CH. XXXIV. SNOW-STORM. 235 



We stopped and looked at each other. " This is 

 geyan sharp," said the shepherd, " but we must n't 

 lose a moment's time, or we shall be smothered in the 

 drift ; so come on, Sir :" and on we went. Bad as 

 it was, we did not dare to stop for its abating, and 

 having fortunately seen the cottage for a moment, we 

 knew that our course for the present lay straight 

 down the mountain. After struggling on for some 

 time we came to a part of the ground which rather 

 puzzled us, as instead of being a steep slope it 

 was perfectly flat ; a break, however, in the storm 

 allowed us to see for a moment some of the birch 

 trees on the opposite side of the river, which we 

 judged were not far from our destination. The 

 river itself we could not see, but the glimpse we 

 had caught of the trees guided us for another start, 

 and we went onwards as rapidly as we could until 

 the storm again closed round us, with such violence 

 that we could scarcely stand upright against it. 

 We began now at times to hear the river, and we 

 made straight for the sound, knowing that it must 

 be crossed before we could reach home, and hoping 

 to recognize some bend or rock in it which would 

 guide us on our way. 



At last we came to the flat valley through which 

 the stream ran, but here the drift was tremendous, 

 and it was with the utmost diflBculty that we got to 



