the BEIN-DEER. 
147 
tightly round my arm, to prevent dropping it, I fol- 
lowed the example of my wappus, 
of the animal to increase its speed. The whole 
party did the same, and redoubled their swiftness 
Two stars in the south-east had hitherto served as 
steering points ; all around us, however, became 
quickly obscured. The fog overtook us in oui ca- 
Lr, and in a few minutes the heavenly bodies were 
no longer visible. Our confusion was now greatly 
increased ; we were suddenly enveloped in a dense 
mist, and were unable to discern our nearest neigh- 
bours. Our speed, notwithstanding, was unrelaxed, 
and it was a complete helter-skelter race in the dark, 
every one minding himself. The utility of the deer s 
bells was here fuhy shewn, since without them half 
our party would probably have been bst. 
“ In this manner we scampered along the top 
the Solivara, bewildered and dreading lest the mist 
should be succeeded by the snow-drift. By the i - 
clination of the ground, our foremost guide perceived 
we were now coming to the descent of the lange, 
and for the first time was sensible, that the darkness 
had brought us into a part of the mountains with 
which he was unacquainted. Tins unpleasant in e 
li-rence made us proceed step by step with the ut- 
m°ost caution, till we found our progress suddenly 
arrested. The foremost deer had reached the b 
of a precipice, and had stopped from instinct. VA e 
had fortunately relaxed from our usual pace, or the 
whole party would have been over. We now turned 
