i86 
A VOYAGE' TO 
1779. brought him to our affiftance, the man, after viewing us 
A - > — , i for fome time very attentively, turned fhort round, and 
went off, with great fpeed, toward the ojtrog . We were not 
lefs chagrined than difappointed at his abrupt departure, as 
we began to find our journey over the ice attended not only 
with great difficulty, but even with danger. We funk at 
every ftep alrnoft knee deep in the fnow, and, though we 
found tolerable footing at the bottom, yet the weak parts 
of the ice not being difcoverable, we were conftantly ex- 
pofed to the rifk of breaking through it. This accident at 
laft actually happened to myfelf; for, ftepping on quickly 
over a fufpicious fpot, in order to prefs with lefs weight 
upon it, I came upon a fecond, before I could ftop myfelf, 
which broke under me, and in I fell. Luckily, I rofe clear 
of the ice, and a man that was a little way behind with, a 
boat-hook, throwing it to me, I laid it acrofs fome loofe 
pieces near me, and, by that means, was enabled to get upon 
firm ice again. 
As we approached the fhore, we found the ice, contrary 
to our expectations, more broken than it had been before. 
We were, however, again comforted by the fight of another 
fledge coming toward us, but inftead of proceeding to our 
relief, the driver ftopt fhort, and began to call out to us. I 
immediately held up to him IfmylofPs letters; upon which 
he turned about, and fet off back again full fpeed; fol- 
• lowed, I believe, not with the prayers of any of our party. 
Being at a great lofs what conclufions to draw from this 
unaccountable behaviour, we continued our march toward 
the ojlrog , with great circumfpeCtionJ and when we had ar¬ 
rived within a quarter of a mile of it, we perceived a body 
of armed men marching toward us. That we might give 
them as little alarm, and have as peaceable an appearance as 
poilible. 
