see some dried-out elk horns along our trail; though it is
doubtful if elk get this far south at present. A deer trail,
leading down a ravine, makes our homeward journey much
easier. It has turned quite cold this evening, after sunset.
We finish our notes and prepare to roll into our beds a
little earlier than usual."




CHAPTER IV



SUSPICIOUS HOSTS

We awoke bright and early the next morning, much refreshed by our day
of rest and variety. With an early start we were soon pulling down the
river, and noon found us several miles below the camp, having run
eleven rapids with no particular difficulty. A reference in my notes
reads: "Last one has a thousand rocks, and we could not miss them all.
My rowing is improving, and we both got through fairly well." In the
afternoon they continued to come--an endless succession of small
rapids, with here and there a larger one. The canyon was similar to
that at our camp above, dark red walls with occasional pines on the
ledges,--a most charming combination of colour. At 2.30 P.M. we
reached Ashley Falls, a rapid we had been expecting to see for some
time. It was a place of singular beauty. A dozen immense rocks had
fallen from the cliff on the left, almost completely blocking the
channel--or so it seemed from one point of view. But there was a