148 THE PINE-TREE, OR FOREST LIFE. 



all day long upon those bleak fields before they were able to find 

 the logging-road which formed their egress from the lake. 



Belated at other times, night overtakes them on the ice. In 

 such cases, where it is not deemed prudent to proceed, they find 

 access to the shore, where the thick evergreen forest trees afford 

 some protection from the night winds. Here a fire is kindled, 

 some coarse boughs plucked and thrown upon the snow, upon 

 which a buffalo-skin is spread, and with a similar covering they 

 repose, after snugly blanketing their horses. A biscuit of pilot- 

 bread, with a " frizzled" slice of pork, constitute their repast — 

 ten to one if it be not rinsed down with a draught of "fire-wa- 

 ter" from the little canteen in the pea-jacket pocket. On some 

 routes early fall trips are made with loads of camp supplies on 

 wheels, over very rough roads, before the rivers and streams 

 freeze. These are crossed upon a raft made of poles or logs ca- 

 pable of bearing a portion only of the load, which is carried over 

 in parcels, according to the capacity or tonnage of the rude ferry- 

 boat ; sometimes swimming, and at others transporting the horses 

 singly on the raft. In like maimer we manage with our ox- 

 teams, when we take an early start for the scene of our winter 

 operations. 



