A iiunter'8 life. 261 



found sleep, when two of tne oldest children, being 

 awakened by the suflocating smoke, that came in at the 

 door, which had been left open when they went to bed, saw 

 the flames in the under part of the house. 



The eldest child ran down stairs to rouse her father and 

 mother; and as soon as she had done so, she returned up 

 stairs again, to bring down two smaller ones. She entered 

 the smoky room, and awakened her brother, who was 

 smaller than herself, when each took a child in their arms, 

 and ran for the door; but the flames met them there, and 

 they could not get down. They then sought to extricate 

 themselves by jumping out of the window ; but the room 

 was so full of smoke that they could not find it. 



By this time they we-iv suS'ocated with the hot smoke, 

 and gave up ; and as they then found that the two little 

 ones were strangling, and nearly dead, they laid tliem on 

 the bed. As the daughter turned from them, she saw, 

 through the thick smoke, a spot which looked light; and, 

 as a last efl'ort, she ran to see what it was ; when, finding 

 the window, she called to her brother, and they both threw 

 themselves out and escaped unhurt. All was bustle and 

 dismay, the nearly distracted parents running heli)lessly 

 round the burning building. 



At length the roof fell in, the floor began to yield, and 

 soon descended, carrying with it the two infants into the 

 scorching flames. Oh ! what a sight was that for a mother I 

 and no means of relief at hand The ground was covered 

 with snow, and all were without other clothes than those 

 they had slept in. This was the most melancholy sight I 

 ever met with during my life. 



But to return to my story. At a suitable time I went 

 home, and John L., and James, my third son, prepared 

 for thf hunt. We loaded one horse with provisions, and 

 two others with other articles, such as an axe, a i)ot, a 

 small griddle, potatoes, apjjles, etc. : when, all being ready 



