Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 4).djvu/368

 blew violently, the river much agitated, our boat rocked, and it was with difficulty we could retain our footing, we rowed hard to make the lee shore, which we accomplished at half past ten, opposite a small but neat house on the western bank, which was occupied by a French family, chiefly of females. They came to our boat, purchased some apples, and we made out to understand them. I took a walk upon the bank, found the garden full of herbs in flower; by invitation I went to the cottage, and in my way picked up a sprig of parsley, the family observing me smelling it, the mother of the children spoke to one of them, and she ran into the garden and fetched me a nosegay of various potherbs and flowers, which was a treat so early {331} in the season—add to this, in consequence of something said to her by the mother, the little female presented me with about a quarter of a yard of green riband, with which she tied the posy. I tarried about twenty minutes and returned to the boat. The wind having subsided, we pushed off. At 4, we got into a whirlpool, in which we were detained a considerable time; this eddy was two miles in circumference, and the quantity of drift wood in it was astonishing. After much difficulty we extricated ourselves and regained the current. As we had now a very quick point to turn, called Judas's point, we were forced to the opposite shore, and dashed against a heap of drift wood. Mr. E. jumped out on the logs, fixed his shoulder against the boat, and with the hardness of pushing and thrusting, the blood flew from his nose; by these efforts however we got her off, but no sooner were we out of this difficulty than we were drawn into a second eddy; after taking a round in it we got out into the current again, and proceeded. During these disasters, it rained, thundered, and lightened prodigiously. A few miles lower down, we got into another eddy, and were actually floating round in it without having observed our