Original - North Central Michigan College Library

attfcgun and ammunition, and was therefore underno anxiety in regard to food. The snow layabout half a foot in depth.My eyes were now employed upon the trees.When their tops leaned different ways I lookedto the moss, or to the branches; and by connectingone with another, I found the means oftraveling with some degree of confidence. Atfour o'clock in the afternoon the sun, to myinexpressible joy, broke from the clouds, andI had now no further need of examining thetrees.In going down the side of a lofty hill I satya herd of red deer approaching. Desirous ofkilling one of them for food, I hid myself in thebushes, and on a large one coming near, presentedmy piece, which missed fire on accountof the priming having been wetted. The animalswalked along without taking the least alarm;and having reloaded my gun, I followed themand presented a second time. But now adisaster of the heaviest kind had befallen me;for on attempting to fire I found that I hadI had previously lost the screwlost the cock.by which it was fastened to the lock; and toprevent this from being lost also I had tied it inits place with a leather string: the lock, toprevent its catching in the bows, I had carriedunder my molton coat.Of all the sufferings which I had experiencedthis seemed to me the most severe. I was in astrange country, and knew not how far I had135