166 THE A3IERICAN BLACK BEAK. 



illumined the gloom of the forest, shooting up showers 

 of sparks each time the logs were stirred towards the 

 blue star-spangled sky above. Comfortable couches 

 were formed out of the young cane-tops, upon which 

 blankets were spread. Our suppers were easily cooked 

 by the bright fire, round which we placed in a circle all 

 our goods and chattels, such as saddles and guns. The 

 dogs were in every part of the ring ; in fact, it was diffi- 

 cult to move without treading upon some lazy brute. 



The injunctions of our leader were ' early to bed and 

 early to rise,' and when we sat down first, we intended 

 to obey; but after a supper of venison ribs (we had 

 killed a good fat buck by the way), and tin cups of 

 cafe noir, we filled the same utensils with hot grog, lit 

 our pipes, and listened to a multitude of good stories, 

 to which the scene and the occasion gave rise. The 

 pipes would not burn out with the story, and had to be 

 refilled in the middle of the next good tale ; and it was 

 not till one of the party announced that only a couple 

 of hours' sleep could be allowed to us that the hunters 

 rolled themselves in their blankets. The bright stars 

 began to pale above us, and the fire had burnt into a 

 mass of glowing red embers before we slept, leaving to 

 the last man up the task of keeping together the fire 

 till morning, which all agreed could not be very far off. 



The short space of sleeping time passed away, and as 

 soon as it became Hght and the birds tuned their pipes, 

 all hands aroused themselves for the coming bear-hunt. 



