CHAPTER XII.
PREPARATIONS FOR A JOURNEY.
Early in January the snow fell in great abundance.

We had an unusual quantity at the Portage, but in "the diggings," as the lead-mining country was called, it was of an unheard-of depth--five or six feet upon a level.
An express had been dispatched to Chicago by the officers to take our letters, and bring back the mail from that place.

A tough, hardy soldier, named Sulky, acted as messenger, and he had hitherto made light of his burden or the length of the way, notwithstanding that his task was performed on foot with his pack upon his shoulders.

But now Sulky had been absent some weeks, and we had given him up entirely, persuaded that he must have perished with cold and starvation.
At length he appeared, nearly blind from travelling in the snow.

He had lain by three weeks in an Indian lodge, the snow being too deep to permit him to journey.