Year: 1864

in getting this grain on, though tedious


to mention, may be worthy of notice.


Soon after set out for home sometime


in the month of March it began to rain,


and was very rainy day and night.
The Lamoillc was raised-the ice became
rotten and dangerous crossing-many of
the small streams were broken up The


man of whom l purchased the grain was


SO good as to take his team and carry it


to the mill The owner of the mill asked


me how | expected to get my meal home.


| answered him as the case really was,


that l knew not. The feeling man then


offered me his oxen and sled to carry it to


the Park, and 1 thankfully accepted his


kind offer. He then turned to the miller


aud directed him to grind my grist toll


free. While at the mill man requested


me to bring half hogshead tub on my


sled up to Johnson. By permission of


the owner of the oxen, no put the tub on


the sled, and it was Providential circum-


stance, for when l came to Brewster's


branch wild stream, | found it broken


up, run rapid and deep. At first I was


perplcxed what to do 70 60 across with


my bags on the sled would ruin my meal:


| soon thought of the tub; this held


about half of my bags; the other half I


left on the shore, and proceeded into the


branch and crossed with safety. Though


was wetncarly to my middle, | unload


ed the tub and returned into the branch,


holding the tub on the sled, but the stream


was SO rapid, the tub being empty, that


in spite all my exertions l was washed off


the sled and carried down the stream.


holding on to the tub, for this | knew


was my only alternative to get across my


load. At last l succeeded in getting the


tub to the shore, though | was washed


down the stream more than twenty rods,


sometimes up to my armpits in the water,


and how kept the tub from filing in


this hasty struggle, | know not, but so il


was. The oxen, though turned towards


home, happily fer me, when they had got


across the stream, stopt in the path, till
came up with the tub l then put in the
other half of my load, hnd succeeded il
getting the whole across the branch, anc
travelled on about three miles and put uE
for the night Wet as | was, and at that
season of the year, it is easy to conceive
my uncomfortable situation, for the thav
was over, and it was chilly and cold. Ii
the morning proceeded for home---cam
to the river; not being sensible how veal
!. the ice was, attempted to cross, but her
scene ensued that | can never forget
When about half across the river, | per
ceived the ice settling under my oxen.


jumped on to the tongue. of my sled, ant
; hastcned to the oxen's heads, and pulle,
on the pin that held the yoke. By thi
time the oxen were sunk to their krees il
the water then sprang to the sled, ant
i hon l. 30 tho ~ IL IL
least difficulty, notwithstanding the load
and returned to my oxen By this tim
they had broken considerable. path il
the ice, and were struggling to get out
could do nothing but stand and see then
swim round-sometimes they would b
nearly out of sight, nothing scarcely bu
their horns to be seen; they would thel
rise and struggle to extricate themselve
, from their perilous situation. l called
for help in vain !; and to fly for assistance
: would have been imprudent and fatal
9 Notwithstanding my unhappy situation
and the manner by which came by thu
oxen. &C., Twas not terrified in the leas
9 at legth the oxen swan up to whore
. stood and laid their heads on the ice a
! my feet. / Immediately took the yok,
from off their necks: they lay still til
the act was performed, and then returned
to swimming as before. By this tint
Q they had made an opening in the ice al
! much as two rods across. One of then


finally swan to the down stream side, ant
, in an instant, as if lifted out of the wa
ter. he was on his side on the. ice, and go