508 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1818. 



for fortunately a keen frosty 

 morning had so liardened the 

 snow, that our footsteps were no 

 longer visible. But there was 

 one circumstance which excited 

 our apprehension, our companion 

 Sclikajeft". as he was descending 

 the hollow, lost his cap, which he 

 had himself made out of a worsted 

 stocking. Had it been picked up 

 by the Japanese, they would have 

 immediately recognised it as a 

 part of our wardrobe, and it 

 might perhaps have assisted them 

 in discovering our asylum. We 

 were, besides, afraid that the rays 

 of the sun might melt the snow 

 at the entrance of the cavity, and 

 in that case we should have found 

 it impossible to get out, as even 

 in the morning we could not 

 reach it without considerable 

 difficulty. 



In this situation we remained 

 until sunset, reflecting on our 

 fate, and deliberating how we 

 should proceed. The day was 

 extremely clear, but the rays of 

 the sun did not penetrate t'j our 

 retreat, and the neighbouring 

 waterfall increased the coolness 

 of the atmosphere, so that we 

 frequently shivered till our teeth 

 knocked against each other. 

 During the whole day we dis- 

 tinctly heard the sound of hat- 

 chets in the forest, which was at 

 no great distance from us. At 

 sunset we peeped out of our hole 

 and saw a number of people on 

 the hills. No other remarkable 

 circumstance occurred, except 

 that we heard a rustling noise as 

 if somebody had been slipping 

 down the hill towards us. The 

 noise became louder and louder ; 

 we even fancied that we beheld 

 soldiers in search of us, and pre- 

 pared for our defence, when we 



suddenly perceived a wild deer, 

 but the animal no sooner smelt 

 us than he darted off at full 

 speed. 



When the stars began to appear 

 we left our hole, and proceeded 

 northwards to a high hill, which 

 was here and there overgrown 

 with underwood. My stuation 

 was dreadful. Whilst we were in 

 the cave I had constantly kept 

 my lame leg in one position, and 

 therefore experienced but Utile 

 uneasiness, but whenever I at- 

 tempted to walk, and particularly 

 to ascend the hill, the pain, which 

 was not confined to my knee, but 

 extended from the heel to the 

 hip, was unbearable. 1 endured 

 the utmost agony in climbing this 

 hill, and we had yet many more ' 

 to ascend. The circumstances of 

 our case, however, required that 

 we should advance without loss 

 of time. Finding that I retarded 

 my companions, and that I might 

 perhaps occasion them to be 

 overtaken by their pursuers, I 

 entreated that ihey would aban- 

 don me to my fate, and proceed 

 without me; but to this suggestion 

 they would not listen. I repre- 

 sented that, from the commence- 

 ment of our enterprise, fate had 

 destined me to suffer, by rendering 

 me incapable of following them. 

 I begged that they would not 

 sacrifice themselves for my sake, 

 as 1 only occasmned them to 

 linger, and from the excruciating 

 pain which I endured, they must, 

 sooner or later, leave me behind. 

 But they were not to be prevailed 

 on by my entreaties. They all 

 protested that so long as I lived 

 they would not abandon me, and 

 that they would stop to let me 

 rest at every quarter of a mile, 

 and that, when they reached a 



safe 



