over the remainder of the baggage. Soon
afterwards Charley made his appearance on the spot where the canoe was
left, and throwing down his load, seated himself on it and surveyed the
prospect. Before him lay a reach of the stream, which spread out so
widely as to resemble a small lake, in whose clear, still bosom were
reflected the overhanging foliage of graceful willows, and here and
there the bright stem of a silver birch, whose light-green leaves
contrasted well with scattered groups and solitary specimens of the
spruce fir. Reeds and sedges grew in the water along the banks,
rendering the junction of the land and the stream uncertain and
confused. All this and a great deal more Charley noted at a glance; for
the hundreds of beautiful and interesting objects in nature that take so
long to describe even partially, and are feebly set forth after all even
by the most graphic language, flash upon the _eye_ in all their force
and beauty, and are drun