TRAVELLING IN THE SNOW. 241 



gave n bluish tinge to the flame of our fire, whose heat 

 was not sufficient even to melt the thick layer of snow 

 which rested on the extremity of the brandies whose 

 other end was burning in the fire. 



At length the morning dawned, and we hastened to 

 resume our journey. On this day it fell to our lot to 

 traverse a rough mountainous country, so steep in various 

 parts, that we were constrained to climb the abrupt ac- 

 clivities clinging to every ledge and projection of the 

 rock, and to the branches of every stunted bush which 

 found a scanty nourishment in the barren soil. 



To descend the slopes, we acted in a different fashion ; 

 that is, we placed our snow-shoes one against the other, 

 and suffered ourselves to slide almost without effort over 

 the thick frozen crust. In this way we advanced with 

 very great rapidity, except when we encountered on our 

 way an unforeseen obstacle ; in which case we im- 

 mediately came to grief, and frequently were thrown 

 headlong into a kind of snow-pit. The reader may imagine 

 the ludicrous character of our contortions and grimaces as 

 we extricated ourselves from this embarrassment. It was 

 truly comic. 



We halted ordinarily after an hour's walking along 

 the side of a brook, on the banks of a torrent scarcely 

 visible under the snow. Our object was to quench our 

 thirst, and at the same time to rest ourselves for a few 

 minutes. 



To trace out our route for us, our Indians placed them- 

 selves alternately at the head of the small caravan. It 

 was, I must confess, most fatiguing work ; but, guided 

 by a special instinct, they directed their course with 



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