LEMONADE AND "STICKS." 47 



customed stimulant, and gave me fair warning not to repeat 

 the affront. 



And I venture to record, right here, that I have since, in 

 various forest excursions, tramped and camped and slept, 

 become wet and cold, hungry and tired almost to despera- 

 tion, and drank water from all sorts of rivers and lakes, — 

 and my whole stock of liipiors on a trip of two or three weeks 

 could be comfortably carried in my vest-pocket; and that 

 the only time I was ever sick in the woods was that morn- 

 ing when I took lake water " mollified" by Benson's 

 brandy. 



It is always eas}^ enough, after breakfast, to fill the 

 coffee-pot again, or, better, make tea, with which to quench 

 thirst, if no spring can be found. But it is desirable to 

 have a flask of liquor along, — brandy or whisky, — for 

 emergencies, as medicine. I fear, however, they are not 

 always hygienic considerations that govern the commissary 

 as he includes in his supplies bottled ale, and sundry black 

 bottles of stronger stuff. 



Possibly, one ought to have a little regard for the welfare 

 of the guides of the wilderness, ^irave, faithful, hearty 

 and generous in the main, but some of whom, through the 

 exainple and well-meant importunities of the parties they 

 accompany, become intemperate and in the end worthless 

 characters. Many of them, however, taking warning from 

 the fate of others of their class, use liquors very sparingly, 

 generally after their hardest work is done, and prefer a cup 

 of tea, hot or cold, to any other stimulant. 



Our party, good fellows, temperate and free from all bad 



