THE FALLS OF KEEWASH. 29 
which our hostess brought out a coverlet and spread it on 
the floor for me to sit upon, while my fellow traveller and 
she, to use an Aberdeen expression, newsed away about any- 
thing and everything. 
We, warmed and refreshed, retired for the night to 
the pavilion, where was a spacious sitting-room, with bow- 
window commanding the Fall, plainly, but elegantly and 
substantially furnished. There were more than one bed- 
room furnished in like style, a dressing-room with every 
thing pertaining to the toilet, and a small cabinet with 
everything pertaining to the writing-table, and outside 
was a kitchen with hot plates and other conveniences, but 
there was no bed or table linen, knives or forks, or tea or 
dinner crockery. All these visitors were expected, in 
accordance with the usage of the country, to bring with 
them, together with provisions, unless they chose, as did 
we, to procure these from the woman in charge. 
The night was cold, and in the morning we were again 
fain to betake ourselves to the house of the Objestchick for 
our morning meal, rather than have it served in our elegant 
quarters. On going there we found the daughters, as well 
as the parents, all astir, the former making up for sale small 
bundles of birch twigs, which are used extensively through- 
out Russia for switching the body in the national bath. The 
husband, who retained bis bed when we arrived at nigbt, was 
now up and ready for conversation. He had five watchmen 
under him, and an extensive district under his charge, 
and he appeared to talk intelligently of much that related 
to his forest duties, and of much beside. His wife had 
the oven charged with wood in full blaze, and this added 
not a little to our comfort in the chilly morning. Tea and 
eggs, black bread and butter, were served to us ad libitum, 
the butter being laid on thick, and the eggs drunken out 
of the shell. The smoke, as volumes came belching out 
from the open oven, was still more offensive to my eyes 
than that of the evening before. As then, a coverlet 
was spread for me on the ground, and a pillow placed upon 
the bench upon which to rest my arm supporting my 
