112 WILD SPOUTS IN THE FAU WKST. 



I bound together with creepers, and securing my pun, 

 game-bag, knife, tomahawk, and powder-horn on iho 

 top of it, I pushed it before me to the opposite bank. 



On the 30th of January, as I arrived at the Great 

 Red river, I saw a farm-house, and the crow of a cock 

 broke on my ear as the music, of the spheres, lint the 

 house was on the other side of the broad and swollen 

 stream, whieh rolled along its dirty red waves at a fear- 

 ful rate. In vain I shouted and roared myself hoar.-e; 

 a shot had no better effect. I had made up my mind to 

 hide my gun and other things in the bush, and swim 

 over, when a second shot roused the farmer's attention. 

 lie came to the ba::k, and seeing some one calling and 

 beckoning on the opposite side, lie east o(F his canoe, 

 and coining across, was not a little astonished at finding 

 me alone. 



I received a hearty welcome .from his family, who 

 were exceedingly amused at the appetite with which I 

 made the bread disappear, and at my enjoyment of the 

 coffee. 



As I did not wi>h to remain here long, I soon came 

 to an agreement wish the fanner about the sale of his 

 canoe; he let me have it for four dollars, throwing a 

 smoked leg of venison, a roast turkey, and some loaves 

 of maize bread into the bargain. 



I was soon afloat in this hollowed trunk, drifting 

 rapidly down the stream, whieh carried gigantic trees 

 along with it. The light craft da-hed forward like an 

 arrow under the strokes of mv paddle, so that, accord- 

 ing to a reckoning made afterwards, 1 must have gone 

 about '100 miles in live day-. It was not till late in 

 the night that I ran i;i among the reed-, ami slept 

 quietly in my own property. 



