nt, sailing
away on the dancing waves. Among the boxes brought to land, and "toted"
up the steep bank, was one containing some loaves of sugar and packages
of tea, which I had bought for our winter's supply from the sutler at
the post. The young Indian who was the bearer of it set it upon the
ground, and soon called my attention to a thick, white stream that was
oozing from the corners. I made signs for him to taste it. He dipped his
finger in it, and exclaimed with delight to his companions, when he
perceived what it was. I then pointed to his hatchet, and motioned him
to open the box. He did not require a second invitation--it was soon
backed to pieces.

Then, as I beckoned up all the rest of the youngsters who were looking
on, full of wonder, such a scrambling and shouting with delight
succeeded as put us all, particularly the boys, into fits of laughter.
Bowls, dippers, hands, everything that could contain even the smallest
quantity, were put in requisition. The squaws were most active. Those
who could do no better took the stoutest fragments of the blue paper in
which the sugar had been enveloped, and in a trice nothing remained but
the wet, yellow bundles of tea, and the fragments of the splintered box
which had contained it.

By this time fires had been made, and the articles from the trunks were
soon seen covering every shrub and bush in the vicinity. Fortunately,
the box containing the new uniform had been piled high above the others,
in the centre of the boat, and had received but little damage; but sad
was the condition of the wardrobes in general.

Not a white article was to be seen. All was mottled; blue, green, red,
and black intermingling in streaks, and dripping from ends and corners.

To add to the trouble, the rain began to fall, as rain is apt to do, at
an inconvenient moment, and soon the half-dried garments had to be
gathered out of the smoke and huddled away in a most discouraging
condition.

The tent was pitched, wet as it was, and the blankets, wrung out of the
water, and partially dried, were spread upon the ground for our
accommodation at night.

A Hamburg cheese, which had been a part of my stores, was voted to me
for a pillow, and, after a supper the best part of which was a portion
of one of the wet loaves which had remained in a barrel too tightly
wedged to drift away, we betook ourselves to our repose.

The next morning rose hot and sultry. The mosquitoes, which the rain
had kept