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Monday, August 19th 1860

Thanks be to God, I still live!

I have just escaped with my life! [[underlined]] Providentially [[/underlined]] escaped! No other arm but the Almighty's could have shielded me from so imminent danger as that to which I have just been exposed. 
This afternoon - just after dinner - I took a Boat-ride ^[[with Mr. Rogers & [[?]] Boat's Crews]] down to the "Look-out", a place three miles distant, toward the entrance to the Bay, or "Buddington Inlet" as it is now called. At this place - the "Look-out" - Capt. Buddington is having a stone & turf house built for the benefit of 3 Boat's crews that he expects to send up from [["New-gum -my-uke"? ^ a (in a Bay south of this)]] some time after he arrives there with the Barque George Henry & the Schooner Rerene. [[strikethrough]] The [[/strikethrough]] Capt. Buddington took down 20 men in 3 Boats[[strikethrough]] The [[/strikethrough]] early this morning & marked out the place & set the men at work. I accompanied ^ [{a part of]] these men on their return from dinner for the purpose of a ride, to see the place & rumble around the rocks in the vicinity, shooting game & gathering floral & geological specimens. I took along with me My "Colt's Revolver", which has an excellent "rifled" barrel, a quantity of powder & Ball, my pencil & Portfolio. On arriving at Point "Look-out", after inspecting the place ^ [[I]] lenting a hand ^ [[a hand for a few moments]] at the crow-bar, under the supervision of Rogers & Smith. I ^ [[then]] proceeded to make an observation to determine the true points of EAST WEST, NORTH & SOUTH for the convenience & utility of those expecting to occupy the premises. Completing this, I buckled on my Revolver took my traps & marched off, having agreed to be in readiness to return by VI o'clock, Sun. So far, every thing ^ [[had been]] [[strikethrough]] was [[/strikethrough]] as "merry as a Marriage Bell". A little way off, I found the remains of [[strikethrough]] an [[/strikethrough]] Esquimaux tents which interested me much. From there, I passed on Southwest till I came to some of the most ^ [[important]] rocks I [[strikethrough]] every [[/strikethrough]] ever met with for studying their stratification & their [[underlined]] destruction [[/underlined]]! Never shall I forget [[underlined]] them [[/underlined]], for they came near bring [[underlined]] my [[/underlined]] destruction! I was engaged in digging out with my knife some beautiful specimens of Quartz & gold like metal, but slightly imbedded in a freshly broken rock before me. I was leaning forward, when, [[underlined]] quick & thought [[/underlined]], my Revolver fell from my belt & instantly exploded & - thanks be to God, I still live! But how mysteriously did I escape! 
I cried to the men for help, for they were in sight. For the instant, I knew not but I was mortally wounded - my head above my eyes [[strikethrough]] ? [[/strikethrough]] ^[[was]] in awful