158 THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE BY LAND. 



eyes with wliicli we viewed that plum pudding. It 

 proved dehcious beyond all anticipation, in spite of 

 certain drawbacks in the shape of caps, buck-shot, 

 and fragments of tobacco, which we discovered in it. 

 We had fondly hoped to finish it at a sitting, but it was 

 a very Brobdingnagian pudding, and we were re- 

 luctantly compelled to leave a portion unconsumed. 

 We passed the night somewhat restlessly, partly 

 caused perhaps by the indigestible character of our 

 evening meal, but principally from impatience for 

 the morning to arrive, that we might repeat the 

 delights of the previous evening. When day began 

 to break, each watched the movements of the other 

 with anxious distrust, and before it was fairly light 

 both jumped out of bed at the same moment, each 

 fearful he might lose his share of the delicious 

 breakfast. Never did schoolboy view with such 

 sincere regret the disappearance of his last morsel of 

 cake, as we did when sighing over the last mouthful 

 of that unequalled pudding. 



The time wore on monotonously. The beginning 

 of March had arrived, and still La Eonde and 

 Bruneau had not returned. Our solitude was occa- 

 sionally enlivened by visits of Indians — invariably 

 starving — who seriously impoverished our scanty 

 larder. Rover also assisted us to while away some 

 of the dreary long winter evenings, which we partly 

 devoted to teaching him various additional accom- 

 plishments. His performances were an unfailing 

 source of wonder and delight to our Indian visitors, 

 who never tired of watching him stand on his head, 



