REINDEER-STALKING IN RYFYLKE. 
25 
Our hut measured twelve feet by ten, and contained 
a table and a bench, some empty packing-cases for 
chairs, two shelves and a tiny iron cooking-stove. 
Numerous long nails in the wall proved invaluable fur¬ 
niture. Across the rafters from side to side was carried 
a half-roof or ceiling, and on this open shelf, reached 
by a ladder like a hen-roost, we slept on damp hay. 
We had, of course, brought waterproof ground-sheets, 
blankets, and rugs, besides kettle and frying-pan, 
canteen, with bread, coffee, candles and such-like 
necessaries. 
The off-loading completed, order presently replaced 
chaos ; we boiled our coffee, dined on corned beef and 
ptarmigan, and over a reflective pipe wondered where 
we were all seven going to sleep. Fortunately this 
difficulty was presently solved by our three friends 
withdrawing to a turf-covered hovel there was hard by. 
We inspected this cave-dwelling in the morning; it was 
three-parts underground, dug into the hill, the rest 
built up of big stones all thickly covered with turf. 
The door was eighteen inches square, and on crawling 
inside, one perceived a dark space of about seven feet 
by five, and some three in height. Next morning the 
three hunters departed at dawn, carrying their meat 
homewards. 
Our own quarters were not luxurious, since four of 
us lay huddled on a hay-shelf twelve feet by five, W. 
and I occupying one end, head to head with Lars and 
Paul, who shared the other. These worthies always 
came to bed pipe in mouth — so did we, in self- 
defence—but they beat us, for they seemed to possess 
the faculty of smoking asleep; aye, and spitting too. 
