A DELIGHTFUL VISION. 220 



above the precipice, and lost in the darkness. With the 

 assistance of Jack and the two drivers, and after many 

 smart blows of the whip, accompanied, as is usual among 

 the Canadians, by a volley of very energetic oaths, we suc- 

 ceeded in restoring the horse to his companion's side, on 

 the perilous path of which I have already spoken. 



I do not see any utility in relating in detail all the 

 circumstances of this accident : I confine myself to stating, 

 en passant, that once reinstalled on the hardened soil, the 

 quadruped grew calm as if by enchantment, and ceased 

 to kick ; fortunately for us, who had not too wide a space 

 in which to avoid his attacks. For the rest, he was too 

 fatigued to indulge in any gambols, and the poor animal, 

 though led by the bit, fell upwards of a dozen times before 

 reaching the end of his journey. 



We advanced very cautiously, for the darkness appeared 

 to grow thicker and thicker, and we were much afraid of 

 straying from one another ; the more so that our guide, 

 half sobered, appeared to entertain the same apprehension. 

 At the moment when we least expected it, Jack began to 

 shout with the voice of a Stentor, and to our great joy, 

 after about ten minutes' exercise worthy of a Saxe ophi- 

 cleide, we perceived a few yards in front of us, illumi- 

 nated as if by magic, the windows of a habitation which 

 Jack announced to be our halting-place. 



This unhoped-for vision reanimated our courage, and 

 that I might reach it the sooner, so as to share in the 

 geniality of a blazing fire whose gleams seemed to brighten 

 up the whole interior of the house, I sprang from the 

 sledge. But, at the very first step, I sank in the snow 

 up to my neck, and, to my great terror, saw engulfed by 

 my side the horse who had already done me so much in- 



