to present the appearance of a lake. Urged on, however, by youthful
ardour and ambition, I determined to make at least one attempt ere I
relinquished the enterprise; although I acknowledge that the idea of
overcoming difficulties deemed insurmountable by an opponent, had as
much to do with the resolution as the desire of doing my duty.
Followed by my men, I accordingly plunged in, along the margin of the
marsh; the water reached our middle, but we found it to decrease in
depth as we proceeded, though never below the knee. The water being
very cold, our legs soon became quite benumbed; nevertheless we moved
onward. A certain passage in history occurred to my mind, which
records the perseverance of a great man in a like situation. I too
persevered, though with a different object in view. We all have our
hobbies. I waded for furs, he for glory. We occasionally met with
large trunks of trees as we proceeded, on which we mounted, and
restored the circulation to our limbs by stamping upon them; and thus,
after five or six hours' painful exertion we reached dry land, where a
rousing fire and a hearty breakfast made us soon forget the miseries
of the swamp.

We reached the old _bear's den_ next evening, who, with his party,
expressed much surprise to see me at such a season, and in recompense
for my exertions, "traded"[1] every article of goods I had.

[1] _Anglicè_,--bought.

There were here seven Indians, who, notwithstanding the frequent
visits that had been paid them, in the course of the winter, by the
people of the lower posts, had still upwards of forty packs of beaver.
I got one pack, with which I set off on my return, pleased enough.
We found the water in the swamp so far subsided as to permit an easy