MIDNIGHT WATCHJNGS. 213 



had nearly dried up. About sunset I arrived at a small 

 stream, by the side of which I took up my quarters fW 

 the night. The dew fell heavily ; but I was too much 

 fatigued to go in quest of bark to cover me ; and even 

 had I been so inclined, the howling of the wolves would 

 have deterred me from making the dangerous attempt. 

 There must have been an extraordinary nursery of these 

 animals close to the spot ; for between the weak, shrill 

 cries of the young, and the more loud and dreadful 

 howling of the old, I never expected to leave the place 

 alive. I could not sleep. My only weapons of defence 

 were a heap of stones and a stick. Ever and anon, 

 some more daring than others approached me. I pre- 

 sented the stick at them, as if in the act of levelling a 

 gun, upon which they retired, vented a few yells, ad- 

 vanced a little farther, and after surveying me for some 

 time with their sharp, fiery eyes, to which the partial 

 glimpses of the moon had imparted additional ferocity, 

 retreated into the wood. In this state of fearful agita- 

 tion I passed the night ; but as daylight began to break, 

 Nature asserted her supremacy, and I fell into a deep 

 sleep, from which, to judge by the sun, I did not awake 

 until between eight and nine o'clock on the morning of 

 the 25th. My second bandages having been worn out, 

 I was now oblfged to bare my knees for fresh ones ; and 

 after tying them round my feet, and taking a copious 

 draught from the adjoining brook for breakfast, I re- 

 commenced my joyless journey. My course was nearly 

 north-northeast. I got no water during the day, nor 

 any of the wild cherries. Some slight traces of men's 

 feet, and a few old horse tracks occasionally crossed my 



