FOREST LIFE. 129 



lowing his master through all his windings, arrived in time to 

 rescue him from a horrible death. 



c< I have recovered from my wounds. Bravo is lying at my 

 feet. Who does not love Bravo ? I am sure I do, and the rascal 

 knows it — don't you, Bravo ? Come here, sir !" 



CHAPTER VI. 



Camp Life. — Winter Evenings. — An Evening in Camp. — Characters. — 

 Card-playing. — A Song. — Collision with wild Beasts. — The unknown An- 

 imal in a Dilemma. — "Indian Devil." — The Aborigines' Terror. — A shock- 

 ing Encounter — The Discovery and Tursuit. — The Bear as an Antagonist 

 — Their thieving Propensities. — A thrilling Scene in the Night. — A des- 

 perate Encounter with three Bears. 



The winter evenings of camp life are too much abridged in 

 length to allow a long season either for repose or amusement, in 

 consequence of the lateness of the hour in which the men leave 

 work, and the various matters which regularly claim attention. 

 By the time supper is over and the nightly camp-fire built, b 

 early invites the laborer to the enjoyment of its soothing influ- 

 ences. And oh ! how sweet is that repose ! The incumbents of 

 downy beds, nestled within the folds of gorgeous drapery, might 

 earnestly bnt vainly court it. 



Could you take a peep into our snug cam]) some evening, 

 might see one of our number, seated perha] itoo] in the 



• jack-knife in his hand, up to his kne 

 whittlings, while indeavoring hape and proportions 



to the sties be ia cutting to supply the p] broken ax-han- 



dle. The teamster mighl be seen driving b b< 

 with jingling ring, into a new ich is to supply the p 



of one '"Old Turk" split while attempting, with his mate and 



F 2 



