6 
NARROW ESCAPE. 
tea and sugar, and four gallons of water, besides 
the arms and ammunition I had secured last 
night. 
From the state of our horses, and the dreadful 
circumstances we were placed in, I was now obliged 
to abandon every thing but the bare necessaries of 
life. The few books and instruments I had still 
left, with many of the specimens I had collected, a 
saddle, and some other things, were thrown aside to 
lighten somewhat more the trifling loads our animals 
had to carry. A little bread was then baked, and 
I endeavoured once more to put the rifle in ser- 
viceable condition, as it was the only weapon we 
should have to depend upon in any dangers that 
might beset us. Unable in any way to take out the 
breech, or to extract the ball, I determined to melt 
it out, and for that purpose took the barrel off the 
stock, and put the breech in the fire, holding the 
muzzle in my hand. Whilst thus engaged, the rifle 
went off, the ball whizzing close past my head ; the 
fire, it seems, had dried the powder, which had been 
wetted, not washed out ; and when the barrel was 
sufficiently heated, the piece had gone off, to the 
imminent danger of my life, from the incautious 
way in which I held it. The gun, however, was 
again serviceable ; and after carefully loading it, 
I felt a degree of confidence and security I had 
before been a stranger to. 
At eight o’clock we were ready to proceed ; there 
remained but to perform the last sad offices of 
