OUR NOCTURNAL ENCAMPMENT. 2/5 



skins he could find. He had also powder, lead, coffee, 

 sugar, and lucifer matches ; the latter article are 

 wretchedly made in America. I exchanged all my 

 . skins for powder, lead, and coffee. 



From • hence, somewhat lightened, we proceeded to 

 Spring Creek, which is thickly settled, one good farm 

 bordering another, till we passed the water-mill, where 

 they ceased, and we prepared for the night, which looked 

 threatening. We halted by an overthrown pine-tree, 

 unloaded the horse, and gave him some corn, collected 

 firewood, and made a hut. Pine bark lay about in 

 heaps ; though worm-eaten in many places, it answered 

 for want of better, and, used in double and treble lay- 

 ers, it made a very respectable sort of shed. When I 

 thought it was finished, being rather tired, I flung my- 

 self on the ground ; but my companion was not so eas- 

 ily satisfied ; he laid on one piece of bark after an- 

 other, and spread some to keep our limbs from the damp 

 earth, and, whether I wished it or not, I must up and 

 help till he pronounced " That'll do." Our simple sup- 

 per was soon over ; he then pulled off his shabby old 

 coat, folded it up carefully, and laid it on his saddle as 

 an extra pillow, spread his blanket on the pine bark with 

 the edge to the fire, so that in lying on it, and covering 

 himself with the other half, he might admit the warmth. 

 After adding a few more logs to the fire, he pulled off 

 his shoes, placing them near him with the soles upwards, 

 that they might not fill with water in case of rain ; he 

 hung his socks under the bark roof, to keep them prop- 

 erly warm and dry ; then laying himself carefully on 

 his blanket, and covering himself with the other half, he 

 was soon asleep. 



