ails upon the ground like a
creeping plant, its branches even taking root again. This is rather a
small bush than a tree, and is often seen hanging down the face of
inaccessible cliffs. It is known among botanists as the _Juniperus
prostrata_.

"Now," said Norman, after examining a few of the cedar-trees, "we have
here all that's wanted to make our canoe. We need lose no more time,
but go to work at once!"

"Very well," replied the three brothers, "we are ready to assist you,--
tell us what to do."

"In the first place," said the other, "I think we had better change our
camp to this spot, as I see all the different kinds of trees here, and
much better ones than those near the river. There," continued he,
pointing to a piece of moist ground in the valley,--"there are some
journeys if we go back and bring our meat to this place at once."

To this they all of course agreed, and started back to their first camp.
They soon returned with the meat and other things, and having chosen a
clean spot under a large-spreading cedar-tree, they kindled a new fire
and made their camp by it--that is, they strung up the provisions, hung
their horns and pouches upon the branches around, and rested their guns
against the trees. They had no tent to pitch, but that is not necessary
to constitute a camp. In the phraseology of the American hunter,
wherever you kindle your fire or spend the night is a "camp."

CHAPTER TWELVE.

HOW TO BUILD A BARK CANOE.

Norman expected that they would be able to finish the canoe in about a
week. Of course, the sooner the better, and no time was lost in setting
about it. The ribs or "timbers" were the first thing to be fashioned,
and a number of straight branches of cedar were cut, out of which they
were to be made. These branches were cleared of twigs, and rendered of
an equal thickness at both ends. They were then flattened with the
knife; and, by means of a little sweating in the ashes, were bent so as
to bear some resemblance in shape to the wooden ox-yokes commonly used
in America, or indeed to the letter U. The ribs when thus bent were not
all of the same width. On the contrary, those which were intended to be
placed near the middle or gangway of the vessel, were about two feet
across from side to side, while the space between the sides of the
others was gradually less in each fresh pair, according as their
position was to be near to the stem and stern. When the whole of them
had