ded him infinite satisfaction to know that he was devouring his
late antagonist; but such a thought did not enter his canine mind.
There was the food; he ate it, and was grateful.

By the time supper was over all our clothes were dry, and we put them on
to prepare ourselves for the night. The air felt much cooler than
usual, so we determined to build a wigwam in which to shelter ourselves.
It would also give us some slight protection from bears or wolves. We
did not expect to be annoyed by any of the latter on this side of the
river, but it was very probable that a grizzly or black bear might pay
us a visit; for they roam throughout the whole of the Hudson Bay
Territory, the white bears taking their place in the more northern
regions. The axe we had found enabled us quickly to cut down some long
poles to form the framework of the wigwam. As there were numerous large
birch trees about, we soon collected a sufficient number of slabs of
bark to cover it. Some were of considerable size, and all we had to do
was to place them on their ends against the conical framework of poles.
In a few minutes we had a serviceable wigwam formed. As after our
fatigues we were anxious to have comfortable couches, we cut down the
tops of a number of small spruce firs, with which we covered the floor,
using our knapsacks for pillows, and before long three of us were fast
asleep.

Alick, who was better able than any of us to endure fatigue, agreed to
keep the first watch. I took the watch after him. Though I paced up
and down before the fire, I had great difficulty in keeping my eyes
open. The murmur of the stream as it flowed by, and the suppressed hum
of insects with the occasional cry of some bird, had a very soporific
effect. I kept walking about and stamping my feet, but every moment I
stopped my head began to nod; and when I got a little distance from the
fire and turned round to look at it, I could not make out whether it was
the sun or the moon just rising. I pinched myself, and sang, and walked
faster up and down. When I stopped for a moment the same overpowering
drowsiness came over me.

I had gone to the farthest extent of my beat, when I thought that I
would just lean against a tree for a few seconds to rest, myself. It
was an imprudent act, and the consequences might have been serious. I
remember that I felt myself sinking down, but the movement fortunately
aroused me. I just then heard the cracking of branches and