Astoria Chapter 34

In which a resolute band of travellers, pressed by advancing winter and scant provisions, embark on a rugged journey along the riverbank through barren deserts and mountainous defiles, encountering wary but occasionally generous native tribes and enduring severe hardships of thirst, hunger, and relentless cold. Their fortitude is tested by treacherous terrain and dwindling sustenance, yet they persist with resourcefulness and quiet heroism amid the wild and desolate expanse.