190 PICTURE or THE PLATTB. 



The gloomy reality of this situation may be thus briefly summed up ;— 

 we were fa^t aground in the middle of a river, three-fourths of a rnile 

 from either sliore, coufined to the narrow limits of a few feet, exposed to 

 the merciless peltinga of a chill storm of rain aiid sleet, with only a tliia 

 lodge skin to shelter us, without fire to warm or dry ourselves by, and, 

 worse tlian all, destitute of the means of appeasing the gnawings of hun- 

 ger. 



But, forbidding as the picture may seem, it proved only the commence- 

 ment of a long series of suiFering aud deprivation, more intensely dread- 

 ful in its nature, that was yet held in reserve for us. 



On the forenoon of the fourth day the storm abated, and, favored with a 

 slight rise of water, by dirt of extraordinary effort we finally succeeded in 

 getting afloat, aud gained the right shore after pulling our craft over sand- 

 bars for a distance of two miles. 



All hands now tinned out in search of game, one of whom returned, 

 towards night with an antelope, providing us with a needful supply of food 

 for the time being. 



The next day, forcing oar crafl onward for six or eight miles, we 

 brought to upon tlie left shore, where, after a short excursion among the 

 hills, two other antelope were brought in, v/liich furnished us with a fur- 

 ther supply of provisions. 



The day tbllowing we continued our voyage till towards noon, when a 

 high wind compelled us again to lay by under the ke of a small island. 



Here, toward3 night, having spread our robes near the camp fire, while 

 all hands were busy at the boat, a sudden gust of wind bore the sparks 

 among the dry grass, and in an instant the whole island was one sheet of 

 flame ! robes, blankets, and all, were almost entirely destroyed, notwith- 

 standing our prompt efibrts to sa\'e them. 



Continuing on, the next morning we forced our boat, or rather carried it, 

 down stream for about fifteen miles, — wading tlie river for nearly the whole 

 distance. 



Our mode of voyaging was pretty much the same, each day of ita con 

 tinuance. Sailing was out of the question. 



Not unfrequently we were obliged to imload five or six times in the 

 course of a few hour?, in order to lift the boat over high sand-bars,— 

 carrying its cargo- upon our b:icks through the water a half-r^'le or snore, to 

 some dry place of deposit for the mean time ; then returning it in the hke 

 tiresome manner, — now in water up to our arm-pits, — then scarcely enough 

 to cover the sand of the river bed. 



As for a channel there was none, or rather, there were so many we were 

 at a continual loss which to choose. 



Now, gliding along meirily for a mile or two, we are brought to a halt 

 by the water scattering over a broad bed, and find ourselves snugly 

 '^pocketed," with no other means of extrication than by backing out ; then, 

 wading agtiinst a swift current, we retrace our steps for a like distance, 

 itnd try another chute, perhaps with no better success ; — then, again, con- 

 veying our landing to the nearest point of laud, by means of hand-spikee 

 kad levers, (requiring an exercise of the utmost strength,) we force ev 



