considered myself rigged up for retiring. When thus wrapped,
I used to have some difficulty in getting down into the bed, although it
was only on the ground. When in position, the guide would throw over me
another heavy blanket and fur robe. Then very skilfully, and in a way
most motherly, he would begin at my feet and carefully tuck me in.
Rapidly and deftly did he proceed with his work, and almost before I was
aware of what he was doing, he had reached my head, which he began to
cover completely up with the heavy robe which he seemed to be crowding
down under my back and shoulders.

The first time he packed me in in this manner I was only able to stand
it for a minute or two, as I thought I should be smothered. So I very
suddenly threw up my arms and sent the whole upper covering off in a
hurry.

"Do you wish to smother me, man?" I said. "I cannot live with my head
covered up like that!"

Without any annoyance at my having so quickly undone his work, he
replied very kindly, "I know it must be hard work for you white people
to sleep with your heads completely covered up, but you will have to do
it here, or you will freeze to death. You must be very careful, for
this seems to be a very cold night indeed." Then he called my attention
to the distant thunder-like sounds which we had been hearing
occasionally during the evening. That, he told me, was the ice, from
four to six feet thick, on the great lake, cracking in the bitter cold.
"Look at the smoke," he added. "See how it keeps very near the ground.
It does that in the bitter cold nights."

From the trees around us we heard occasionally a sharp pistol-like
report, loud enough at times to make a nervous person fancy that lurking
enemies were firing at us.

The observant Indians say these loud reports are burstings in the trees
caused by the freezing of the sap.

Admiring his cleverness and kindness, I told him that I had been taught
that every person requires so many cubic feet of fresh air; and, cold or
no cold, how did he think I could get my share with my head covered up
as he desired? "You must do with less out here," he said, as he
proceeded to cover me up again, while I tried to arrange myself so that
I could at least have a small portion of air. Kindly and patiently he
humoured me, and then, when he had finished tucking me in, he said,
"Now, Missionary, good-night; but don't stir. If you do, you may
disarrange your coverings while you sleep,