WANT OF AMUSEMENTS. 811 



miserable log-hut, whicli was now our home, to 

 enliven or beguile its tedium. With scanty daylight, 

 and neither oil nor candle, the only light we had for 

 the greater portion of each twenty-four hours was 

 that of the log fire which burned in one corner of 

 the hovel. No books, not even a newspaper, to read 

 and re-spell over, but I managed to obtain ink, pens, 

 and paper, and in addition to keeping a voluminous 

 journal of all, to the most trilling, occurrences, 

 instituted a school for the seamen, one or two of 

 whom improved considerably, though ours was 

 literally the pursuit of knowledge under difficulties. 

 The preparation of our meagre fare, cutting and 

 bringing home fuel, and fetching water from the 

 lake, did not fill up a third part of the time ; birds 

 or other game there were none, with the exception of 

 an occasional wdiite partridge or ptarmigan -. this 

 period was therefore, from its lack of occupation, 

 a most dismal one, and any new idea for employment 

 or amusement was hailed with delight. The old 

 Indian who assisted the fisherman, and was with his 

 son domiciled in the hut, made occasional trips in 

 search of deer and beaver, and to set traps for 

 martens, foxes, and wolverines — but his success was 

 almost negative ; a few martens, a beaver, and one or 

 two rabbits were his only prizes, though he was 



