Original - North Central Michigan College Library

Chapter 17A BEAR HUNTfTAHE sun was setting fast when I descendeda hill at the bottom of which was a smalllake entirely frozen over. On drawingnear I saw a beaver lodge in the middleoffering some faint prospect of food; but Ifound it already broken up. While I looked atit, it suddenly occurred to me that I had seenit before; and turning my eyes round the placeI discovered a small tree which I had myselfcut down in the autumn when in company withmy friends I had taken the beaver. I was nolonger at a loss, but knew both the distanceand the route to the encampment. The latterwas only to follow the course of a small streamof water which ran from the encampment tothe lake on which I stood. An hour beforeI had thought myself the most miserable ofmen; and now I leaped for joy and called myselfthe happiest.The whole of the night and through all ofthe succeeding day I walked up the rivulet,and at sunset reached the encampment, whereI was receiveol with the warmest expressions ofpleasure by the family, by whom I had beengiven up for lost after a long and vain searchfor me in the woods.