With one foot in the edge of the water, he concentrated all his strength for the effort and leaped far out in the stream--the canoe falling with a loud splash perfectly flat upon the surface.

The impetus thus given caused it to shoot like an arrow for a long distance, when the Huron, inclining his body to the left, careened it so much, that his own person was concealed from any who might be upon the shore, while, by reaching his hand over into the current, he was enabled to use it as a paddle, and continue his onward motion.
Oonomoo was fully aware that the delicate structure of the canoe was no obstruction at all against a rifle-shot.

Accordingly, while descending the river, he had taken precaution to insure his safety, in case of such an occurrence as had now transpired.

A large, rotten limb, hardly the length of his own body, was carried with him.

At the moment of lifting the canoe from the ground, the limb was placed within it, and thus was carried back to the edge of the river.