5 1 8 Notes on Sport and Travel x 



fastidious persons might possibly prefer a modest mat- 

 tress with a fair allowance of sheets and blankets. 



At last, however, I was dozing off, tired of hear- 

 ing Joseph muttering what certainly were not his 

 prayers, rustling fretfully, and sneezing trumpet-like 

 at intervals, as some straw, more inquisitive than 

 usual, made a tour of inspection up his nostril, when 

 I suddenly heard a round Tyrolese oath rapped out 

 with great fervour, and something whirled over my 

 head and plumped against the timbers of the roof 

 Dreamily supposing that it was the aforesaid cum- 

 brous Tyrolese execration, which Joseph had jerked 

 out with such energy as to send it clean across the 

 cabin, I was gliding back into oblivion, when some- 

 thing with an evil smell, and making a noise like 

 a miniature stocking- machine, tumbled down my 

 spiracle plump into my face. Waking fully I at 

 once perceived that it was the cat, not the oath, I 

 had heard fly over me shortly before, she, in the 

 excess of her gratitude, being determined to stick as 

 closely to us as possible. Following Joseph's ex- 

 ample, I seized her by the tail, and whirled her, 

 purring uninterruptedly, as far as I could. Ere 

 many minutes had elapsed she was again launched 

 forth by the infuriated Joseph ; and backwards and 

 forwards she flew at least half-a-dozen times between 

 us, without appearing in the least disconcerted, per- 

 haps, indeed, finding the exercise conducive to the 

 assimilation of the sour milk, till Nature could stand 

 no more and we fell fast asleep. 



