HOW WE SUFFERED. 189 



ha head. Me get 'era out Sacre tonnerre ! den me had him siifficient Is 

 poodre and la iallaa for de route ! No go hungry une leetil bit !" 



On the fifth day subsequent, we again launched forth into the streami 

 and after a series of most extraordinary exertions, (being obliged to lighten 

 our boat several times, by carrying its loading on shore, and reloading aa 

 often, thus to enable us to lift it over sand-bars,) we succeeded in getting it 

 ■f^rso three miles, and finally became safely moored in the middle of the 

 liver, trom which it was impossible to extricate ourselves either by going 

 backwards, forwards, or sidewise — with or without a cargo. 



Here we remained for three days, and experienced, during the interval, 

 a continuous fall of rain and sleet, wliich rendered the weather dismal and 

 our own situation disagreeable in the extreme. 



A cache of hquor hanng been made, fifteen or twenty miles distant, by a 

 trader connected with our consort, a month or two previous, unforbid- 

 ding as was the weather, the crew could not rest content until the hidden 

 treasure was among them. 



Improving the opportunity presented by a slight suspension of the storm, 

 one morning two of them started to procure it. Soon after it commenced 

 snowing and raining, accompanied by a fierce, cutting wind and all the 

 withering bleakness of a winter's blast. 



Still keeping on, however, they obtained the c&.che, and returned with ii 

 towards the boat. 



But night shut in upon them by the way, and a thrice dreary night it 

 was. Being too drunk to navigate, they lost tlieir course and were forced 

 to camp in the open prairie, without wood or aught else of which to build a 

 fire, or even a robe to cover or a rock to shelter them from the chill wind 

 and peltings of the pitiless storm. 



Half-frozen with cold and wet to the skin, they lay upon the muddy 

 ground and passed the interval, not in sleep, but in a state of drunken 

 Btupor, produced by inordinate draughts upon the contents of their keg. 



On the next monnng they reached the boat, — a beautiful looking couple, 

 as might well be supposed ! Covered with mud from head to foot, their 

 clothes were wringing wet, and their faces bloated and swollen almost to 

 twice their natural size. So complete was the transformation, they were 

 scarcely recognizable as the same persons. 



But, regardless of hardship and suffering, they stuck to the liquor-keg 

 and brought it with them as proof of their triumph. 



And now commenced a scene of drunken revelry, which, despite my 

 efibrts to prevent it, soon communicated itself to both crews, and continued 

 without intermission till the stock on hand was exhausted. 



The lack of a fire by which to warm ourselves, contributed materially 

 to the misery of our present condition ; there being no wood procurable 

 for that purpose within five or six miles of either shore, and having none 

 on board, we were compelled to endure the dreary mterval as best we 

 could. 



But another evil came pressing upon our already heavy load through 

 the entire exhaustion of provisions, and the last of our stay wajB madi 

 twic« forlorn by cold and Wing. 



