246 
THE MAINE WOODS. 
As I have said, the influx of light merely is civilizing, 
yet I fancied that they walked about on Sundays in their 
clearing somewhat as in a prison-yard. 
They were unwilling to spare more than four pounds 
of brown sugar, — unlocking the storehouse to get it, — 
since they only kept a little for such cases as this, and 
they charged twenty cents a pound for it, which cer¬ 
tainly it w r as worth to get it up there. 
When I returned to the shore it was quite dark, but 
we had a rousing fire to warm and dry us by, and a snug 
apartment behind it. The Indian went up to the house 
to inquire after a brother who had been absent hunting 
a year or two, and while another shower was beginning, 
I groped about cutting spruce and arbor-vitas twigs for a 
bed. I preferred the arbor-vitas on account of its fra¬ 
grance, and spread it particularly thick about the shoul¬ 
ders. It is remarkable with what pure satisfaction the 
traveller in these woods will reach his camping-ground 
on the eve of a tempestuous night like this, as if he had 
got to his inn, and, rolling himself in his blanket, stretch 
himself on his six feet by two bed of dripping fir-twigs, 
with a thin sheet of cotton for roof, snug as a meadow- 
mouse in its nest. Invariably our best nights were those 
when it rained, for then we were not troubled with mos¬ 
quitoes. 
You soon come to disregard rain on such excursions, 
at least in the summer, it is so easy to dry yourself, sup-, 
posing a dry change of clothing is not to be had. You 
can much sooner dry you by such a fire as you can make 
in the w T oods than in anybody’s kitchen, the fireplace is so 
much larger, and wood so much more abundant. A shed¬ 
shaped tent will catch and reflect the heat like a Yankee- 
baker, and you may be drying while you are sleeping. 
