124 IN THE LAND OF THE GREAT SPIRIT 



way ahead. Presently he took right up one of the 

 open creeks. I followed. The water was about up 

 to my waist. Up the length of the creek we went, 

 but the water was all in his favour now, and I could 

 move but slowly. There was no help for it. The 

 next time he showed he was stopped by a shot and 

 picked up. And then I turned to go home. But by 

 this time it had grown sensibly darker, and with the 

 change of light the whole aspect of the place had 

 changed. Closely as I might look, I could not hit off 

 the point at which I had entered the creek. At last 

 finding something that looked like the opening, I 

 struck into it. But it was a delusion. There was no 

 track at all. In the excitement of the chase I had 

 completely lost my bearings. I had no compass, and 

 began to have doubts as to the direction of the camp. 

 I had another good try to find the trail, and then 

 stood still to think. My reflections did not help 

 me much. For there was no doubt about it, I 

 was lost. 



All the red light had died out of the sky, and the 

 stars were coming out. It was cold work in the water, 

 and I did not like it much. I was pretty hungry 

 too, and when you are hungry you feel the cold the 

 more. I wandered about there in that reed forest for 



