156 THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE BY LAND. 



except some of Cliollet's desiccated vegetables, 

 brought out only on the great feast days. House- 

 hold cares occupied much of our time. Milton pre- 

 sided over the culinary department, in which he 

 displayed great skill and ingenuity, severely taxed 

 to make a variety of dishes out of such limited re- 

 sources, while Cheadle was hewer of wood and 

 drawer of water, or rather melter of snow and ice. 



We got on tolerably well for a length of time ; 

 but at last our small dwelling became so choked up 

 by the accumulation of chips, wood, and debris of 

 various kinds, and so disorderly by reason of our 

 untidy habit of leaving every article where last 

 used, instead of restoring it to its proper place, 

 that our domestic duties were seriously impeded. 

 We resolved to institute a new order of things, 

 commencing by a regular '* spring cleaning" and 

 tidying. The sweeping out involved a difl&culty, 

 since we had no brush, and the level of the floor 

 was some two feet lower than the ground outside. 

 However, we improvised besoms of pine boughs, 

 and for dust-pans used the tin dinner plates. Our 

 labours were frequently interrupted by fits of laugh- 

 ter at the ludicrous appearance we presented, down 

 on our hands and knees, grubbing iip the waste and 

 dust with our primitive contrivances. The result 

 was most satisfactory, and we viewed with the 

 greatest complacency the improved condition of our 

 estabhshment, which now presented a most comfor- 

 table and orderly appearance. 



Our triumphs were not confined, however, to 



