186 WILD SPORTS IN THE FAR WEST. 



"Wliite river I had exchanged my buffalo skin for a 

 blanket — I had one spare shirt in my game-bag, with 

 a pair of rather woful looking socks, a small cord, a 

 bullet mould, and a few bits of lead ; but my greatest 

 incumbrance was the zither, which hung over my 

 shoulder. Yet it fully repaid me for all my trouble, 

 when I reposed by the fire after the day's toil, and I 

 never could have prevailed on myself to leave it in the 

 lurch. 



Towards evening, as, still suffering from raging 

 hunger, I Avas looking out for a dry spot to sleep on, 

 I felt it growing colder every moment ; I made haste 

 to light a good fire, and threw myself before it com- 

 pletely exhausted. A hard frost came on, and a little 

 later I was dehghted to see it begin to snow. I coiled 

 myself up as well as I could and was soon asleep. I 

 was awakened in the night by the frightful howling 

 of the wolves, Avhich probably had no better sport than 

 myself, and I consoled myself with the idea that per- 

 haps they were only half as hungry. I got up several 

 times during the night to shake off the snow, and feed 

 the fire with the large logs I had collected the evening 

 before ; so that, notwithstanding the severity of the 

 cold, I enjoyed a comfortable warmth. 



A bough breaking with the weight of snow, roused 

 me out of my sleep, and when I pulled the blanket from 

 my eyes they were nearly blinded by the bright, reflec- 

 tion of the sun's rays from the white surface. The 

 snow suited my purposes very well ; I rubbed my hands 

 and face with it, till they were quite in a glow, and 

 having no breakfast to cook, I was soon on the march. 

 Though weakened by my long fast, my good night's 



