238 THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE BY LAND. 



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each journey, to the great amusement of every one 

 but the unfortunate sufferer by the schoohnaster's 

 vagaries. At last, hurt repeatedly by the sudden 

 dropping of the other end of the load, Milton dis- 

 pensed with Mr. O'B.'s assistance, and dragged the 

 trunk alone. The Assiniboine coming up at the 

 moment, indignantly vituperated Mr. O'B., and, 

 shouldering the log, carried it oif with ease. The 

 sun was setting w^hen this portion of our task was 

 over, and we decided to defer crossing until the morn- 

 ing. As we were engaged in discussing Mr. O'B.'s 

 delinquencies, and commenting rather severely upon 

 his pusillanimity, he overheard us, and came up, with 

 the imperturbable confidence which he always dis- 

 played in all social relations, remarking it was all very 

 well for Cheadle, who had " shoulders like the Durham 

 ox, to treat gigantic exertion of this kind so lightly, 

 but I assure you it would very soon kill a man of my 

 delicate constitution." Cheadle remarked that Milton 

 was of slighter build than himself, and he did his 

 share without complaint. " Ah ! yes," replied Mr. 

 O'B., "he is fired with emulation. I have been lost 

 in admiration of his youthful ardour all the day ! but 

 you see I am older, and obliged to be cautious ; look 

 how I have suffered by my exertions to-day ! " — show- 

 ins: us a small scratch on his hand. We exhibited 

 our palms, raw with blisters, which caused him to 

 turn the conversation by dilating on his favourite 

 topic — the hardships of the fearful journey we were 

 making. • 



Milton and the boy had volunteered to swim 



