together, and filling the hollow
woods around with doleful noises.

With heavy hearts they kindled their camp-fire, and cooked and ate
their frugal supper; then, making themselves as comfortable as the
piercing winds would allow, they lay down on their snowy beds to
sleep, hopeful that the morrow would bring them better luck. Morning
dawned, and yet brought with it no brighter prospect. Would you know
what they did in this grievous state? Listen while I read Major
Washington's own account of it, as we find it written in his
journal:--

"There was no way for getting over but on a raft; which we set
about, with but one poor hatchet, and finished just after
sun-setting. This was a whole day's work. We next got it
launched; then went on board of it, and set off. But, before we
were half way over, we were jammed in the ice, in such a manner
that we expected every moment our raft to sink, and ourselves
to perish. I put out my setting-pole to try and stop the raft,
that the ice might pass by; when the rapidity of the stream
threw it with so much violence against the pole, that it jerked
me out into ten feet of water: but I fortunately saved myself
by catching hold of one of the raft-logs. Notwithstanding all
our efforts, we could not get to either shore, but were
obliged, as we were near an island, to quit our raft, and make
to it. The cold was so extremely severe, that Mr. Gist had all
his fingers, and some of his toes, frozen; and the water was
shut up so hard, that we found no difficulty in getting off the
island, on the ice, in the morning, and went to Mr. Frazier's."

Here, for a space, they stopped to rest and refresh themselves after
the fatigue and exposure they had just undergone; and here, among
other items of interest, they heard that Queen Aliquippa, an Indian
princess, had been deeply offended that the young Long Knife had
passed by her royal shanty, the month before, without calling to pay
his compliments. Major Washington, well knowing that to humor their
peculiar whims and fancies was the best mode of securing the good-will
and friendship of these people, hastened at once to present himself
before her copper majesty, and make what amends he could for his
breach of etiquette. The present of a bottle of rum (over which, queen
that she was, she smacked her lips), and of his old watch-coat, that
would so handsomely set off her