234 TRAVELS
direction o f the current in fummer. Our guides went before us
in their fledge, and we followed clofe behind them with all the
preciiion which an affair o f fuch delicacy and importance requires.
Having come to a part o f the river which was almoft
entirely open, we thought it would be imprudent to attempt to
pafs it. W e had however no alternative, hut either to return and
travel five or fix miles by land, with all its known inconveniencies,
or palling hard by a houfe, to make our horfes leap a barrier, and
drag the fledge over a heap o f ftones, till we ihould arrive again
at the ice o f the fame river. W e chofe to prefer this laft mode
of proceeding; the horles cleared the barrier, we all gave our
afiiftance to lift up the fledge and throw it on the other fide, and
we re-embarked on the ice clofe by a little mill. Having got
upon the ice, we were much furpriled and concerned to find, that
we had given ourfelves all this trouble only to reach a place where
we had perils ftill more alarming to encounter. The river was
open on both fides, and it was neceflary for the fledge to pais over
a cruft o f ice which had maintained itfelf in the middle, and under
which the water made a frightful noife. Our guides, who ventured
on it firft, aflured us that there was no danger, and that
when we had crofled this piece we ihould have nothing more to
fear during the remainder o f our journey. It was at the moment
a bitter pill to fwa llow ; but it promifed to procure us much
comfort afterwards. Although our guides had by this time got to
the other fide, our anxiety was not diminiihed ; we were unable
to conquer the reluftance excited in our minds by the view and
noife