Marco Paul's Voyages and Travels; Vermont

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ollected at the house of the owner of the boat, at one o'clock. Two of them carried a large basket which Forester had provided. It was quite heavy, and they did not know what w

oat does not run into any danger; and also, when the boat comes to land, to step out first and hold it by the painter, that is, the rope which is fastened to the bow, while the others get out. Marco had a

orester, when the b

os

oars into the air, ready to

The oars all fell gently an

y!" said

r the water, under the impulse which the boys g

said it was entirely contrary to the discipline aboard a man-of-war for the crew to ask the captain where they were going. "Besides," said Forester, "

reens, growing near the water. When they got pretty near the land, he gave the order for attention, that they might observe silence in going through whatever manoeuvers were requ

" said F

ds into the boat, laying them upon the thwarts in their proper position, along the

," said Forester, "and f

water, and Marco, at first fending off from the log, to keep the boat from striking hard, and th

ore," sai

em, began to rise and to walk toward the bow of the boat and to go ashore. Marco landed first, and held the boat with his b

round, straight stem, and began to cut it down. The boys gathered around him, wondering what it could be for. Forester smiled, and worked on in silence, declini

ordered the boys to take these lengths, one by one, and put them into the boat. There were five in all. Then he ordered the crew on board again. Marco got in last. When all were seated, the order was given to shove off, the oars were tossed--then let fall into the water.

oming round a wooded point, the mills appeared in sight. As they approached the

at up a little way upon the land. Then he ordered the boys to take out the pieces of the stem of the little tree, and he placed one of them under the bow as a roller. The boys then took hold of the sides of the boat, three on each side, each boy

upon the land. They were aided to do it by two principles. One was the combination of their strength in one united eff

h her!" when the boys would move about two steps. Then Forester would give the command, "Hold on," and they would stop. By this time one of the rollers would come out behind, and Marco wo

Port

tely below the mill. They were very much pleased at this, for, as they had had a great many excursions already on the mill-pond, they had become familiar with it in all its parts, and they were much animated at the idea of exploring new regions. In going down to the wat

arco; "but I don't see how you are

uld exercise, to bring the boat up such an inclination. Forester told them not to fear. He said that a good commander n

nd flowing rapidly down between rocks and logs. There was a bridge across the stream too, a short distance below. The boys were a little inclined to be afraid to

sharp lookout ahead for rocks and snags, a

o take four or five strokes before they came to the bridge, and under the bridge there was only a very narrow passage where they could go through. This passage was between one of the piers and a gravel bed. As they advanced toward it, Forester called out, "Give way strong!" and all the boys pulled their oars with all their strength, without, however, accelerating the strokes. This gave the boat a rapid head

ack their oars into the row-locks, and raised the blades out of the water, so as to get them into a position for ro

sort of cleat or ledge, which runs along on the inside of the boat near the upper edge of it. This keeps the oar firm in its place without the necessity of holding it, the handle being under this cleat, while the middle

us objects,--now a great flat rock, now a sunken tree, and now a bed of yellow sand. Every now and then, Forester would order the oars out, and make the oarsmen give way for a few strokes, so as to give the boat what they called

the place of junction. In a few minutes more the river came into view. The boys could see it at some distance b

r, "is it safe for us to

co, "by all mea

set in the rips," sa

; "it is not deep in the rips, a

ure to be shallow, so that if we upset we should not be drowned; and where it is deep, so as to m

on of that?" said

, "in the college mathematics. The velocity of a

n in different language. He said that where the stream was shallow or narrow, the current must be more ra

have their luncheon there, and to this they agreed. So they went back to the edge of the rocks, where there was a little grove

eerful and pleasant, and they accordingly made one. Forester had some matches in his pocket. Two of the crew brought the basket from the boat, and when they had opened it, they found an abundant store of provisions. There was a dozen or mor

to the boat. Soon after this, Forester summoned what he called a council of war, to consider the question whether they had better go down the river. He said he wanted their true and deliberate judgment in the case. He did not wish the

se of asking us at

be after I have heard what you will have to say. I shall be influenced perhaps by your reasons, but I shall decide myself. That is the

gh they said that they should like to go very much, thought it would not answer, as it would be almost impossible to get the boat up again over the rips. After

get the boat back above the dam they did not know, though they did not doubt that Forester had some good plan which he had not explained to them. Instead, however, of turning the head of the boat up the stream, Forester pointed it toward the river. They supposed that he was going out to the edge of the river,

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arty," said Foreste

it was very shallow. Marco, in the mean time, who was stationed at the bows, kept a sharp lookout forward, and gave Forester notice of any impending danger. They soon got

d," said one of the boys; "forty men

a few rods, but long before they reached the most rapid part, they found that with all their exertions they could make no progress. The boat seemed stationary. "Oars," said Forester. The boys stopped rowing, holding their oars in the air, ju

but he told them to give themselves no concern on th

n here," said Marco, "when yo

y and you understood the case. But I know something which you do not, as is usual with commanders,--and therefore I came down. In

were not generally very communicative to their crews. In the mean time the boat went on, sometimes shooting swiftly through the rapids, and sometimes floating in a more calm and quiet manner on the

erhanging rocks. They amused themselves in climbing about the rocks

oint where the river turned again, Marco, who was looking out before, saw a sort of landing, where there was a man standing, together with a yoke of oxen. It was just sunset when they approached this spot. When they arrived at it, the whole mystery was explained, for they found that the man was James, who lived at Forester's father's, and the oxen were his father's oxen. James had come down, under

Dr

ey got home, that the Indians often carried their canoes around falls, or f