1852.] THE BARBER. 99 



trate and create more rattling than is conducive to com- 

 fort or pleasant dreams. Each person is furnished with 

 a blanket-bag, formed of thick drugget or felt, having 

 an outside shell of prepared brown holland, supposed 

 to be impervious to the air. The officer, who should al- 

 ways occupy the post of honour, is located at the extreme 

 end, and that end is always placed towards the wind, in 

 order to prevent its blowing into the mouth of the tent ; 

 he is able, therefore, to feel exactly for himself, as well 

 as those around them. Into this chrysalis bag, by dint 

 of a kind of caterpillar wriggle, each individual contracts 

 himself, endeavouring, by every reasonable mode, to pro- 

 duce a suffocating heat, and using his knapsack, boots, 

 sextant-case, or any other convenient object, for a pillow. 

 Indeed, it is absolutely necessary to place any article, to 

 be worn on getting up, sufficiently in contact with the 

 body to preserve its flexibility, or to prevent it becom- 

 ing frozen. Over the snow is spread an oilskin canvas 

 and buffalo-robe carpet ; and when all are laid out, or 

 have supped, a general coverlet of felt is superadded, 

 which is supposed to confine the accumulation of ani- 

 mal warmth. Cold, it is imagined, does not ascend, 

 nor heat descend ; yet it is very distinctly felt in both 

 ways, especially when the warmth produces something 

 very similar to a thaw beneath. But the enemy, not 

 " the sweet little cherub," etc., but the barber, is ever 

 aloft, condensing the breath, and dropping down re- 

 freshing~snow-showers, which makes one very dubious 

 about exposing his head outside his shell, the lap of 

 which he manages to turn down, and complete the en- 

 velope. The cookery and other proceedings are mere 



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