HOW WE SUFFERED. 143 



he head. Me get 'em out. Sacre tonnerre ! den me had him sufficient la 

 poudre and la ballas for de route ! No go hungry une leetil bit !" 



On the fifth day subsequent, we again launched forth into the stream, 

 and after a series of most extraordinary exertions, (being obliged to lighten 

 our boat several times, by carrying its loading on shore, and reloadmg as 

 often, thus to enable us to lift it over sand-bars,) we succeeded in getting it 

 some three miles, and finally became safely moored in the middle of tlie 

 river, from which it was impossible to extricate ourselves either by going 

 backwards, forwards, or sidewise — with or without a cargo. 



Here we remained for three days, and experienced, during the interval, 

 a continuous fall of rain and sleet, which rendered the weather dismal and 

 our own situation disagreeable in the extreme. 



A cache of liquor having been made, fifteen or twenty miles distant, by a 

 trader connected with our consort, a month or two previous, unforbid- 

 ding as was the weather, the crew could not rest content until the hidden 

 treasure was among them. 



Improving the opportunity presented by a slight suspension of the storm, 

 one morning two of them started to procure it. Soon after it commenced 

 snowing and raining, accompanied by a fierce, cutting wind, and all the 

 withering bleakness of a winter's blast. 



StiJl keeping on, however, they obtained the cache, and returned with it 

 towards the boat. 



But night shut in upon them by the way, and a thrice dreary night it 

 was. Being too drunk to navigate, they lost their course and were forced 

 to camp in the open prairie, without wood or aught else of which to build a 

 fire, or even a robe to cover or a rock to shelter them from tlie chill wind 

 and peltings of the pitiless storm. 



Half-frozen with cold and wet to the skin, they lay upon the muddy 

 ground and passed the interval, not in sleep, but in a state of drunken 

 stupor, produced by inordinate draughts upon the contents of their keg. 



On the next morning they reached the boat, — a beautiful looking couple, 

 as might well be supposed ! Covered with mud from head to foot, their 

 clothes were wringing wet, and their faces bloated and swollen almost to 

 twice their natural size. So complete was the transformation, they were 

 scarcely recognizable as the same persons. 



But, regardless of hardship and suffering, they stuck to the liquor-keg 

 and brought it with them as proof of their triumph. 



And now commenced a scene of drunken revelry, which, despite my 

 efTorts to prevent it, soon communicated itself to both crews, and continued 

 without intermission till the stock on hand was exhausted. 



The lack of a fire by which to warm ourselves, contributed materially 

 to the misery of our present condition ; there being no wood procurable 

 for that purpose within five or six miles of either shore, and having none 

 on board, we were compelled to endure the dreary interval as best we 

 could. 



But another evil came pressing upon our already heavy load through 

 the entire exhaustion of provisions, and the last of our stay was made 

 twice forlorn by cold and fasting. 



