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374 TRAVELS
and with a long pole which they thruft to the bottom of the river,
find their point of refiftance, and thus pufh the boat agaiuft the
ftream. This pole is made of a pine, and about fifteen feet long ;
they are obliged to throw it with all their {trength to the bottom,
in order to overcome the currrent which conftantly impels it
backwards. It is a Herculean labour ; befides, it requires.infinite
practice to guide and manage the boat, forming, as circumftances
demand, many a fharp angle, amidft a multitude of obftacles.
The moft difagreeable, and at the fame time the moft dangerous
fituation is, the man refting by accident the end of his pole upon
a rock of a {mooth or round furface, in the moment that he ap-
plies to it the whole weight and force of his body, the pole flips
from under him; he falls in an inftant headlong into the river,
and the paffenger gives himfelf up for loft. The Laplander, how-
ever, quickly recovers himfelf and prepares to repeat the fame
operation; but it fometimes happens that the current gets the
afcendant and drives the boat a ftern. In this critical juncture
the whole addrefs of the boatman is exerted to keep the head of
the boat directly oppofed to the ftream, till he is again in a con-
dition to pufh her forward; and above all, to prevent her laying
her fide to the current, as in that pofition, by prefenting a larger
furface to the water, fhe would inftantly be overfet.
In order to have fome refpite from this fevere toil, the boatmen
requefted that we would difembark and walk along the bank to
the end of thefe cataracts. We were greatly overjoyed to learn
that it was practicable to go by land, and moft cheerfully accepted
their
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