"
Thus they fought their way up the hard river, day after day,
making sometimes only five miles after twelve hours' toilsome
travel. Rapids, shoals, portages, strong waters, abounded, and
before they had covered the fifty miles to the forks of Jesup's
River, they knew right well why the region was so little entered.
It made a hardened canoe man of Rolf, and when, on the evening of
the fifth day, they saw a huge eagle's nest in a dead pine tree
that stood on the edge of a long swamp, both felt they had
reached their own country, and were glad.
Chapter 18. Animal Life Along the River
It must not be supposed that, because it has been duly mentioned,
they saw no wild life along the river. The silent canoe man has
the best of opportunities. There were plenty of deer tracks
about the first camp, and that morning, as they turned up the
Hudson, Rolf saw his first deer. They had rounded a point in
rather swift water when Quonab gave two taps on the gunwale, the
usual sign, "Look out," and pointed to the shore. There, fifty
yards away on bank, gazing at them, was a deer. Stock still he
stood like a red statue, for he was yet in the red coat.
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