“Not far off was a rocky bluff, against which the sun was shining warmly. I crept to a ledge and sat down on some dry grass, from which I shook off the snow; soon, then, I began to get warmer. After a while I went back and moved the snow away from one side of the heap. First I reached a shield, and after some trouble I was able to pull this aside. Under it I found dead limbs and bodies. I kept removing the snow until I uncovered my mother’s face. I touched it, and found it stiff and colder than the snow. Then I cried aloud and went away.
“I then picked up a shield, the stick of which was protruding from the snow, and went forth to seek for the dwellings of men. As I departed I passed another mound of snow, out of which I could see the ends of the shield-sticks protruding. The snow was beginning to melt, and I could see the limbs of those who had scattered among the rocks, appearing here and there.
“I stumbled along over the snow without seeing anything but a dreadful whiteness, that made the water stream from my eyes. I suffered terribly from pains all over me, especially in my feet, and I wished for death. Every now and then the wind blew so cold that it seemed to cut me like a spear all over my naked body. I tried at first to keep it off with the shield, but found that on account of my eyes I was obliged to hold the shield up over my head so as to prevent the bright sunlight from falling on my face.
“I wandered on and on until the sun began to fall, and then the thought came to me to find a place in one of the valleys to die in,—for I did not want to die on the white, lonely top of the mountain. I had seen no signs of men or cattle, and I had given up all hope. I no longer wished to live. Looking down a long slope I saw that in a deep valley beyond it the snow had disappeared, so I thought to try and get down there, out of the horrible whiteness which froze my body and burnt my eyes like fire, and there lie down and die at once.
“I reached the edge of the valley, which had steep sides, and soon I found a footpath which led down sideways. This I followed to the foot of a steep, narrow cliff, where I sat down and rested. Then I heard a noise as of a stone rolling down the mountain-side, coming from the other side of the flank of the cliff, so I stood up and went quickly forward. Just then I heard another noise, and a large stone hurtled past me, and crashed into a patch of scrub just below. Out of this several hares leaped, and then ran away over the snow in different directions. Then I heard a shout from near the top of the cliff, so I looked up and saw a man bounding down the steep slope.
“The man was young, hardly more than a boy. He was armed with an assegai and several light throwing-clubs, and he carried two dead hares slung over his shoulder. He ran to where I was standing and accosted me, asking who I was and where I had come from. I began to weep, and told him everything I could remember.
“‘What,’ said he, ‘are you one of the “Fetcani,” who have been slaying our people? I think I must kill you, because many of my friends have died under the spears of Matiwanè.’
(The word “fetcani” means “enemies.” It was specially applied to the horde of Matiwanè, which was at enmity with all other tribes.)
“At this I told him that I did not mind whether he killed me or not, as I was already dying of cold and hunger. Then he examined me more closely, and after a short time he began to laugh.
“‘Come along,’ he said, ‘I will not kill you to-day. Perhaps you will grow fat and pretty, and I may by and by take you as my wife. I can at any time kill you if I want to.’