nother boat appeared on the brink, and, hovering
for an instant, as if to prepare itself for the leap, flashed through
the water, and the next moment was aground beside the first. In this
manner seven boats successively ran the fall, and grounded in the bay.

Upon our arriving, we found them to be a part of the Saskatchewan
brigade, on its way to the common point of rendezvous, York Factory. It
was in charge of two friends of mine; so I accosted them, without
introducing myself, and chatted for some time about the occurrences of
the voyage. They appeared a little disconcerted, however, and looked
very earnestly at me two or three times. At last they confessed they
had forgotten me altogether! And, indeed, it was no wonder, for the sun
had burned me nearly as black as my Indian friends, while my dress
consisted of a blue capote, sadly singed by the fire; a straw hat, whose
shape, from exposure and bad usage, was utterly indescribable; a pair of
corduroys, and Indian moccasins; which so metamorphosed me, that my
friends, who perfectly recollected me the moment I mentioned my name,
might have remained in ignorance to this day had I not enlightened them
on the subject.

After supper one of these gentlemen offered me a share of his tent, and
we turned in together, but not to sleep; for we continued gossiping till
long after the noisy voices of the men had ceased to disturb the
tranquillity of night.

At the first peep of day our ears were saluted with the usual unpleasant
sound of "_Leve! leve! leve_!" issuing from the leathern throat of the
guide. Now this same "_Leve_!" is in my ears a peculiarly harsh and
disagreeable word, being associated with frosty mornings, uncomfortable
beds, and getting up in the dark before half enough of sleep has been
obtained. The way in which it is uttered, too, is particularly
exasperating; and often, when partially awakened by a stump boring a
hole in my side, have I listened with dread to hear the detested sound,
and then, fancying it must surely be too early to rise, have fallen
gently over on the other side, when a low muffled sound, as if some one
were throwing off his blanket, would strike upon my ear, then a cough or
grunt, and finally, as if from the bowels of the earth, a low and
scarcely audible "_Leve! leve_!" would break the universal stillness--
growing rapidly louder, "_Leve! leve! leve_!" and louder, "_Leve!
leve_!" till at last a final stentorian "_Leve! leve! leve_!"