ve us enough to
do. It was quite calm, or blew very little, the wind coming from all
quarters; nevertheless, we could not dry ourselves, although we kept
turning continually round towards the fire. We were wet through, and
could do nothing better than to stand straight up, whereby from the
length of time and the weight of our clothes we became very weary
instead of having the repose we so much needed. Walk or sit, we could
not, because it was too dark, and the land too full of water for the
former, and for the other it was too wet. We were compelled to wait
with patience in this position until daylight, which seemed to tarry,
because we longed for it so much. It was one of the shortest days in
the year, with dark and rainy weather. Each one looked out for the day
as if we could thereby cause it to appear sooner. Finally, as our wood
was consumed, the day began.

_30th, Saturday._ As soon as we could see, we went to the creek, to
ascertain whether we could cross over, but it was as full and the
water ran as swiftly as the evening before, because it had rained
continually, and was still raining; although we had hoped that, if the
weather had remained dry, the water would have subsided. As it was,
there was no other course than to wade over, and although we were
stiff and cold, we had to take off our stockings, and put our bare
feet in the shoes to protect them from treading on anything sharp,
and our stockings were the dryest articles we had. We bound up our
breeches as high as we could. "Now," said I, "let each one of us take
a good stick in his hand in order to prop himself up against the
current, and prevent his being washed away." Our guide went ahead even
before I had found a stick; but when he reached the middle of the
creek, he cried out, "Help, help, if you do not help me, I shall be
carried away." I ran, took off my breeches, placed them on top of my
head, and struggling, stick in hand, with the stones washing from
under my feet and stick, went to him and took from him my travelling
sack with which he was bent down. I kept on and was nearly across when
my foot slipped on a smooth stone, and I fell forward into the water.
However, by the aid of the stick, and the short distance to go, I
succeeded in crossing, the sack being thoroughly wet. Our guide, who
had on leather breeches, which became full of the running water,
whereby he could not get along, now rolled them up, and by that means
the water ran out below an