240 A DAMP BED. 



miscellaneous collection gamblers in black frock-coats, dia- 

 mond breast-pins, and rings, sitting next to ox-drivers and 

 railway labourers, clerks in the different stores, and ex-prize- 

 fighters, who were now keeping saloons ; and these last were 

 quite the " upper crust," no men being more thought of in 

 the West, and there were also a few women. The food put 

 before us was such as you might expect in such a place half 

 cold, and all tasting alike, and served up in tiny oval dishes, 

 which were placed in a semicircle round your plate, and every- 

 thing was brought at once. The charge was one dollar, and 

 paid on the spot, as no one was trusted. 



The first night we were there it began to rain, and almost 



immediately F and I felt water pouring on us ; so we lit 



the candle, and then found that the roof was only composed of 

 boards laid side by side, the chinks not being stopped in any 

 way, and that consequently there was nothing to keep the rain 

 from coming through. Having a mackintosh sheet with us, 

 we put it over the bed, but it was not quite large enough, and, 

 besides, the water collected on it so rapidly that there was 

 soon a small lake in the middle, and in shooting it oft' from 

 time to time we at last shot one lot into the middle of the 

 bed. This settled it ; so we hastily put on a few clothes, and 

 gathering up our belongings and such bedding as had escaped 

 the deluge, we went into the eating-room, where we found a 

 number of people, of all ages and both sexes, in similar dress, 

 or rather undress, looking very miserable, and as there was 

 nowhere else for us to go, we turned in under and on the 

 tables. 



The next day we went round to see the town, as it was very 

 unsafe to do so at night, and by dinner-time we quite agreed 



