All this was told in a simple and unaffected
manner, but there was a total absence of complaint or despondency,
which often accompany the recital of such severe trials.
Having sent Sorrow back in the boat with an injunction to watch our
signal of recall, we proceeded further up the river, and commenced
fishing. In a short time we killed two beautiful salmon, but the black
flies and musquitoes were so intolerably troublesome, we were
compelled to return to the log hut. I asked permission of our
cheerful, tidy young hostess to broil a piece of the salmon by her
fire, more for the purpose of leaving the fish with her than anything
else, when she immediately offered to perform that friendly office for
us herself.
"I believe," she said, "I have a drawing of tea left," and taking from
the shelf a small mahogany caddy, emptied it of its contents. It was
all she had. The flour-barrel was also examined and enough was
gathered, as she said by great good luck, to make a few cakes. Her old
man, she remarked, for so she termed her young husband, would be back
in a day or two and bring a fresh supply. To relieve her of our
presence, while she was busied in those preparations, we strolled to
the bank of the river, where the breeze in the open ground swept away
our tormentors, the venomous and ravenous flies, and by the time our
meal was ready, returned almost loaded with trout.
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