136 NARRATIVES. 



got to the shanty about dark, and carefully collected a pile of 

 dry sticks for kindling, spread my blanket in the corner, and 

 prepared to have a comfortable night of it. Then I went to 

 my knapsack to get my flint and steel to light my fire with, 

 but they were missing. I searched every corner in vain, and 

 finally concluded that I had left them back in camp. By this 

 time it was dark, and piercing cold, and I hardly knew what 

 to do. It was too late to think of returning to the camp, and 

 I knew I should freeze to death if I remained where I was. 

 So, after thinking it all over, I concluded to go on to Fol- 

 som's. I thought if I could get to the river the ice would be 

 strong enough to hold me, and it would be easier travelling, 

 and a straight road. 



" I continued my course down the river until I came to a 

 series of falls. Here the river was open, and I was obliged 

 to leave the ice and travel on land until I got by the falls. 

 After, as I thought, I had got by all danger, and supposing 

 the ice strong enough to bear me, I grasped an alder-bush and 

 slid down on to the ice. But the ice was n't as strong as I had 

 calculated, and so, instead of landing on solid bottom, I went 

 straight through. I went in up to my neck, and was only 

 saved from going completely under by the alder-bush, to which 

 I still clung. I managed by dint of some maneuvering to dis- 

 engage myself from my snow-shoes and knapsack. These, with 

 my hatchet, I shoved from me on the ice. I then pulled my- 

 self out and went on ; but before I had gone twenty rods my 

 clothes were frozen stiff. I kept on for some distance further 

 down stream, to where the river was not so rapid, and con- 

 cluded to try the ice again. But I had no better luck than 

 before. The ice gave way, and in I went again, just as I did 

 before. I felt pretty bad, I can tell you, about that time ; 

 but I managed to get out and go on again. The walking was 

 so hard that I could n't help trying the ice once more. I 

 ought to have known better, or at least taken better care, 

 after getting in twice ; but somehow I did n't. I slid down on 

 to the ice, and in an instant found myself in a little worse sit- 

 uation than I had been before. The ice was nearly but not 

 quite thick enough to bear me ; and I was so far from shore 



