166 BOONEVTLLE TO SARATOGA. 



We built a boat, at odd times, studied up the map* and 

 guide-books, and the question of out-tit and supplies, 

 and got everything, route and all, down to a fine point. 

 We shipped our boat by rail to Boonevillc, had it trans 

 ported by wagon to Moose River Village, and, having been 

 told that the river was navigable from that point up to the 

 lakes, we put our boat into the water there. That was two 

 days ago. 



" The river is navigable after a fashion, to be sure, or we 

 shouldn't lie here now. IJiit it is full of snags, rocks :tnd 

 rapids, and we made very slow progress ;ind had a hard 

 time of it. The night that we spent on tin- way. it 

 rained fearfully. We carry for our lied, and swing lietween 

 two trees, a double length hammock and sleep in it, feel to 

 t'eet. Iii place of a tent we have a rubber blanket long 

 enough to cover us both completely, heads and all. That 

 was the way we camped in the rain, the horrid din of a 

 thunderstorm \\ith fearfully vivid lightning all about us. 

 For cooking utensils we have only a frying pan." 



" No coffee-pot ?" inquired 1 in ama/.emeiit. 



"No : after we have fried our pork or trout, we M-ruboui 

 the frying pan and make coffee in it." 



"Spare me, on that," 1 said ; " 1 want my coffee in the 

 woods as good as at my own breakfast table, other cook 

 ing will take care of itself, with such appetite as the wood- 

 give." 



"Oh, it does the business well enough, on a pinch : and 

 we were bound to reduce our luggage to the lo\\ e<t pn^ihle 

 point. Why, knives and forks and a spoon or two, and 



