PROVISIONS GETTING 80ABCE. 307 



tracts from the enjoyment of its beatitudes. To fed the sen- 

 sation of resting, that weariness is leaving you, and that the 

 process of recuperation is an active, living agency, going on 

 all through the. system, while the natural love of repose is 

 being gratified as an independent emotion, constitute the 

 very perfection of mere animal enjoyment. The musquitoes 

 at midday have gone to their rest, or if a straggler comes 

 buzzing and singing about your ears, you are lulled rather 

 than disturbed by his song. If he takes his drop of blood 

 from your veins, the tickling of his tiny lance is but a plea- 

 sant titilation, and you let him feed on, almost grateful for his 

 kindness in keeping you from sleeping too soundly, or losing 

 in utter oblivion the full extent of the luxury of perfect repose. 

 After an hour's rest, we launched our little fleet upon the 

 river again, and while the sun was yet above the western high- 

 lands, we stood upon the broad flat rock at the mouth of 

 Bog River, looking out over Tupper's Lake, one of the most 

 beautiful sheets of water that the sun or the stars ever looked 

 upon. Our sea-biscuit was getting low, and our egress from 

 the wilderness was therefore becoming, in some sort, a neces- 

 sity. There was no lack of venison, or fish, but these are 

 rather luxuries than actual necessaries, and they were be- 

 coming somewhat stale to us. The staff of life is bread, and 

 of this we had but two days' supply. It is entirely true that 

 our jerked venison, now dry and hard as chips, could, if 

 necessary, be made to furnish, to some extent, a substitute ; 

 still, while " it is written that man shall not live by bread 



