THE FALLS OF KEEWASH. 29 



which our hostess brought out a coverlet and spread it on 

 the floor for me to sit upon, while my fellow traveller and 

 she, to use an Aberdeen expression, newsed away about any- 

 thing and everything. 



We, warmed and refreshed, retired for the night to 

 the pavilion, where was a spacious sitting-room, with bow- 

 window commanding the Fall, plainly, but elegantly and 

 substantially furnished. There were more than one bed- 

 room furnished in like style, a dressing-room with every 

 thing pertaining to the toilet, and a small cabinet with 

 everything pertaining to the writing-table, and outside 

 was a kitchen with hot plates and other conveniences, but 

 there was no bed or table linen, knives or forks, or tea or 

 dinner crockery. All these visitors were expected, in 

 accordance with the usage of the country, to bring with 

 them, together with provisions, unless they chose, as did 

 we, to procure these from the woman in charge. 



The night was cold, and in the morning we were again 

 fain to betake ourselves to the house of the Objestc/iick for 

 our morning meal, rather than have it served in our elegant 

 quarters. On going there we found the daughters, as well 

 as the parents, all astir, the former making up for sale small 

 bundles of birch twigs, which are used extensively through- 

 out Russia for switching the body in the national bath. The 

 husband, who retained his bed when we arrived at night, was 

 now up and ready for conversation. He had five watchmen 

 under him, and an extensive district under his charge, 

 and he appeared to talk intelligently of much that related 

 to his forest duties, and of much beside. His wife had 

 the oven charged with wood in full blaze, and this added 

 not a little to our comfort in the chilly morning. Tea and 

 eggs, black bread and butter, were served to us ad libitum, 

 the butter being laid on thick, and the eggs drunken out 

 of the shell. The smoke, as volumes came belching out 

 from the open oven, was still more offensive to my eyes 

 than that of the evening before. As then, a coverlet 

 was spread for me on the ground, and a pillow placed upon 

 the bench upon which to rest my arm supporting my 



