

 216 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST. 



through Divine goodness, to enjoy a night of undisturbed 

 repose. 



I arose on the morning of the 26th considerably re- 

 freshed, and took a northerly course, occasionally di- 

 verging a little to the east. Several times during the 

 day, I was induced to leave the path, by the appearance 

 of rushes, which I imagined grew in the vicinity of 

 lakes, but on reaching them, my faint hopes vanished . 

 there was no water, and I in vain essayed to extract a 

 little moisture from them. Prickly thorns and small 

 sharp stones added greatly to the pain of my tortured 

 feet, and obliged me to make farther encroachments on 

 my nether garments for fresh bandages. The want of 

 water now rendered me extremely weak and feverish, 

 and I had nearly abandoned all hopes of relief, when, 

 about half-past four or five o'clock, the old pathway 

 turned from the prairie grounds into a thickly wooded 

 country, in an easterly direction ; through which I had 

 not advanced half a mile, when I heard a noise resem- 

 bling a waterfall, to which I hastened my tottering steps, 

 and in a few minutes was delighted at arriving on the 

 banks of a deep and narrow rivulet, which forced its 

 way with great rapidity over some large stones that ob- 

 structed the channel. 



After offering up a short prayer of thanksgiving for 

 this providential supply, I threw myself into the water, 

 forgetful of the extreme state of exhaustion to which I 

 was reduced : it had nearly proved fatal, for my weak 

 frame could not withstand the strength of the current, e 

 which forced me down a short distance, until I caught 

 the bough of an overhanging tree, by means of which I 



