260 TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 



" I haven't got a Prayer-book in my kit," con- 

 fessed Ralph shamefacedly. " I er I don't think 

 I ever carry one." 



" Then you ought to ?" I said sternly. " And why 

 haven't you got one?" 



" If it comes to that," he returned, rallying a little, 

 " why haven't you ?" 



We dispensed with play-acting a service, and 

 tenderly placed the poor bleached bones in a grave 

 made by the granite mass, an everlasting monument, 

 silent witness of the sad beginning, silent guardian of 

 the piteous end. 



Next day we left the vicinity of our gruesome find, 

 and, at the Leader's command, moved to another 

 stretch of forest country. Not until then did my 

 spirits recover their balance. Sorrow is like a fish 

 that seizes my hook and drags my float right down, 

 but it cannot stay down, my tendency is always to 

 come up. But for the fishes I should always be up. 

 When he saw my float below, in countless ways the 

 Leader sought a landing-net, took the fish and flung 

 it far away. 



The mosquitoes hereabouts had entirely disap- 

 peared, and in place of these wretched little pests we 

 had the moose-fly, a small round atom, black in 

 colour, with a venomous bite. The first result of an 

 attack is a small round red spot, which presently 

 swells up, and causes great pain. The face can be 

 protected from all the onslaughts, but gloved hands 

 in still hunting do not make for stillness at all. 



Around our new camp, which was situated on a 



