had left it. However, as the time he had talked of leaving
England was later in the season, I decided upon running the
risk; but the winter had set in with great severity, and the
river being frozen, the steam-boats could not run; the frost
continued unbroken through the whole of February, and we
were almost weary of waiting for its departure, which was
to be the signal of ours.

The breaking up of the ice on the Licking and Ohio
formed a most striking spectacle. At night the river pre-
sented a solid surface of ice, but in the morning it showed a
collection of floating icebergs, of every imaginable size and
form, whirling against each other with frightful violence,
and with a noise unlike any sound I remember.

This sight was a very welcome one, as it gave us hopes of
immediate departure, but my courage failed, when I heard
that one or two steam-boats, weary of waiting, meant to
start on the morrow. The idea of running against these
floating islands was really alarming, and I was told by
many, that my fears were not without foundation, for that
repeated accidents had happened from this cause; and then
they talked of the little Miami river, whose mouth we were to
pass, sending down masses of ice that might stop our
progress; in short, we waited patiently and prudently, till
the learned in such matters told us that we might start with
safety.

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