I quote from his own account of the adventure.
"I didn't before know how much a person could suffer and not die.

The snow was about four inches deep when I started.

And when I got to the water, which was only about a quarter of a mile off, it looked like an ocean.

I put in, and waded on till I came to the channel, where I crossed that on a high log.

I then took water again, having my gun and all my hunting tools along, and waded till I came to a deep slough, that was wider than the river itself.