106 DIES DIEM SEQU1TUR. 



sunset with a barrel of wheaten flour, several large loaves 

 of bread, and a bag of maize. All this was placed on a 

 hastily -constructed sledge ; and by dint of harnessing 

 ourselves to it in turn, we arrived about midnight, safe 

 and sound, and not over-weary, at the camp of the 

 O sages, and in front of our log-cabin. 



Meantime the Mississippi began to decrease, and the 

 ice, receding with the level of the water, imperilled our 

 keel-boat. As an useful precaution we lightened it, with 

 the help of the Indian women, of its heavier stores ; and, 

 with some trunks of trees, which we felled for the pur- 

 pose, we constructed around it a kind of jetty, to protect 

 it from collisions. 



After these arrangements had been completed, our days 

 rolled joyously by ; and our numerous sporting expedi- 

 tions provided us with so much game that the carcasses of 

 bears, stags, moor-fowl, and snipes brought down by our 

 guns, joined to the hares which we entrapped, being 

 suspended to the trees around our camp, gave it all the 

 appearance of the bazaar of a provision-merchant. The 

 lakes in the vicinity teemed with excellent fish ; and, by 

 means of nets or harpoons, the Redskins supplied us 

 daily with beautiful trout and enormous pikes. 



The Indians passed their days in tanning the skins of 

 stags and otters, and weaving rush baskets. In the 

 evening my friend, who had brought with him an indif- 

 ferent fiddle, set the "ladies" dancing; and the crew of 

 our boat disputed with the Osages and the loways the 

 palm of gallantry. Had it not been for the pipes of 

 tobacco, which gave to the picture a modern aspect, one 

 might have thought one's-self a witness of some ancient 

 idyll. 



