Adventure and adventurers > Away in the wilderness, or, Life among the red Indians and fur-traders of North America

AWAY IN THE WILDERNESS.
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From what I have said, the reader will under¬
stand that summer in those regions is short and
very hot; the winter long and very cold. Both
seasons have their own peculiar enjoyments, and,
to healthy men, both are extremely agreeable.
I have said that Jasper’s marriage-day had
arrived. New Year’s Day was fixed for his union
with the fair and gentle Marie. As is usual at
this festive season of the year, it was arranged that
a ball should be given at the fort in the large hall
to all the people that chanced to be there at the
time.
Old Laroche had been sent to a small hut a
long day’s march from the fort, where he was
wont to spend his time in trapping foxes. He
was there alone, so, three days before New Year’s
Day, Jasper set out with Arrowhead to visit the
old man, and bear him company on his march back
to the fort.
There are no roads in that country. Travellers
have to plod through the wilderness as they best
can. It may not have occurred to my reader that
it would be a difficult thing to walk for a day
through snow so deep, that, at every step, the
traveller would sink the whole length of his
leg. The truth is, that travelling in Bupert’s
Land in winter would be impossible but for a
machine which enables men to walk on the surface
of the snow without sinking more than a few