56 WILD SPORTS IN THE FAR WEST. 



had got comfortably warm, I set to work on my hare. 

 I opened it, cleaned it out with snow as well as I 

 could, and stuck it on a piece of wood before the lire, 

 placing a piece of bark under it to catch the dripping, 

 with which I basted it. I felt very much the want of 

 salt and bread, but hunger is a good sauce. With the 

 exception of the two legs, which I reserved for break- 

 fast, I devoured the whole. When I had finished, I 

 heaped more wood on the fire, and prepared to pass 

 my first night in the open air in America. I laid my 

 game-bag under my head, pulled my cap well over my 

 ears, and with my feet to the fire was soon asleep. I 

 slept soundly till the sliarp morning air awoke me. 

 The fire had burned out, and I was quite benumbed 

 by the frost, and shook so that I could hardly light the 

 fire again. At last I succeeded, and gradually thawed. 

 The rising sun found me deep in consideration of my 

 two legs of hare, which I looked at so long that at 

 length I could sec only the bones. After thus taking care 

 of myself, I resumed my march southwards with fresh 

 vigor, and about ten o'clock the crowing of a cock 

 denoted that I was not very far from a human habita- 

 tion. I hastened forward, and was soon saluted by the 

 barking of dogs. The proprietor was in the forest, 

 cutting wood for a fence. His wife, a pretty little 

 American woman, treated me hospitably with bread 

 and milk, and assured me that I was not al>ove twenty 

 miles from the Buffalo road, and that 1 should find 

 plenty of farm-houses as I went south. She would 

 not on any account accept payment for my refresh- 

 ment, and so, with hearty thanks, and working my 

 way through a legion of dogs, I sallied joyfully forth, 



