BOOKS IX WET WEATHER. ,307 



the skin. We rushed to Turner in alarm, fearing some- 

 thing serious, but burst into a roar of laughter, on 

 iimling that he was frozen in, and eould not move a 

 limb. We rolled him to the fire, to thaw the skin, 

 and set him free ; the rolling and the heat made him 

 feel rather giddy, but a hot marrow-bone restored 

 him; and then loading the horses with the softened 

 skin, and the remainder of the meat, we reached 

 home before the storm, which came on that evening 

 with tremendous force." 



The weather continued gloomy enough, the clouds 

 hanging about the trees, as if they were seeking shelter 

 from the wind, which was driving them from the 

 rocky mountains. All the cattle collected near the 

 house, with their tails to the wind, and pendant ears, 

 looking very wretched. Luckily I found a few books, 

 such as "A Dialogue of Devils," "The Life of 

 Marion," ''The Life of Washington," ''The 1'ilgrim's 

 Progress," " The United States' Header," &c., and 

 killed some of the time by turning over their 

 leaves. 



The rain lasted till the 12th January. The various 

 streams had become cataracts and rivers, so we were 

 obliged to remain at home two days longer. Mean- 

 time our store of meat had fallen very low, and there 

 appeared little hope of being able to u-e that which 

 we had left hanging in the forest. However we 

 hastened away to save the. skins, if there was yet time. 

 The. streams were still so swelled that we could only 

 pass them on horseback. We reached our last camp 

 about noon, and lound, as we had expected, that the 



