ring the land! Ay, weeks, if not
months, may you journey in these open fields, in which there is neither
dwelling nor habitation for man or beast. Even the savage animals travel
miles on miles to seek their dens; and yet the wind seldom blows from
the east, but I conceit the sound of axes, and the crash of falling
trees, are in my ears."

As the old man spoke with the seriousness and dignity that age seldom
fails to communicate even to less striking sentiments, his auditors were
deeply attentive, and as silent as the grave. Indeed, the trapper
was left to renew the dialogue himself, which he soon did by asking
a question, in the indirect manner so much in use by the border
inhabitants.

"You found it no easy matter to ford the water-courses, and to make your
way so deep into the prairies, friend, with teams of horses and herds of
horned beasts?"

"I kept the left bank of the main river," the emigrant replied, "until I
found the stream leading too much to the north, when we rafted ourselves
across without any great suffering. The women lost a fleece or two
from the next year's shearing, and the girls have one cow less to their
dairy. Since then, we have done bravely, by bridging a creek every day
or two."

"It is likely you will continue west, until you come to land more
suitable for a settlement?"

"Until I see reason to stop, or to turn ag'in," the emigrant bluntly
answered, rising at the same time, and cutting short the dialogue by the
suddenness of the movement. His example was followed by the trapper, as
well as the rest of the party; and then, without much deference to
the presence of their guest, the travellers proceeded to make their
dispositions to pass the night. Several little bowers, or rather huts,
had already been formed of the tops of trees, blankets of coarse country
manufacture, and the skins of buffaloes, united without much reference
to any other object than temporary comfort. Into these covers the
children, with their mother, soon drew themselves, and where, it is more
than possible, they were all speedily lost in the oblivion of sleep.
Before the men, however, could seek their rest, they had sundry little
duties to perform; such as completing their works of defence, carefully
concealing the fires, replenishing the fodder of their cattle, and
setting the watch that was to protect the party, in the approaching
hours of night.

The former was effected by dragging the trunks of a few trees into