THE POLISH KEFUCiEE's HAUITATIOX. 89 



Europe. He was unmarried, and a little ten-year-old 

 daughter of Hilger's minded his house. This child 

 was often alone for days and nights together in 

 Turoski's log-house, miles away from other habitations; 

 yet she cared nothing whether it was the storm or the 

 wolves that howled round the hut. 



After a short conversation, Turoski proposed that I 

 should come and stay with him. I passed some very 

 agreeable days with these estimable men, sometimes 

 with one, sometimes with the other. To give my 

 reader an idea of the bachelor-life of an American 

 backwoodsman, I will describe one of the nights that 

 I passed at Turoski's. Hilger's daughter had gone 

 home to visit her parents, who lived tlu^ee miles off, 

 and we two were alone. The Pole's dwelling was 

 notliing but a simple rough log-house, without any 

 window, and all the chinks between the logs were left 

 open, probably to admit fresh air. Two beds, a table, 

 a couple of chairs, one of them with arms, some iron 

 saucepans, three plates, two tin pots, one saucer, 

 several knives, and a coffee-mill, formed the whole of 

 his furniture and kitchen utensils. A smaller building 

 near the house contained the store of meat for the 

 winter. There, was a field of four or five acres close 

 to the house, and another about a quarter of a mile off 

 on the river. He had some good horses, a great many 

 pigs, quantities of fowls, and several milch cows. 



Being deeply interested in our conversation, we 

 forgot to prepare any supper, and it was not till tlie 

 cold made itself felt that we went to bed. It may 

 have been about half-past twelve, when Turoski woke 

 up, and swore by all the saints, that he could lie no 

 8* 



