countered, and the desolateness of the scene they
were to witness, until now that they found themselves in its midst; and,
as they proceeded on their journey, getting farther and farther from the
wooded region, their apprehensions, already aroused by the wild aspect
of the country, grew stronger and stronger. They began to entertain
serious fears, for they knew not how far the barren tract extended along
their route. On calculation they found they had provisions enough to
last them for a month. That in some measure restored their confidence;
but even then, they could not help giving way to serious reflections.
Should they get lost or retarded in their course by mountains, or other
obstacles, it might take them longer than a month to reach some place
where game was to be met with. Each day, as they advanced, they found
the country more hilly and difficult. Precipices often bounded the
valleys, lying directly across their track; and as these could not be
scaled, it was necessary to make long _detours_ to pass them, so that
some days they actually advanced less than five miles upon their
journey.

Notwithstanding these impediments, they might still have got over the
Barren Grounds without further suffering than the fatigue and necessary
exposure to cold; but at this time an incident occurred, that not only
frustrated all their calculations, but placed them in imminent danger of
perishing.

CHAPTER THIRTY.

THE BARREN GROUNDS.

The Barren Grounds are not entirely destitute of animal life. Even in
winter--when they are almost covered with snow, and you would suppose
that no living creature could procure subsistence upon them--even then
they have their denizens; and, strange to say, there are many animals
that choose them for their home. There is no part of the earth's
surface so sterile but that some animated being can find a living upon
it, and such a being Nature adapts to its peculiar situation. For
instance, there are animals that prefer the very desert itself, and
would not thrive were you to place them in a country of mild climate and
fertile soil. In our own species this peculiarity is also found--as the
Esquimaux would not be happy were you to transplant him from his icy hut
amidst the snows of the Arctic regions, and give him a palace under the
genial skies of Italy.

Among other creatures that remain all winter upon the Barren Grounds,
are the wolves. How they exist there is almost a question of