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Updated: June 4, 2025
So on a certain fine morning when the wind was blowing steadily but not too strongly from the north, we embarked upon that balsa while the simple savages made obeisance with wonder in their eyes, hoisted the square canvas, and sailed away upon what I suppose was one of the maddest voyages ever made by man.
For, ever since the slaying of the monsters in the lake, it had been Escombe's habit to rise early in the morning, and, making his way to the bottom of the garden, embark on a balsa, from which, after Arima had paddled it a few hundred yards from the shore, master and man had been wont to bathe together.
The balsa moved slowly towards the opposite shore and swiftly down-stream, the stalwart Irish soldier's feet settling into the loosely bound stems as he poled. Becoming alarmed when he found the water standing above his ankles, he called, in a subdued undertone: "Sargint Frank, I belave I shall go through the bottom of this l'aky craft before we git across."
This done we went down to the rock, Kari walking after me and bearing all our small possessions and with them Deleroy's sword. Passing round the rock we saw the balsa drawn up to the sand, and by it the lady Quilla, who now had put off her fine robes and again was attired as a fishing-girl as I had seen her in my dream, and with her two tall girls in the same scanty garments.
"Take Henry's paddle, Tom; it lies on the right side of the box. Lay it across the reeds and stand on it." "Ah, sure and that's betther. Kape yer ind a little more up-strame, sargint. We'll steer by the avening star." In a few minutes the balsa lodged against the shore in the still water of a little cove.
"The paint is well put on; but I think you prettiest just after a swim." "Thank you, señor." "May I use the balsa again, Indita?" "Si, señor, and you may keep it, but return the paddle." "Thank you. I will leave the paddle on the shore where you were sitting." With this exchange of civilities Henry walked down to the pool. An idea had occurred to him.
"The gods are kind to those who do them service, though to those who would harm them they are terrible." Kari also went to them and whispered in their ears what tale I know not. In the end they rose trembling, and having motioned to me to be seated in it, with the help of Kari pushed the balsa, which I noted with joy was large and well made, down into the sea.
"Quite like watering-place belles with extensive wardrobes," remarked Frank. "And takes about as long to put on the paint as to put on a fashionable dress," said Henry, "but not so long to remove it." Another thing that amused the boys was a balsa, or raft, made by the Mojaves, of the cane-grass which grew in the river-bottoms to the height of fifteen feet.
The place was very busy, and far more people were moving about than I had been accustomed to see at Quito; and in the harbour were a number of vessels large ships and small ones, and curious rafts, on which the natives were sailing or paddling about, called balsas. They were made of light balsa wood, which is very buoyant.
Besides, a balsa was not at all the kind of craft on which to engage in so dangerous a form of sport, even though it were possible to build one big enough; what was needed was a good stanch sturdy boat of, say, twenty tons or so.
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