190 PICTURE OF THE PLATTE. 



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

 we were fast aground in the middle of a river, three-fourths of a mile 

 from either shore, confined to the narrow limits of a few feet, exposed to 

 the merciless peltings of a chill storm of rain and sleet, with only a thin 

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

 worse than 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 suflTering and 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 dint of extraordinary effort we finally succeeded in 

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

 bars for a distance of two miles. 



All hands now turned 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 our craft onward for six or eight miles, we 

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

 hills, two other antelope v^^ere brought in, which furnished us with a fur- 

 ther supply of provisions. 



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

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



Here, towards 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 efTorts to save them. 



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

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

 distance. 



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

 tinuance. Sailing v/as out of the question. 



Not unfrequcntiy we were obliged to unload five or six times in the 

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

 carrying its cargo upon our backs through the water a half-mile or moro, to 

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

 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 wliich to choose. 



Now, gliding along merrily 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 against a swift current, we retrace our steps for a like distance, 

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

 veying our landing to the nearest point of land, by means of hand-spikes 

 and levers, (requiring an exercise of the utmost strength,) we force our 



