Page:Edgar Huntly, or The Sleep Walker.djvu/205

 The water was smooth; but this might arise from some other cause than its depth: my gun likewise must be left behind me, and that was a loss to which I felt invincible repugnance; to let it fall upon the road would put it in my power to retrieve the possession, but it was likely to be irreparably injured by the fall.

While musing upon this expedient, and weighing injuries with benefits, the night closed upon me. I now considered that, should I emerge in safety from the stream, I should have many miles to travel before I could reach a house: my clothes meanwhile would be loaded with wet; I should be heart-pierced by the icy blast that now blew, and my wounds and bruises would be chafed into insupportable pain.

I reasoned, likewise, on the folly of impatience, and the necessity of repose. By thus long continuance in one posture my sinews began to stiffen, and my reluctance to make new exertions to increase: my brows were heavy, and I felt an irresistible propensity to sleep. I concluded to seek some shelter, and resign myself, my painful recollections, and my mournful presages, to sweet forgetfulness: for this end, I once more ascended to the surface of the cliff; I dragged my weary feet forward till I found somewhat that promised me the shelter that I sought.

A cluster of cedars appeared, whose branches overarched a space that might be called a bower: it was a slight cavity, whose flooring was composed of loose stones and a few faded leaves blown from a distance, and finding a temporary lodgment here. On one side was a rock, forming a wall rugged and projecting above; at the bottom of the rock was a rift, somewhat resembling a coffin in shape, and not much larger in dimensiousdimensions [sic]: this rift terminated on the opposite side of the rock in an opening that was too small for the body of a man to pass: the distance between each entrance was twice the length of a man.

This bower was open to the south-east, whence the gale now blew: it therefore imperfectly afforded the shelter of which I stood in need; but it was the best that the place and the time afforded: to stop the smaller entrance of the cavity with a stone, and to heap before the other branches