818 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 
heretofore been resigned to me. As we laid him down, his 
pulsation evidently quickened, but his eyes were still un- 
opened, and his limbs remained palsied. I brought water 
from the epring, which I freely used under the directions of 
the woman, who by this time had become too faint for farther 
exertion. The only immediate effect was a partial one, even 
with our slight expectation. He breathed still more freely, 
and slightly moved his head. I now had to apply the same 
remedy to herself, and soon had the satisfaction, after using 
the cold water freely, and enveloping her in skins, of which 
there was a large quantity piled on a sort of garret scaffolding 
near the roof, to see her fall into a deep but troubled sleep. 
I enveloped his body in much the same way, and then had 
leisure to look about me, and find what store of provision we 
had on hand. 
I was greatly disappointed to find but little venison cr 
meat of any kind stored in the house, and this filled me with 
uneasiness, for I did not yet feel myself strong enough to 
hunt, and could not help dwelling upon the frightful fate 
before us in the event of my wound proving worse than I an- 
ticipated. I did what I could for it until the most resistless 
drowsiness overtook me, and falling upon a pile of skins, I 
sunk into the deep sleep consequent upon extreme excitement 
and loss of blood. 
I was waked by the shrill cries of the woman, and, as I 
sprang to my feet was horrified to perceive from the flushed ap- 
pearance of her face, her wild ejaculations and even screams, 
that she was suffering from a raging brain fever. She tossed 
her body violently to and fro, moaning as she pressed her 
throbbing head convulsively between her hands, and occasion- 
ally shrieking at the top of her voice incoherently. It was a 
melancholy sight, indeed. I knew but one remedy in reach; 
and if there had been a thousand, perhaps none would have 
availed so well as the simple one to which I now resorted, 
almost upon compulsion! I hobbled to the spring for a fresh 
