119 



very hungry, they again endeavoured to get to the place 

 where the loaves were, but they could not penetrate to 

 it. They then resolved to take all possible care to feed 

 the goats, as very fortunately over'the ceiling of the 

 stable, and just above the manger, there was a hay-loft 

 with a hole, through which the hay was put clown into 

 the rack. This opening was near the sister, who pulled 

 down the hay, and gave it to the goats, as long as she 

 could reach it, which when she could no longer do, the 

 goats climbed upon her shoulders, and reached it them- 

 selves. On the sixth day the boy sickened, complaining 

 of violent pains in the stomach for six days, on the last 

 of which he desired his mother, who all this time had 

 held him in her lap, to lay him at his length in the man- 

 ger. She did so, and hiking him by the hand, felt it 

 was very cold : she then put her hand to his mouth, and 

 finding it. likewise very cold, she gave him a little milk ; 

 the boy cried, " O my father in the snow ! Oh ! fa- 

 ther! tather I" and expired. 



The mother told the sister the boy was dead, and 

 then laid him in the manger where the sister was. In 

 the mean while the milk given by the goat diminished 

 daily. The fowls being dead, they could no longer dis- 

 tinguish night and day ; but according to their calcula- 

 tion the time \vas near when the other goat should kid, 

 which as they computed would happen about the middle 

 of April. At length they found the goat was kidding 

 by its cries; the sister helped it; they killed the kid to 

 save the milk for their own subsistence. And now they 

 knew it was the middle of April. Whenever they called 

 this goat, it would come and lick their face and hands, 

 and gave them every day two pounds of milk, for which 

 they still bear a great affection to it. 



During all this time, hnnger gave them but very little 

 uneasiness, except on the tirst five or six days. Their 

 greatest pain was from the extreme coldness of the 

 melted snow-water, which fell on them ; from the stench 

 of the dead ass, dead goat, and fowls; but more than 

 all from the uneasy posture they were obliged to conti- 

 nue in. For though the place in which they were buried 



