NO LUCK 205 



the log floor, while a huge fire quickly kindled showed every- 

 thing in a more favourable light. 



Snow and ice having made canoes useless we could only get 

 as far away from the railway as a hired sleigh would take us ; 

 although I mistrusted the country from previous experience my 

 men thought well of it and were glad to give it a trial. A 

 terrible discovery awaited us on unpacking our kit cooking 

 utensils, drinking- cups, and plates had all been left behind, and 

 left where they were altogether out of reach ! Knives and forks 

 were also absent, but we all carried the former and after all 

 fingers were invented before the latter came into use. Cold, 

 hungry, and thirsty after our march in the snow things looked 

 serious ; we had stores in plenty but nothing to make them 

 eatable and drinkable. A thorough search through the other 

 shanties and the immediately surrounding scrub was rewarded 

 by the fortunate discovery of a long since discarded cast-iron 

 bean pot with a gaping crack across the bottom, another pot, 

 of tin this time, fortunately entire, and a washhand basin 

 which would then have been most useful as a sieve. The 

 former, the bean pot, was the most valuable find ; by tilting it 

 on to one side it turned out most fragrant dishes of pork and 

 bacon, while as a means of baking bread it was unrivalled. 

 The tin vessel made our tea while we drank out of another 

 lucky find an old jam pot while the damaged tin washhand 

 basin quickly repaired with the aid of a bullet and resin did 

 duty in various useful ways. This part of our outfit was, 

 however, soon perfected by the addition of a frying-pan, tea- 

 kettle, and cups, by knives and forks borrowed from a lumber 

 depot, the nearest habitation to us. Boards and planks from 

 the long-deserted bunks in the adjoining shanties were con- 

 verted by us into more or less comfortable bedsteads, into 

 tables and stools, and thus in a very short time our house 

 presented a most home-like appearance, more particularly in 

 the evening when a gigantic fire blazed on the hearth, warming 

 and illuminating the whole interior. 



When after a long day's hunt in the snow-laden forest we 

 returned tired and with soaking clothes, the latter were soon 

 exchanged for dry ones, and suspended in picturesque variety 

 from the beams of the roof ; the kettle found its way on to the 

 burning logs ; bacon presently spluttered in the frying-pan, and 



