then decided on remaining to rest three or four days; and, in
the meantime, to endeavour to find the Indians. I would I could
now describe how insensibly we glided from one subject to
another;--religion--politics--country--'home, _sweet, sweet_,
home'--alternately occupied our attention; and thus, in the
midst of a dreary waste, far away from the haunts of civilized
man, we sat contentedly smoking our pipes; and, Englishmen
like, settled the affairs of _nations_ over a glass of rum and
water--ever and anon drinking a health to each _friend_ and
_fair_, who rose uppermost in our thoughts. From this the
subject turned to "specific gravity." Here an argument
commenced. When illustrating a position I had advanced, by the
ascension of the smoke from my pipe, we both turned up our eyes
to witness its progress upwards: on looking towards the
aperture in the roof what was our astonishment at beholding the
faces of _two Indians_, calmly surveying us in the quiet
occupation of _their_ abode. In an instant we shouted--"The
Indians!" and in a moment every one was on the alert, and each
taking his arms rushed to the door--not a creature was to be
seen; in vain we looked around;--no trace, save the marks of
footsteps on the snow, was to be discovered, but these seemed
almost innumerable. We fired about a dozen shots into the
woods, and then retired to our dwelling. ---- and I then
resolved to take alternate watch, and every half hour, at least
to walk round the house. During the night, however, we were not
again disturbed, save by the howling of wolves and barking of
foxes.
E.S.