THE MISHAPS OF RALSON. 275 



They saw how he had hacked at the strong birch 

 drag to which the chain was fastened until his 

 knife became useless and then given up in de- 

 spair. 



Ralson, upon examination, was found to be 

 yet alive, but unconscious and covered with blue 

 flies, his hands and face were swollen from the 

 mosquito poison and covered with dirt he had 

 scratched while trying to dig for water. He 

 looked a frightful and pitiful object. Luckily 

 the men who had found him were quick to think 

 and in a remarkably short space of time they 

 had the leg freed from its iron clasp. One ran 

 for a pannikin of cold water while the other 

 twisted a piece of birch bark into the shape of 

 a horn, with the small end open just enough to 

 allow the water to trickle thru gently into his 

 throat. 



Next they bathed and washed his face and 

 hands and shortly had the satisfaction of seeing 

 him open his eyes. Robert now held up his 

 head and placed the remaining water in the 

 pannikin to his lips. This he managed to drink 

 and blessed, blessed water, it revived him com- 

 pletely. The other man was then sent back to 

 the canoe for the tea kettle and provisions, 

 Robert starting a fire during his absence. Tea 

 and partridge broth made and administered in 

 small quantities at first helped him to regain 



