86 LAKE SUPERIOR. 



or exposure. After all, you will find many advan- 

 tages in tin cups, and, really, the plates are scarcely 

 objectionable ; before deciding, you must look at these 

 matters from both points of view. However, as we 

 cannot obtain china this trip, and as we are discuss- 

 ing improvements, there is one thing I insist upon 

 hereafter we must have table-cloths and napkins." 



" What !" I exclaimed, absolutely overcome at 

 this suggestion. 



"Table-cloths and napkins. You have probably 

 heard of such things before ; they are customary at 

 a gentleman's table, and if a person does sleep in a 

 tent, he need not forget he is a gentleman. Look at 

 this table, made out of two rough boards that were 

 never even planed, transported in the bottom of our 

 boat, and walked over daily with dirty shoes and 

 occasionally with bare feet, sullied with the marks 

 of promiscuous bundles, half covered with grease, 

 and stained with tea, bilge-water, and fish-blood 

 gracefully intermingled." 



" That is too bad ; they are two good, clean 

 boards that Frank washes regularly, and which are 

 in themselves an unusual luxury ; for in wood's-life 

 we usually dine off a log or a flat rock." 



" They may be washed occasionally ; but as dead 

 fish are first gutted on them, and as tea and grease 

 are afterwards spilled on them till they are revolt- 

 ing with filth, I do not see, for my part rf how you 

 can eat your dinner off them." 



" I don't eat off them ; I eat off my plate." 



" That you may call a joke ; but hereafter I shall 





