Original - North Central Michigan College Library

Crafcelg attfcThe striking of the tents, the tongues of thewomen, and the cries of the dogs were allheard at once. At the first dawn of day werecommenced our journey. Nothing wasvisible but the snow and sky; and the snow wasdrifted into ridges resembling waves.Soon after sunrise we descried a herd ofoxen, extending a mile and a half in length andtoo numerous to be counted. They traveled,not one after another, as in the snow otheranimals usually do, but in a broad phalanx,slowly, and sometimes stopping to feed. Wedid not disturb them, because to have attackedthem would have occasioned much delay to ourprogress; and because the dogs were alreadysufficiently burdened not to need the additionof the spoil.At two o'clock we reached a small lake surroundedwith wood, and where the trees wereof a size somewhat larger than those behind.There were birch trees among the rest. Iobserved that wherever there was water therewas wood. All the snow upon the lake wastrodden down by the feet of wild oxen. Whenthis was the case on the land an abundance ofcoarse grass discovered itself beneath. Wewere unable to penetrate to the water in thelake, though we cut a hole in the ice to thedepth of three feet. Where we cleared the groundfor our encampments no stones were to be seen.This evening we had scarcely encampedwhen there arrived two Osinipoilles, sent by271