It was settled on the bank that Arthur should go over with them into
Brittany, as Henri felt that he could not conscientiously leave the St.
Florent side of the river, while so many thousands were looking to him
for directions; and, consequently, as soon as de Lescure and the two
ladies had, with much labour and delay, been placed in the boat, he
swung himself out of the water into the bow, and the frail bark with its
precious load was pushed off into the stream.
The point from which it started was somewhat lower down the stream than
that from which the boats had been hitherto put off, and, consequently,
as they got into the middle of the river, they found themselves carried
down towards the lower part of the island, on which they had intended
to land. Had the men who were rowing worked vigorously, this would not
have occurred to any great extent; but they pulled slowly and feebly,
and every foot which the boat made across, it descended as much down the
river. Arthur had been desired to land de Lescure on the island, and
another boat had been sent round to be ready to take him at once from
thence to the other shore; but when he found that they were
unintentionally so near the lower end of the island, it occurred to him
that it would save them all much pain and trouble, if he were to run
round it, and land them at once on the opposite shore; they would in
this way have to make a considerably longer journey, but then de Lescure
would be spared the pain of so many different movements.
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