But the wheel went to pieces, and we laid to on the river
side for the greater part of a day while the necessary repairs were
being made. Delay in traveling is usually an annoyance, because it
causes the unsettlement of a settled purpose. But the loss of the
day did us no harm, and our accident had happened at a very pretty
spot. I climbed up to the top of the nearest bluff, and walked
back till I came to the open country, and also went up and down the
river banks, visiting the cabins of two settlers who live there by
supplying wood to the river steamers. One of these was close to
the spot at which we were lying; and yet though most of our
passengers came on shore, I was the only one who spoke to the
inmates of the cabin. These people must live there almost in
desolation from one year's end to another. Once in a fortnight or
so they go up to a market town in their small boats, but beyond
that they can have little intercourse with their fellow-creatures.
Nevertheless none of these dwellers by the river side came out to
speak to the men and women who were lounging about from eleven in
the morning till four in the afternoon; nor did one of the
passengers, except myself, knock at the door or enter the cabin, or
exchange a word with those who lived there.
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