LONELY. 1 79 



looking space, situated almost equally distant from 

 each prominent indicator that composes the group. 



The night was particularly still, no wild beast's 

 howl, for a wonder, was heard, but the voices of my 

 men rose and fell in a full, rich, but gentle cadence. 

 More contented, and, I think, happier beings there 

 could not be. No wonder ! they had plenty of food 

 and their friends around them, so I envied their 

 enjoyment. 



Thus I commenced to get dull, homesick, and 

 desponding, a state at all times far from pleasant, so 

 indulged in an extra glass, and recalled the words of 

 a song I had learned under most happy circum- 

 stances in the far Western continent. It was once 

 a great favourite in California ; doubtless it is now 

 forgotten, so I trust to be pardoned for reviving it 

 from the ashes of time. 



Contented I sit with my pint and my pipe, 



Puffing sorrow and care far away, 

 And surely the brow of grief nothing can wipe, 



Like smoking and moistening our clay ; 

 For though liquor can banish man's reason afar, 



'Tis only a fool or a sot, 

 Who with reason or sense would be ever at war, 



And don't know when enough he has got ; 

 For though at my simile many may joke, 



Man is but a pipe — and his life is but smoke. 



When the heart of man is distressed by care, 

 when his surroundings are the primaeval forest, when 

 his associates are savages, and with his only friend 



N 2 



