t to look for the horse while I
prepared breakfast. He was a long time absent, and I began to grow
anxious, wondering what could have become of him. I waited and waited
till I could bear the suspense no longer, so, going to a height at a
little distance from the wood in which we had formed our encampment, I
gazed around on every side. Should any accident have befallen him, how
fearful would be my fate! I was also deeply grieved at the thought of
losing him; but I confess that selfish feelings for the time
predominated. There was a river, I should have said, in the distance,
and on looking in that direction I at length saw a figure moving towards
me. It might be Mike, or it might be an Indian, and perhaps an enemy.
Still, I did not think of concealing myself.

Great was my joy when, as the person drew nearer, I recognised Mike. I
rushed down to meet him; but I saw that there was something wrong, by
the expression of his countenance.

"What is the matter, Mike?" I asked. "I was terribly afraid that you
were lost."

"Sure, a great deal is the matther," he answered. "That baste of a
horse has been afther drowning himself; and you will have to walk the
rest of the journey on foot, except when I carry you on me shoulders--
and that I will do, as long as I have the strength, with the greatest
pleasure in the world."

I assured Mike that I was so glad to see him, that I cared little in
comparison for the loss of the horse, for I felt perfectly able to walk
any distance.

"Well, that is one comfort; and seeing that we have nothing to carry
except our spears, which will help us along, matthers might have been
worse," he answered.

Both of us were determined to make the best of what had happened; so,
having eaten our breakfast, and packed up the remainder of our
provisions, we recommenced our march forward. Mike insisted on our
encamping early in the day, so that he might search for food; and before
dark he had procured a supply of the same description as that on which
we had been living for several days.

The next morning we went on as before, and I felt my strength
considerably restored. Soon after noon, having reached the summit of a
height, we saw before us a wide river, connected with a series of small
lakes, their borders apparently deeply fringed with tall grass. This,
Mike said, he believed must be rice, and it would afford us a change of
diet if we could procure some; we accordingly made our way down