HOPE RENEWED. 219 



course was northerly, and lay through a thick wood. 

 Late in the evening, I arrived at a stagnant pool, from 

 which I merely moistened my lips ; and having covered 

 myself with some birch bark, slept by its side. The 

 bears and wolves occasionally serenaded me during the 

 night, but I did not see any of them. I rose early on 

 the morning of the 29th, ^and followed the fresh traces 

 all day, through the wood, nearly northeast by north. 

 I observed several deer, some of which came quite close 

 to me; and in the evening I threw a stone at a small 

 animal resembling a hare, the leg of which I broke. It 

 ran away limping, but my feet were too sore to permit 

 me to follow it. I passed the night by the side of a 

 small stream, where I got a sufficient supply of hips and 

 cherries. A few distant growls awoke me at intervals, 

 but no animal appeared. On the 30th, the path took a 

 more easterly turn, and the woods became thicker and 

 more gloomy. I had now nearly consumed the remnant 

 of my trousers, in bandages for my wretched feet; and, 

 with the exception of my shirt, was almost naked. The 

 horse-tracks every moment appeared more fresh, and fed 

 my hopes. Late in the evening, I arrived at a spot 

 where the path branched off in different directions ; one 

 led up rather a steep hill, the other descended into a 

 valley, and the tracks on both were equally recent. I 

 took the higher; but after proceeding a few hundred 

 paces through a deep wood, which appeared more dark 

 from the thick foliage which shut out the rays of the 

 sun, I returned, apprehensive of not procuring water 

 for my supper, and descended the lower path. I had 

 not advanced far, when I imagined I heard the neighing 



