144 
THE REIN-DEEH. 
no less difficult tlian liazardous ; indeed it appeared 
((uite impracticable, from the width of the unfrozen 
part, which was about seven feet, and in the centre 
of the stream. The whole breadth of the Aiby Elv 
here might perhaps be twenty feet, and on each side 
there ivas a short precipitous bank, the apace be- 
tween that on ivhich we were and the open part, 
being about six or seven feet, the ice of which ap- 
peared firm and thick. 
“ The wappus now gutting out of his pulk, sta- 
tioned himself near the open part; and the sledges 
then advancing, each deer was urged forward by his 
driver to the utmost of his speed, descending the de- 
clivity at full gallop. Nothing less than such an im- 
petus could have carried us across, from the heavy 
load of tlie sledge and driver. Tlie natural force 
which its own weight gave it, being thus so greatly 
increased by the speed of the deer, and the icy 
smoothness of the bank, it made of itself so great a 
bound on coming to the open space, as in most in- 
stances to gain the firm part of the opposite ice, and 
by the strength of the deer was dragged up the oji- 
posite side. The first three or four took their leaps 
in fine style, carrying their drivers completely and 
safely over. The one immediately before me failed 
in the latter respect ; for though it cleared the open 
part, yet the sledge, horn its w'uight or some other 
cause, not making a sufficient bound, the fore part 
of it alone reached the firm ice, and the hinder, with 
its driver, was consequently immersed in the water, 
till the deer, by main strengtl), extricated it from its 
