Harmon's journal. 



113 



friend Henrj, who, I understood, was about half a 

 days' march from where I was the last night, I 

 therefore, set off this morning, accompanied by an 

 Indian lad who serves as a guide, with the inten- 

 tion of visiting this place. After walking all day, 

 without finding either wood or water, and but a 

 few inches of snow, just as the sun was descending 

 below the horizon, we thought that we descried 

 a small grove, at a considerable distance, directly 

 before us. So long, therefore, as the light re- 

 mained, we directed our course to that object ; 

 but as soon as the day light failed, we had noth- 

 ing by which to guide ourselves, excepting the 

 stars, which, however, answered very well, until 

 even their faint twinkling was utterly obscured by 

 clouds, and we were inveloped in total darkness. 

 In this forlorn condition, we thought it best to 

 continue our march as well as we could ; for we 

 were unwilling to lie down, with little or nothing 

 with which to cover us, and keep ourselves from 

 freezing. There was no wood, with which we 

 could make a fire, nor buffaloe dung, which often 

 serves as fuel, when travelling about in those 

 plains. Neither could we find water to drink ; 

 and without fire, we could not melt the snow, for 

 this purpose. We suffered much for want of wa- 

 ter, as we had nothing to eat but very dry provis- 

 ions, which greatly excited thirst. — To be depriv- 



15 



