make a raft with.  I followed the river up.  The banks were so high, and the swift current run so swift along the steep banks, and the river very deep.  I could not drop a log in without it float right away, and also came to another branch.  This river branches off in two.  I tried all afternoon to cross at the main river so I would have only one river to cross; but I could not there, as near the lake I will have two rivers to cross at the forks.

I gave up and went down near the lake again.  The ice was floating down the river.  A rapid near the lake.  I thought it might not be very deep.  Then, seeing that I could not do any better, I thought I would wade out a piece and the rest I would swim to the other shore.

I started out, and up to my waist before I got any distance out, and the floating ice coming against me, and the cramps began to take on the legs, that I was obliged to turn and just got out to shore in time.

I stood for some time thinking that I will never be able to cross, and that I would sure to starve there.  It got dusk and I started a fire.  I was very, very cold, and had something to eat.  I was troubled very much and could not forget the river, and the ice floating and rubbing against the shore, made things worse, to hear that sound all night, and thinking if I only had a canoe, I could get to Northwest River to-morrow.  It was yet 40 miles to the post Northwest River.

Tuesday, 27th, as soon as daylight I tried to wade across again the same place; but things happened the same.  Along the lake lots of drift wood.  I thought I better make a raft if I could.  It was blowing very heavy from the west.  I got my raft made.  My tump line I made two pieces to tie the four corners of the raft, and my leather belt I made another piece, and a piece of small salmon twine I had at the other corner.  I got a long pole so as to be sure and touch bottom with it all the way across, as I was afraid that the swift current would take me out into the lake and the heavy sea would swamp me.

My raft was too small, and when I got on it I sunk down quite a bit.  I shoved out and came to the strong current, and the tide and the ice overcame me, and took me out to the lake.  When the current took me out into the lake, then the wind caught me and carried me.  It got so deep I could not find bottom with my pole.  I had a mind to jump from the raft; but I knew if I did I would surely get drowned.  So I thought I might just as well try to stay on.  My raft was breaking up.  Piece by piece would float away.  So I got down on my knees and tried to keep the pieces together, and the sea would just cover me.  For about two hours I stayed on the raft, and sure it was my finish.  Finally, after a while, the wind drove me just near a point.  It was a long point, and I knew I could touch bottom with my pole.  I took my pole and just hardly got ashore.  (Grand Lake runs nearly east and west, is over 40 miles long, and from 1 to 4 miles wide, and very deep, up to sixty fathom of water, and for the least wind makes a very heavy sea.)