our burden; but it was plainly of
no use making the attempt, and we let fall the various utensils with a
feeling of despair. The water was still rising--_the lake was growing
larger_!

"The wolves howled, driven from their lair by the encroaching element--
birds, roused from their sleep, screamed and fluttered among the trees--
our dogs barked at the strange sight--and, in the clear moonlight, we
could see deer, and other wild animals, rushing, as if terrified,
through the open glade. O God! were we to be engulfed, and perish in
this mysterious flood?

"What was to be done? Should we climb into the trees? That would not
save us. If the great channel was blocked up below, I knew that _that_
would not save us; for its jaws were higher than the tops of the highest
trees, and the rising flood would soon wash us from the branches. It
might prolong our lives, and with them our despair; but what--`Ha!' The
thought, heaven-directed, at this moment entered my mind.

"`_A raft! a raft! we shall yet be saved_!'

"My companions at once understood my meaning. Cudjo seized the axe,
while Mary hastened to the wagon to collect such ropes and cords as were
in it. I knew there would not be enough of these for our purpose; and,
spreading out the great elk-skin, I proceeded to cut it into stripes.

"There were several logs lying close to our camp. They were the trunks
of tall straight trees, that, from time to time, had fallen, and were
now quite dead and dry. They were the trunks of the beautiful
_rhododendrons_, or tulip-trees, out of which the Indians always make
their canoes, when they can get them of sufficient size. This, because
their wood is extremely soft and light--weighing only twenty-six pounds
to the cubic foot. While busy myself, I directed Cudjo to cut a number
of these logs into equal lengths. Cudjo knew how to handle an axe with
any man; and the logs were soon of the proper dimensions. We now rolled
them together, and, by the aid of our ropes and cross pieces, lashed
them firmly to one another; and our raft was completed. Upon this we
placed our great chest containing the jerked meat, with our blankets,
and such utensils as were necessary to be saved. We laid in no stock of
water for the expected voyage--we had no fear about our having enough of
that.

"We had been occupied nearly two hours in constructing the raft; but
during all this time we had been so busy, that we had hardly looked in
the direc