The water which rolls down this extraordinary passage in tumultuous waves and with great velocity has a frightful appearance.

However, it being impossible to carry canoes by land, all hands without hesitation embarked, as it were, _a corps perdu_ upon the mercy of this awful tide.

Once engaged, the die was cast.

Our great difficulty consisted in keeping the canoes in the middle of the stream, that is, clear of the precipice on the one side, and of the gulfs formed by the waves on the other.

Thus, skimming along as fast as lightning, the crews, cool and determined, followed each other in awful silence, and when we arrived at the end we stood gazing at each other in silent gratification at our narrow escape from total destruction....