y
hours of travel and the several stops to eat, the sunset in cold
splendour comes, and with it Memotas calls for the halt. Then another
night in the woods, very similar to the one fully described, is passed,
with the exception that during the hours of troubled slumber the fierce
winds arose, and the light, dry snow in the three piled-up snowbanks of
the camp was rudely seized hold of by rough old Boreas and driven hither
and thither in his own rough way. Most of the snow seemed to find its
way back to the place, from which the snowshoes some hours before had
thrown it, and now well it is for our young lads that they are so
completely covered up in their bed, for the snow is now upon them to the
depth of a couple of feet. Fortunately, the snow is like an extra
blanket which Dame Nature has thrown upon them to add to their comfort.
When the storm was beginning, and they began to move as some erratic
snowflakes were so twisted around that they reached their faces, the
guide, who well knew what a wretched night of discomfort would be theirs
if they now, in the blinding storm, uncovered their heads, shouted to
them with a good deal of sternness, "Do not uncover your heads; lie
still and sleep." This, after a little effort, they were able to do.
The fun, or rather discomfort, came in the morning, when the cry to get
up was heard. Suddenly they sprang up, but in spite of all their
quickness some of the snow went into their faces, and down their necks,
and--well, it was far from agreeable.

The outlook was dismal enough. The storm still continued raging. There
was, in addition to the wind playing all sorts of pranks, with what had
already fallen, now a heavy snowfall besides. It seemed to penetrate
everywhere. It forced its way into their eyes and noses and pockets,
and tried to get under their caps and capotes. The fire was completely
extinguished. In fact, where the bright, blazing fire was so cheerily
throwing out its heat and warmth when they were tucked in by the
faithful Indian, now a great snowdrift occupied the very spot.

The experienced travellers in these lands, even under such conditions
and worse, do not lose heart. Quickly they went to work. Strong axes
soon felled more dry trees, and cut them into logs. Others, with
snowshoes as shovels, soon cleared away the snow drift from the
fireplace. A skillful firemaker soon had the dry kindling and chips
under the logs in ablaze, and now the wind only fan