SJcetch of the Life of Mr, David Douglas, 203 



" and to add to my miseries the tent was blown down about my 

 '' ears, so that I lay till daylight, rolled in my wet blanket on 

 *' Pteris aqidlina, with the drenched tent piled above me. Sleep 

 " was of course not to be procured ; every few minutes the falling 

 *' trees came down with a crash which seemed as if the earth 

 " was cleaving asunder, while the peals of thunder and vivid 

 " flashes of forky lightening produced such a sensation of terror 

 " as had never filled my mind before, for I had at no time exper- 

 " ienced a storm under similar circumstances of lonliness and un- 

 " protectedness of situation. Even my poor horses were unable to 

 " endure it without craving, as it were, protection from their master 

 '' which they did by cowering close to my side, hanging their heads 

 ^' upon me and neighing. Towards daylight the storm abated, 

 " and before sunrise the weather was clear, though very cold. I 

 " could not stir without making a fire, and drying some of my 

 " clothes, every thing being soaked through ; and I indulged 

 " myself with a pipe of tobacco, which was all I could afibrd. 

 " At ten o'clock I started, still shivering with cold, though I had 

 " rubbed myself so hard with a handkerchief that I could no 

 " longer endure the pain. Shortly after I was seized with intense 

 " headache, pain in the stomach, giddiness and dimness of sight. 

 " All the medicine I had being reduced to a few grains of calomel, 

 '' I felt un wiling, without absolute necessity, to take to this last 

 " resource, and therefore threw myself into a violent perspiration 

 " by strong exercise, and felt somewhat relieved towards evening, 

 " before which time I arrived at three lodges of Indians, who 

 " gave me some fish,. The food was such as I could hardly have 

 " eaten if my destitution were less. Still I was thankful for it, 

 " especially as the poor people had nothing else to ofier me ; the 

 " night being dry, I camped early in order to dry the remaining 

 " part of my clothing." 



" Thursday the 25th. Weather dull, cold, and cloudy. When 

 " my friends in England are made acquainted with my travels, I 

 " fear they will think that I have told them nothing, but my 

 " miseries, This may be true, but I now know as they may do 

 •• also, if they choose to come here on such an expedition, 

 " that the objects of which I am in quest, cannot be obtained 

 " without labour and anxiety of mind, and no small risk of 

 " personal safety, of which latter statement my this day's adven- 

 " tures are an instance. I quitted my camp early in the morning 



