Year: 1864

the moon shone bright, and it was re-


markably cold. l awoke supposing it


nearly day, and sat out, not being sensi-


bic of the cold. and being thinly clad


soon found was in danger Of freezing,


and began to run. jump, thrash my hands,
&c. The path being full of holes and a


light snow had just fallen that filled them


up, | often fell, and was in danger of


breaking my limbs, &c. The cold seemed to


increase, and | was forced to exert my ut


most strength to keep from freezing; my
limbs became numb before got through,


though | ran about every step Of the 8
miles, and when got to McDaniels' the


cocks crowed for day. was surprised


upon coming to the fire to fnd that the
bottoms Of my mockasins and stockings


were cut and worn through the bottoms


of my feet being entirely bare, having


cut them by the holes in the path, but


notwithstanding the severity of the frost,


l was preserved, not being frozen in any


part Had broken limb. or but slight
| ly spraiut joint, which | was in inmi-


nent danger of doing l must have per-


ished on the way, as few minutes of re-


spite must have teen fatal. da H"''.l


In the early part of my residence in


Wolcott, by some means obtained knowl-


edge of there being beaver on q small


stream in Hardwick and dcsirous to i'm


prove every means in my power for the
support Of my family, and to retrieve my


circumstances, determined on tour to


try my fortune at beaver hunting Ac-


cordingly, late in the fall, | set out in


company with my neighbor Taylor on the


intended enterprise We took what was
called the Coos road, which was nothing


more than marked trees in about seven


miles we reached the stream, and pro-


cceded up it about three miles farther, and


searched for beaver, but were soon con.


vinced. that they had left the ground.


We, however, set few traps. Soon after


VIC started it began to rain, apd before


night the rain turned into moist snow


that melted as fast as it fell. Before we


reached the hunting ground. we we're wet


to our skins; night soon came on-we


found it necessary to camp (as the hunt


ers use the term); with difficulty we


struck up fire, but our fuel was poor,


chiefly green timber-the storm increased


the snow continued moist our bad ac-


commodations grew worse and worse our


fire was not sufficient to warm US and


much less to dry US we dared not at


tempt to lay down. but continued on our


feet through the night, feeding our fire


and endeavoring to warm our shivering
! limbs. This is memorable night to me
the most distressing ever experienced ;


we anxiously looked for day. At length
the dawn appeared, but it was dismal


and dreary scene. The moist snow had


adhered TO every thing in its way; the
/. trees and underwood were remarkably
! loaded, we're completely hidden from
sight-nothing to be seen but snow, and
. nothing to be heard but the cracking Of
the bended boughs under the enormous
|, weight, we could scarcely see a rod al
MONDAY. When light enough to travel
we set out for home, and finding it not
! safe to leave the stream for fear of getting
bewidered and lost, We followed it back
it was lined the chief of the way with
beaver meadow, covered with thick
: growth of alder; we had no way to gel
through them but for one to go forward
and beat off the snow with heavy stick
We thus proceeded, though very slowly
. down the stream to the Coos road, anC
worried through the ten miles home a
/. the dusk of the evening, nearly exhaust
{ ed by fatigue wet and cold, for it begaI
to freeze in the morning; our clothes wer'
q frozen stiff on our back when | pullet
off my great coat it was SO stiff as t.
stand up on the floor. In order to saw
: our traps we had to make another trip
/: and one solitary muskrat made up ou
compensation for this tour. 4f o
: A painful circumstance respecting m.


family nuat here mention In the yea