TRAVELS 
2 34 
direction of the current in fummer. Our guides went before us 
in their Hedge, and we followed clofe behind them with all the 
precifion which an affair of fuch delicacy and importance re¬ 
quires. Having come to a part of the river which was almoft 
entirely open, we thought it would be imprudent to attempt to 
pafs it. We had however no alternative, but either to return and 
travel five or fix miles by land, with all its known inconveniencies, 
or palTing hard by a houfe, to make our horfes leap a barrier, and 
drag the fledge over a heap of Rones, till we fhould arrive again 
at the ice of the fame river. We chofe to prefer this laft mode 
of proceeding; the horfes cleared the barrier, we all gave our 
afliftance to lift up the fledge and throw it on the other fide, and 
we re-embarked on the ice clofe by a little mill. Having got 
upon the ice, we were much furprifed and concerned to find, that 
we had given ourfelves all this trouble only to reach a place where 
we had perils flill more alarming to encounter. The river was 
open on both fides, and it was neceffary for the fledge to pafs over 
a crufi: of ice which had maintained itfelf in the middle, and un¬ 
der which the water made a frightful noife. Our guides, who ven¬ 
tured on it firfl, allured us that there was no danger, and that 
when we had crolfed this piece we fhould have nothing more to 
fear during the remainder of our journey. It was at the moment 
a bitter pill to fwallow ; but it promifed to procure us much 
comfort afterwards. Although our guides had by this time got to 
the other fide, our anxiety was not diminifhed ; we were unable 
to conquer the reluctance excited in our minds by the view and 
noife 
