78 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST. 



Next day I came to the Sabine, seeking in vain for a 

 ford; and as the river was considerably swelled, and 

 seemed wider and deeper further south, there was nothing 

 for it but a swim. I made a small raft, which I bound 

 together with creepers, and securing my gun, game-bag, 

 knife, tomahawk, and powder-horn on the top of it, I 

 pushed it before me to the opposite bank. 



On the 30th of January, as I arrived at the Great Red 

 river, I saw a farm-house, and the crow of a cock broke 

 on my ear as the music of the spheres. But the house 

 was on the other side of the broad and swollen stream, 

 which rolled along its dirty red waves at a fearful rate. 

 In vain I shouted and roared myself hoarse ; a shot had 

 no better effect. I had made up my mind to hide my 

 gun and other things in the bush, and swim over, when a 

 second shot roused the farmer's attention. He came to 

 the bank, and seeing some one calling and beckoning on 

 the opposite side, he cast off his canoe, and coming cross, 

 was not a little astonishing at finding me alone. 



I received a hearty welcome from his family, who were 

 exceedingly amused at the appetite with which I made 

 the bread disappear, and at my enjoyment of the coffee. 



As I did not wish to remain here long, I soon came to 

 an agreement with the farmer about the sale of his canoe ; 

 he let me have it for four dollars, throwing a smoked leg 

 of venison, a roast turkey, and some loaves of maize 

 bread into the bargain. 



I was soon afloat in this hollowed trunk, drifting ra- 

 pidly down the stream, which carried gigantic trees 

 along with it. The light craft dashed forward like an 

 arrow under the strokes of my paddle, so that, according 



