Year: 1859

structure down 10 that civilization which saw
log ought 10 be able 10 reach. Such was the
course we adopted. We dragged the logs
down 10 the creek, aud la Muuaiain tied them
together, be was evidently more Of sailor
than myself We got under way, and as we
pushed off a crow set up a dismal eawing--sn
inauspicious sign, aud Ominous Of the great
trials and sufieringa in store Er us. We poled
down stream about ten miles and came ab-
ruptly upon an immense pine tree which bed
fallen across the stream, eomJletely blocking
the passage Of the ran. No other alternative
was left but 10 unite the pieces ard attempt TO
push them through under the log. This was at
last done. tied the raft together again aud
poled her down stream. 10 day we each ate a
raw frog, All We could fnd, and began 70 feel
that We were hungry. But there was no com.
plaining--our talk was OF the hopeful future,
and the civilization We hoped yetto reach
Down the creek we went into lake some two
miles long, aud into WHICH we Of course sup
posed the stream assed, having its outlet at
the lower end We followed down the north
ern bank, keeping always in shallow spots 80
that our poles could touch the bottom, until we
arrived at the bottom of the lake, where we
found no outlet, and turned back upon the
southern baHk in quest of il. % reaching the
head of the lake we found that the current OF
the creek turned abruptly to the right, VIII Oh
was the cause Of our losing it.


We fst happy to have found It again, and
piled our poles like heroes. We passed, dur
Jog the day, the SPOT where we had tirst struck
the creek, aud where we had made a slight
landmark, which might afterwaTd aid us in
finding the "Atantic," should we ever wish TO
do SO in order to get her out AT night we did
not stop, but kept the raft going down through
the shades Of awful forests. whose solemn still
mess seemed TO hold the unreyealed mystery Of
our larkeuing future About 10 o'clock 1t be-
gan to rain again. We stopped the ''vessel, u
and crawled in under some "tag" aders on the
bank, where our extreme WEAKNESS enabled us
to get perhaps, half an hours sleep. Ris-
iug again flor it was easier TO pole at night in
the rain down an unknown stream, than TO lie
on the ground aud freeze), we pressed on for a
coupe of hours, until about 3 O'Clock, when
pure exhaustion induced us To stop again.--
This time we found a spot where the clayey
bank lacked little of coming down TO the wa
! ter On the mud we threw our little bundle
/ of straw, and sat down with our feet drawn
under us, 50 that our bodies presented as little
surface as possible for the rain 10 beat upon -
But we could not stand such an uncomfortable
position long, aud as the daylight of the Sab
bath broke upon us, We were polling down th'
stresm in a drizzling rain. Az 8 O'Clock We
came TO place where the stream caROned-
rushing over stony bed, down a steep dc
scent between high rocks on either bank. II
get our raft down this place we regarded al
| hopeless. We tied up and examined the shore
here, again, we found unmistakahs evidenc'
of lumbernen, as they had evidently camped al
this point to be handy, by the attempts they
were doubtless obliged to make to get the tim
Der down the canon The rapids were about 1
third of a mile long, and in all the rapids o
Black River there is nothing wild and 70
mantle as these. We descended the bank anC
thought it best to try our luck on foot Alte
travelling about mile, we found the bank 8,
tangled and rugged, and ourselves so muel
exhausted, that locomotiOn was impossible
SO we concluded to 90 back, and il We coulC
get the raft down piece at time, we woul'
20 on with heri if not, we would build as goo'
place as possible to crawl into, and prepar
for death.


We went back, and after examining th


stream attentively, concluded TO try TO get th
raft down, We at once commenced and lreel
confess this the most trying AM abCriou
work of life of labor The pieces would no


npat over a rod az time before they woul


stick on some stone which the low water lei
above the surface, aud then you must pry


over in some way, and pass IL along TO the mex
obstruction. We were obliged to get into th
stream, often up to the middle, and there sew
eral times fell headlong--completely using u
our compass, which now frantically pointed il
any direction its added head thought desirable


The water had unglucd the case, and it wa
ruined. After long hours OF such labor, we 90
the raft down, and La M. again tied tlogetheI


Passing on, in about hour we came to


large lake, ten miles long aud Elk miles broad


Around il we must, of course, pass until W
lal..r s,A Nl,a % g.. 4


the right, and pressed ON with as much resuu


ton as could be expected To day we foun


one clam, which iusisted La Mountain shoul


eat, as he was weaker than myself, and ha


eaten little or nothing on the day we went Vi


Around we went into all the indentatlons


the shore, keeping always IN shallow water
AT last we stopped at place we thought leas
exposed to the wind We laid down upon tn
cold ground having lifted up the end of OF


raft so that the wind might rot drift it away
the night


, We were cold when we laid down, anl bot
of us trembled BY the hour like men suiferin
from severe attack Of the ague. The win


had risen just at night, and the dismal suIgin
of the waves upon the shore formed, | though
fitting lullaby 10 slumbers so disturbed al


dismal as ours. BY this time our clothes wei


nearly torn Off My pantAloons were slit Il
,
My boots both leaked, and the mighty wres
lings in the oanoDs had torn the skin from OF


ankles and hands La Mountains bat wa


gone. The first day out he had thrown ava


bis wooen drawers and sto, kings as tn,
dragged him down 10y the weight Of the wat
they absorbed. We slept but little 1t real


seemed as though, during the night, we pass'


through the horrors OF dozen deaths.
r daylight we got up by degrees--frst on OF
} knee and then on tile other-so stiff and wes
! we could hardly stand.


Again upon tho almost endless lake we wei
Z following round its shore for an outlet. AbOl
/ 10 o'clock we found broad, northern strear
Q which we thought was tue outlet we wei
| seeking, and we entered il with great Joy, u


lieying it would take us 10 our long sougl


Ottawa. Shortly after entering the stream


widened out and assumed the form of lax


We poled up the westerly shore for about sew
miles, but found we were again deceived.
: our way up Mr.. La Mountain sang these proti
i lines


"cheer up your hearts my men;


= Let nothing flight you;


s BE II gallant mind


A Let that delight YOU"


n His voice was hardly above whisper, b.
d The song WAS a source Of great comfort TO m
e His, indeed, was a "gallant mind, which Il