My march was of long duration; I saw the sun sinking beneath the horizon long before I could perceive any appearance of woodland, and nothing in the shape of man had I met with that day.  The track which I followed was only an old Indian trace; and, as darkness overshadowed the prairie, I felt some desire to reach at least a copse, in which I might lie down to rest.  The night-hawks were skimming over and around me, attracted by the buzzing wings of the beetles which formed their food, and the distant howling of wolves gave me some hope that I should soon arrive at the skirts of some woodland.

I did so, and almost at the same instant a fire-light attracting my eye, I moved toward it, full of confidence that it proceeded from the camp of some wandering Indians.  I was mistaken.  I discovered by its glare that it was from the hearth of a small log cabin, and that a tall figure passed and repassed between it and me, as if busily engaged in household arrangements.

I reached the spot, and presenting myself at the door, asked the tall figure, which proved to be a woman, if I might take shelter under her roof for the night.  Her voice was gruff, and her attire negligently thrown about her.  She answered in the affirmative.  I walked in, took a wooden stool, and quietly seated myself by the fire.  The next object that attracted my notice was a finely formed young Indian, resting his head between his hands, with his elbows on his knees.  A long bow rested against the log wall near him, while a quantity of arrows and two or three raccoon skins lay at his feet.  He moved not; he apparently breathed not.  Accustomed to the habits of the Indians, and knowing that they pay little attention to the approach of civilized strangers (a circumstance which in some countries is considered as evincing the apathy of their character), I addressed him in French, a language not unfrequently partially known to the people in that neighborhood.  He raised his head, pointed to one of his eyes with his finger, and gave me a significant glance with the other.  His face was covered with blood.  The fact was, that an hour before this, as he was in the act of discharging an arrow at a raccoon in the top of a tree, the arrow had split upon the cord, and sprung back with such violence into his right eye as to destroy it forever.

Feeling hungry, I inquired what sort of fare I might expect.  Such a thing as a bed was not to be seen, but many large untanned bear and buffalo hides lay piled in a corner.  I drew a fine timepiece from my breast, and told the woman that it was late, and that I was fatigued.  She had espied my watch, the richness of which seemed to operate upon her feelings with electric quickness.  She told me that there was plenty of venison and jerked buffalo meat, and that on removing the ashes I should find a cake.  But my watch had struck her fancy, and her curiosity had to be gratified by an immediate sight of it.  I took off the gold chain that secured it, from around