THE MOOSE. 169 



AVliilst tlie men were filling the place with the 

 smoke of their tobacco, the women prepared a dis- 

 gusting mess in a dirty pot, which reminded us of 

 the black broth of the Spartans, — at any rate, the 

 colour was similar, and the smell of the onions would 

 have turned the stomach of the most bigoted Pro- 

 venc^al. Those who smoked spat, and the floor was 

 consequently not in the cleanest condition. With 

 the helj) of a little tea, however, and a few cakes 

 which we had with us, we managed to make a 

 tolerable supper, and afterwards we sought out a 

 place less dirty than the rest where we could spread 

 our buffalo robes, and snatch an hour or so of brief 

 repose. The dogs soon followed our example, and 

 insisted upon nestling up to our furs, in spite of 

 the kicks which we freely administered to them. As 

 soon as the men had retired to rest, the women 

 extinguished the two lamps, and (their modesty 

 being protected by the darkness which prevailed) 

 they went to bed, and began snoring horribly. To 

 complete my misfortunes, I had spread my blankets 

 at the foot of a newly-repaired clock, and what with 

 the monotonous sound of the pendulum, the hor- 

 rible smell which pervaded the whole place, the 

 sonorous sighs of the four women, and the over- 

 powering heat of the close room, I was kept awake 

 for a long time. At length I yielded to the sense 

 of sleepiness, and dreamt a horrid dream, that I 

 was in a room filled with clocks, which were snoring 



