that are constantly stirred and aerated by the 

 inflow of fresh water. The Cascade colonists 

 entered the winter with an abundant food- 

 supply that was stored close to the house. The 

 pond was full of water, but it was becoming 

 stagnant. The drought continued and no snow 

 fell. This was another disadvantage to the col- 

 ony. If a pond is thickly blanketed with snow, 

 it does not freeze so deeply nor so rapidly 

 as when its surface is bare. By the middle of 

 October the pond was solidly frozen. Drought 

 and continued cold weather came and stayed. 

 Christmas week not a drop of water was flow- 

 ing from the pond and apparently none was 

 flowing into it. The ice was clear, and, the day 

 I called, there appeared to be digging going on 

 in the pond beneath the ice; close to the dam 

 the water was so roily that I could not see into 

 it. 



On the first of February I sounded the ice in 

 a number of places. It seemed to be frozen sol- 

 idly to the bottom. This pond was circular in 

 outline, and the house stood near the centre in 

 about three feet of water. I climbed up on the 



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