, oui; oh! misere!" cried La Roche, springing over the fire, and
giving a turn to the splendid haunch of venison which depended from a
wooden tripod in front of the blaze, and, having been neglected for a
few minutes, was beginning to singe.

"What have ye in the pot there?" inquired Bryan.

"Von goose, two duck, trois plovre, et von leetle bird--I not know de
name of--put him in pour experiment."

"Very good, Losh; out wid the goose and we'll cram the bit o' dumplin'
into him for stuffin'."

"Ah! superb, excellent," cried La Roche, laughing, as he lifted out the
goose, into which Bryan thrust the mass of superfluous pudding; after
which the hole was tied up and the bird re-consigned to the pot.

Everything connected with this dinner was strikingly suggestive of the
circumstances under which it was given. The superabundance of venison
and wild-fowl; the cooking done in the open air; the absence of women,
and the performance of work usually allotted to them by bronzed and
stalwart voyageurs; the wild scenery in the midst of which it took
place; and the mixture of Irish, English, French, Indian, Esquimau, and
compound tones, that fell upon the ear as the busy work went on,--all
tended to fill the mind with a feeling of wild romance, and to suggest
powerfully the idea of being, if we may so express it, _far, far away_!
As the proceedings advanced towards completion, this feeling was rather
increased than removed.

Tables and chairs were a luxury that still remained to be introduced at
Fort Chimo, when the men found leisure from more urgent duties to
construct them. Therefore the dining-table in Stanley's hall was
composed of three large packing-cases turned bottom up. There was no
cloth wherewith to cover its rough boards; but this was a matter of
little importance to the company which assembled round it, punctually at
the hour of four. In place of chairs there were good substantial
nail-kegs, rather low, it is true, and uncommonly hard, but not to be
despised under the circumstances. Owing to the unusual demand for
dishes, the pewter plates and spoons and tin drinking-cups--for they had
little crockery--were of every form and size that the store contained;
and the floor on which it all stood was the beaten ground, for the
intended plank flooring was still growing in the mountain glens.

But if the equipage was homely and rude, the fare was choice and
abundant; and an odour that might have gladdened the heart o