Snow Shoes and Canoes | Page 5

forward soon climbed up among the rocks and
shrubs to the top. Before me, stretching to the westward, was a
perfectly level plain, on the edge of which I looked down on the other
side over the lower country, across which we had passed.
I could see our horses toiling upwards among the rocks and shrubs to
the top, followed by Sandy and the two other men, he having stopped
to speak to them. The sky overhead and on three sides was clear, but on
looking to the northward I observed a dense black mass which came
sweeping along at a tremendous rate towards me. Though the air had
just before been perfectly serene, on a sudden a keen cutting wind
struck me with a force which almost took me off my feet.
The next instant I was in the midst of a fearful snowstorm. The sun in a
moment became obscured, and the wind increasing rose to a perfect
hurricane. I could dimly discern two of the horses which just then had
reached the plateau. I ran towards one of them to secure it, hoping that
it was my own, but I found that it was one of the loaded animals, and
unfortunately not the one on which I had laid my coat and gun. In a few
seconds of time, so fearful had become the darkness that I could not see
three feet ahead of my nose. I shouted at the top of my voice to the rest

of the men who were, I knew, not far from me to mount their horses
and come on, allowing the others to shift for themselves.
We should all be frozen to death if we were to remain where we were.
Our only hope of safety was to reach a thick grove of trees at the farther
end, and I hoped that we might get to it before the snow became too
deep to allow the animals to move rapidly over the ground.
In vain I looked for my own horse. I could faintly hear Sandy and the
other men shouting in return to my cries, but whereabouts they were I
could not tell. I fully believed that they would all follow the course I
proposed, and as I could not discover my own animal I cut the tyings
and threw off the load from the pack-horse I had caught, then mounting
on the pack-saddle I rode off at full speed through the deep snow, in the
hope of reaching the wood.
So rapidly did the snow come down that in a few moments it was
several inches deep. Every instant it was increasing and rendering my
progress more difficult. I urged on the poor animal, which seemed to
know its danger and did its utmost, but thicker and thicker fell the snow,
and in a short time, night coming on, it became so dark that I was
literally unable to see my hand held close to my face; except judging by
the wind, I could not tell in what direction we were going. I could only
hope that the instinct of the animal might guide it towards the wood in
which shelter could be obtained.
As to seeking my companions, that was out of the question. I shouted
to them every now and then, but no voice answered my calls. I knew,
however, that they all, being well acquainted with the country, would
endeavour to reach the shelter for which I was aiming, and I hoped at
length to meet them there.
The cold was intense; even had I possessed my overcoat it would have
been bad enough to bear, but with only moderately thick clothing on, I
felt the wind pierce to my very bones. I rode on, however, as long as I
was able to sit my horse, but at length my limbs became so benumbed
by the cold that I could ride no further. The poor beast also was almost
exhausted with his exertions in plunging on through the deep snow.

Hoping to keep somewhat warm by walking I dismounted, and leading
him by the bridle tried to get along. At every step I made I sank
halfway up to my knees, and could scarcely lift my feet high enough to
make another step forward; still, it would be death to stay where I was.
I went on, hoping that I was approaching the wood. Now and then I
stopped and shouted; still there was no reply.
I became at length convinced that I must have either passed the wood
or been going in another direction. No sound reached my ears but that
of the thick-falling snow, which seemed to come down in a mass upon
the earth, so rapidly did it accumulate.
Sandy, I knew, would be very