THE EED UIVEE EXPEDITION. 261 



each tent-door, as soon as the sun went down, you 

 generally saw what the backwoodsman calls a 

 " smudge " smouldering away, filling the tents with 

 the volumes of steamy smoke which it emitted. A 

 smudge is simply a small fire, on which is put damp 

 moss, or wet rotten wood or bark, which in burning 

 gives out clouds of vapour laden with carbonic acid 

 gas. To impregnate the air more effectually, the 

 smudge was frequently placed actually inside the 

 tent, the door being left open, so that the flies in- 

 commoded by the atmosphere might escape. When 

 the tent is completely filled with smoke, the door is 

 fastened up for the night, so that no mosquito can enter. 



The stores were brought by our land - transport 

 Avaggons as far as the Matawan camp ; the road as 

 far as that being in fine weather very good, all things 

 considered. The great nut to crack was to get them 

 over the twenty-two miles between there and Lake 

 Shebandowan, a small portion only of that distance 

 having a practicable road over it. Every mile of 

 navigable water on the river was therefore made use 

 of, the stores being sent up for the first few miles in 

 boats, then conveyed a few more miles in waggons, 

 then in boats again for about eleven miles, then a 

 short distance again by waggon, and finally by water 

 again for the last three miles to Shebandowan Lake : 

 there they were collected on a sandy beach, previous 

 to being distributed amongst the brigades as they 

 started finally for Fort Garry. 



VOL. I. s 



