Original - North Central Michigan College Library

and made a fire, and stripping a tree of itssheet of bark, lay down under it to shelter mefrom the snow. All night at small distancesthe wolves howled around; and to me seemedto be acquainted with my misfortune.Amid thoughts the most distracted I was ableat length to fall asleep; but it was not longbefore I awoke, refreshed, and wondering atthe terror to which I had yielded myself. ThatI could really have wanted the means of recoveringmy way appeared to me almost incredible;and the recollection of it like a dream,or as a circumstance which must have proceededfrom the loss of my senses. Had thisnot happened I could never, as I now thought,have suffered so long without calling to mindthe lessons which I had received from myIndian friend for the very purpose of beinguseful to me in difficulties of this kind. Thesewere that generally speaking the tops of pinetrees lean toward the rising of the sun; thatmoss grows toward the roots of trees on theside which faces the north; and that the limbsof trees are most numerous and largest on thatwhich faces the south.Determined to direct my feet by thesemarks and persuaded that I should thussooner or later reach Lake Michigan, which Ireckoned to be distant about sixty miles, II had notbegan my march at break of day.taken, nor wished to take, any nourishment,since I left the encampment; I had with me my134