148 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST. 



night, to lay on fresh wood though Turner never 

 moved out of his warm skin. Towards morning the 

 wind changed to the north-east, and the sky threatening 

 a snow storm, we decided on returning home as soon as 

 possible, to avoid the approaching storm, or at any rate 

 to get better shelter than the open prairie afforded. So 

 we swallowed our breakfast quickly, and saddled the 

 horses, which had been feeding on the dry grass, and 

 now approached as close as they could to the fire. We 

 called Turner several times to make him get up, but a 

 slight motion of the hide was the only answer. At 

 length, a half smothered cry for help issued from the 

 skin. We rushed to Turner in alarm, fearing something 

 serious, but burst into a roar of laughter, on finding that 

 he was frozen in, and could 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 re- 

 mainder of the meat, we reached home before the storm, 

 which came on that evening with a tremendous force." 



The weather continued gloomy enough, the clouds 

 hanging abou^; 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 Pilgrim's Progress," "The 

 United States' Reader," &c., and killed some of the 

 time by turning over their leaves. 



