THE ALLEGASH AND EAST BRANCH. 
195 
stop at the first suitable place, so that he might be on the 
lookout for it. Having observed a clear, hard, and flat 
beach to land on, free from mud, and from stones which 
would injure the canoe, one would run up the bank to 
see if there were open and level space enough for the 
camp between the trees, or if it could be easily cleared, 
preferring at the same time a cool place, on account of 
insects. Sometimes we paddled a mile or more before 
finding one to our minds, for where the shore was suita¬ 
ble, the bank would often be too steep, or else too low 
and grassy, and therefore mosquitoey. We then took 
out the baggage and drew up the canoe, sometimes turn¬ 
ing it over on shore for safety. The Indian cut a path 
to the spot we had selected, which was usually within 
two or three rods of the water, and we carried up our 
baggage. One, perhaps, takes canoe-birch bark, always 
at hand, and dead dry wood or bark, and kindles a fire 
five or six feet in front of where we intend to lie. It 
matters not, commonly, on which side this is, because 
there is little or no wind in so dense a wood at that sea¬ 
son ; and then he gets a kettle of water from the river, 
and takes out the pork, bread, coffee, &c., from their 
several packages. 
Another, meanwhile, having the axe, cuts down the 
nearest dead rock-maple or other dry hard wood, col¬ 
lecting several large logs to last through the night, also 
a green stake, with a notch or fork to it, which is slanted 
over the fire, perhaps resting on a rock or forked stake, 
to hang the kettle on, and two forked stakes and a pole 
for the tent. 
The third man pitches the tent, cuts a dozen or more 
pins with his knife, usually of moose-wood, the common 
underwood, to fasten it down with, and then collects an 
