go in the bush and try and catch something before I return. Perhaps some Maoris or diggers may come down the river, or come from the Grey; the Maoris are always wandering about. He did not like this arrangement, and said, "If I was not so weak, I could easily swim across; I have swam over worse places than this, but a raft will answer the purpose; it would take too long to make a mogie; it does not look at all dangerous."

I made no answer; I saw he was annoyed at my opposition, and remained sitting. He went about, looking for the logs of wood to form a raft. I determined in the meantime to do my best to dissuade him from this dangerous experiment. Suddenly he cried out, "Hurrah! hurrah! Jacob," I could not conceive what caused this cry of rejoicing, so I jumped up and ran to him.

"Now," said he, "we have a canoe to carry us over." In reality a canoe lay at his feet, but it was useless; it was about ten or twelve feet long, and one foot wide; the inside was not more than eight inches deep, the higher sideboards were missing. I told him it would not take over a cat, much less two men. "You are right," he said, "it is too bad, but further on lies another canoe; we shall make them fast together, and there is no danger." "Oh," said I, "I saw that canoe also; the bow is broken off." "That can be easily mended," he answered; "let us take a look at it."

I went with him to see it; it lay alongside an old hut, and was no better than a bit of a rotten log, about seven or eight feet long, but a little broader and deeper than the other. As I hesitated to lay hands on it, he seemed much annoyed, and said in a reproachful tone, "I always thought, Jacob, that you feared nothing, but now I see I was mistaken; if we tie these two canoes together there can be no danger; besides, I am a good swimmer, and if we meet with a misfortune, I can assist you." I told him again I was a very bad swimmer, and therefore dreaded much to cross in this manner.

But on account of his displeasure, and the peculiar circumstances in which we were placed, I no longer opposed him. I got to work immediately; put a piece of board on the damaged spots of the canoes, bound tight with flax, stopping up the holes as well as possible with some rags we found in the hut; then out of other pieces of board I made two pretty good paddles, and sawed out two long steering poles. Having repaired it, we took it to the lagoon where the other one lay, to try it. He sat down in it and paddled down the still water; it floated barely an inch and half above the level of the water. When he arrived alongside the other canoe, he said, "You see, now, you were afraid without just cause; both will carry us quite safely;" he spoke in a very friendly tone. I made no answer, but I felt my heart beating violently, greatly fearing the result.

We drew the canoes together, laid two strong pieces of wood across, and bound all together as tight as possible; it was nearly four o'clock when all was ready; the tide had turned, and the pent-up river rushed out madly into the sea.

It commenced to rain. Mr. Whitcombe was in a great hurry to cross, as, if we succeeded, he wished to get to the Grey the same evening. In the middle of the river lies a small island. We determined to ascend the river by the side, where the water was comparatively still, then from a projecting rock, where we could no longer remain in quiet water, push off to the island, go round this and steer for the opposite bank. I had made this passage twice before, but we had then a good boat, besides five men. So we stepped in and laid the swag in the bottom; I took the steering pole in my hands and pushed off from the shore.

As long as we were in smooth water all went well—the canoes floated about an inch and half above the surface. I placed myself in the longest canoe, on the off side; he in the other, at the opposite end. I steered while he baled the water out as it came in, with a pannikin, but kept the billy alongside in case it came in quicker; thus we reached the rocky point; the water came in more rapidly; he had to bale fast; I could see that when we reached the rapid current, we would not be able to withstand it. I said to him, in tones of entreaty, "Oh, Mr. Whitcombe, let us return, the water comes in too fast, I am greatly afraid."

"Turn back, Jacob," he said, "what are you thinking about, it is going all right, it could not be better, steer to the island, and then round it, there is no danger whatever." I drew off my coat to work better, laid the steering pole in the bottom of the canoe, as I could no longer reach the bottom, and commenced to paddle the canoes into the stream; but we had not got many yards in the current before the canoes filled quickly with water.

Mr. Whitcombe called out, "Jacob, bail out the water, the canoes are full." I let fall the paddle, seized my leather cap, and began to bail, but in vain; in a moment the canoes were a foot below the water, and sinking fast; they drifted into the middle of the stream, and in another instant were three feet below the surface, and carried rapidly towards the breakers.

Mr. Whitcombe, seeing the danger, cried out, "We are lost, Jacob, and it is all my fault; leave the canoes, swim to this side, it is not far to the shore; follow me, quick! quick! or you will be drowned." So saying, he took off his coat, and threw it into the water, then took a great leap into the stream. The recoil of the kick overturned the canoes, and they turned sideways in the water. I saw him afterwards swimming with powerful strokes in the direction of the south side, from whence we had started, and which was still the nearest.

I had no doubt he would save himself, but I thought I was lost—lost, beyond all hope. I held fast to the poles which bound the canoes together. I would not let go an end of flax, rolling it three or four times round my left hand. I could no longer keep my head above water, the canoes sank so deep; they were turned upside down in the mid-channel; presently they rose a little. I looked about for an instant; I was just at the foot of the first breaker, about to bear me up high in the water; I felt my hair stand on end; I bent