1 62 Field and Forest Rambles. 



advised us to return, and even after we had fairly turned our 

 backs on him, exclaimed, "You will both remember me 

 and my advice should we meet again!" yet Malcolm, sotto 

 voce, in his quiet drawling way, " guessed he had been out in 

 worse weather," and, encouraged by his indifference, I allowed 

 the team to proceed ; so onward we staggered, horse and man 

 floundering and sinking at every step. At times the horse 

 rolled over on its side, or both fore-legs sinking simultaneously, 

 sent its nose into the snow ; now the hind quarters disappeared, 

 when the animal assumed the appearance of a giraffe. Still on- 

 ward we crawled, making very slow progress, but not yet alto- 

 gether brought to a standstill, until we got clear of the forest 

 where the road led across an open, over which the snow had 

 drifted to the depth of six or eight feet. Here matters became 

 desperate, as finally, with a tremendous plunge, down went the 

 poor animal, until nothing was seen except its back and head, 

 when there was no alternative but to dig her out. Accustomed, 

 however, to such contretemps > instead of struggling, as most 

 horses would do, the poor patient brute resigned "itself to fate, 

 and waited patiently until we had cleared away sufficient snow 

 to enable her to regain her legs ; no sooner was this done than 

 another step, and a repetition of the immersion, proved that 

 our journey was at an end for that day at all events. Matters 

 had indeed become critical : the sun was on the horizon, we 

 were several miles from the village, and there were no signs of 

 a human habitation, while my horse lay shivering in the snow! 

 But not even these untoward events shook the imperturbable 

 coolness of the guide, for he lighted his pipe, and not till then 

 did he utter a single word, when, after a deep whiff, came a 

 suggestion to the effect that if the horse could be got under 

 cover there would be no difficulty in making up beds for our- 

 selves in the sleigh among the bear-skins. Indeed his conclusion 

 seemed inevitable. All around was a vast mantle of snow, 

 with only the tops of snake fences visible here and there ; but 

 just toward the edge of the forest there appeared a small puff 



