an enormous mass of snow. A snow-slide had 

 run in from a side gulch. We managed to get 

 into the upper edge of this snow, where it was 

 thin and not compressed. 



Cricket fought her way through in the most 

 matter-of-fact manner, notwithstanding her 

 head and neck were all that showed above the 

 snow. As these return horses are often caught 

 out in deep drifts, it is important that they be 

 good "snow horses." She slowly forced her way 

 forward, sometimes pawing to make an opening 

 and again rearing and striking forward with 

 both fore feet. From time to time she paused to 

 breathe, occasionally eating a mouthful of snow 

 while she rested. All the time I talked encour- 

 agingly to her, saying, "Of course you can 

 make it!" "Once more!" 



When more than halfway through the snow- 

 slide mass, one of the saddle-cinches caught on 

 the snag of a fallen log and held her fast. Her 

 violent efforts were in vain. Wallowing my way 

 along the rocks several yards above, I de- 

 scended to her side, cut both saddle-cinches, 

 threw the saddle and the sleeping-bag off her 



178 



