SLEEPING ACCOMMODATION. 237 



placed in the middle of the floor, and formed the sleeping 

 place of five individuals, who arranged themselves latitudinally 

 on the pallet I was anxious for an outside berth, in order to 

 have sea-room in case of accident, but the complaisance of the 

 gouger deprived me of this position, and I found myself placed 

 for the night between the old man and his son. None of the 

 travellers thought of unrobing ; and after putting off my shoes, 

 I laid my head on my knapsack, which was the only thing in 

 shape of a pillow to be had. My situation was far from 

 enviable ; fumes of whisky and squirts of tobacco juice assail 

 ing me on every side, and I considered the partner of my bed 

 more savage than the wolf of the forest. Speedily falling 

 into a profound sleep, from which I was awoke at daybreak 

 by the Frenchman searching for his saddle, the horrors of my 

 situation flashed on my mind, and I stealthily crawled from 

 the bed, my movements being accelerated by the gouger mut 

 tering an ugly oath. 



On gaining the outside of the door, the freshness of the 

 air was delightful. The sky was cloudless, and in walking 

 through the trees, the paroquets fluttered from their resting- 

 places with a shrill cry. On reaching the opposite side of the 

 wood, herds of cattle were seen streaming from the forest, and 

 the smoke of the morning fires ascending in graceful columns, 

 undisturbed by the serene atmosphere. The prairie-hen rose 

 from the pathway with a purring noise, and the little gophers 

 stood on end, and seemed to regard me as an intruder. The 

 sun peered above the prairie, as if rising from the ocean, and 

 gilded the nodding sunflower, whose brilliancy was heightened 

 by dewdrops sparkling on the blossom leaves, and with which 

 I washed my face. Nature was decked in a winning garb, 

 and the events of the previous evening were forgotten in 

 wooing her beauties. 



On entering a house at the end of the prairie, I found 

 every thing neat and clean, and two well-dressed females 

 cheerfully provided breakfast. One of them was in de 

 licate health, and had lately come from the Du Page, where 

 she left a coloured man in charge of her establishment, about 

 whose health she felt anxiety, as almost every one on the 

 river had been afflicted with fever. It so happened that I 



