UNEXPECTED ALARM. 191 



heat. After the evening meal all had a smoke by 

 its flickering light, and ultimately lay down to sleep. 

 Our bundles served as pillows, and we had no 

 change of raiment. Yet we slept soundly, and rose 

 more refreshed probably than many who have reposed 

 on beds of down under a canopy of damask. Awaking 

 a few hours after midnight, the calmness of night 

 was most impressive. The moon peeped out from 

 behind flitting clouds, and the silence was only 

 broken by the wild yell of a Lucifee exercising his 

 vocal powers half a mile away. We required a few 

 sticks of fresh wood to lay on the fire, and, as I was 

 at the portal of our primitive house, I crossed over 

 to what was known as the wood-pile, stacked ready 

 for consumption. In the act of stooping to obtain a 

 load, a most demoniac yell burst upon my ear, so 

 close at hand that it completely startled me. It 

 was so sudden, so unearthly, and unexpected, that 

 for an instant I was unnerved. The cause of my 

 alarm, however, was only a wolverine, which I dis- 

 tinguished hurrying off (possibly the mate of the 

 first I had heard), who had been induced to visit our 

 camp by the want of* food. 



