VISIT TO BAIIRENS. 237 



before we had flour enough for a tolerable meal ; we 

 then moistened it with water, put it in a flat iron pan, 

 covered it, and set it on the ashes to bake. Millc and 

 smoked deer-hams formed the remainder of the spread. 

 Having, with some ditficulty, roused our sleeping com- 

 panion, we commenced upon the viands, and even 

 our sleepy friend seemed to have banished all other 

 thoughts in his anxiety to make them disappear with 

 the utmost possible despatch ; but his last mouthful 

 was hardly out of sight, when his eyes became for a 

 moment fixed, the lids fell, and he was again in a 

 deep sleep. 



The whole party were rather tired, and as there 

 were no spare beds in the house, S. and I spread our 

 blankets ; the boys gave us two more to cover us, and 

 all five were soon peaceably extended, one beside the 

 other, in waiting for the next day's sun. 



We were up at daybreak, and, to avoid another 

 grind at the old mill, for which I had conceived the 

 greatest respect, we started before breakfast. The 

 horse, having had a good supply of food, was again 

 saddled and bridled, the bag with salt, &c., laid across, 

 my old comrade climbed up, I handed him his duck 

 basket and old shooting iron, cast my blanket over my 

 shoulder, and shaking hands with our two new ac- 

 quaintances, the third being still asleep, we went off to 

 the west for the abode of my companion. The weather 

 had cleared up, and with light heart and light step we 

 jogged along the well-beaten track ; Bearsgrease snuffing 

 the trails of the deer which had crossed the road in 

 the course of the night. He stopped at every fresh 

 trail, asking with entreating eyes for leave to follow 



