In North- West Canada. 169 



skimming over the lake like swallows, and the blackbirds, 

 marsh wrens and bull frogs began to make a great noise as 

 the sun was fast disappearing behind the western horizon. 

 Several bitterns had begun to boom, and the croak of cranes, 

 and the cries of coots, rails and ducks, all mingled together, 

 made a noise that might be heard three or four miles away. 



I put the eggs into my handkerchief and turned in the 

 direction of the cabin. I was surprised to find it was half 

 past nine, and still light. The days are very long on the 

 prairies. It was dusk at ten o'clock, and so I got the pro- 

 prietor of the cabin to show me to my room. We climbed up 

 a rickety ladder to the loft, and here I found my bed. I 

 would as soon have slept on a bundle of straw in his barn. 

 The little room was very close, and the small window was a 

 fixture and could not be opened. My room was divided from 

 the others by boarding five feet high, and on looking over the 

 top into the next room, I beheld an Indian laid stretched on 

 a rude bed. To say I was dissatisfied with my sleeping quar- 

 ters, was putting it mildly. I placed a chair and box against 

 the door, which had no lock, and putting my revolver under 

 my pillow, I stretched myself on the grey blanket, covering 

 myself with another one. As I lay outstretched on my hard 

 couch, I thought of my comfortable bed at home ; however, 

 there is something fascinating in having to rough it, and those 

 who cannot stand these inconveniences had better keep away 

 from the North- West. I tried to go to sleep, but, what with 

 the noise of the kildeers, blackbirds and bull frogs in front of 

 the window, the Indian snoring in the next room, and the 

 irritation of the mosquito bites on my face and neck, it took 

 me some time to get to sleep. During the night I dreamt 

 that I came across a huge crane's nest, that some one had filled 

 with all kinds of plovers', cranes', marsh hawks', ducks' and 

 other eggs. 



