vent refpiration, the reft of the company were permitted to go
into it. The infeds, with which we were covered from head to
foot, were obliged to quit their prey and remain at the door, enraged
th a t they durft not advance to attack us- in our retreat.
This little hole in which we were all huddled one among another-,
quite full of fmoke, and with no other carpet or floor than the
bare earth, was more agreeable to us than any of the inns-1 had
ever viiited in France or England. In the middle o f the room
there was a good fire, and our tent placed on leaves of the birch-
tree ferved us for a bed. W e now fet about dreffing the game we
had killed, being ourfelves the cooks. W e had a comfortable
fupper; and while the thick and pungent fmoke made the tears
trickle down our cheeks in large drops, we merrily drank, in a
bumper of brandy, to the deftrudion of our enemies, who kept us
in a ftate o f blockade, ftill hovering at the gate of our citadel, and
furious with refentment at the trick we had played them. The
hole for letting out the fmoke being opened for a lhort time, fome
of the infeds had the courage to come in, but foon paid the forfeit
of their temerity : but in return, if any o f our garriion made a fally
to fetch wood or water, or any other neceflary, the whole flying
army took ample vengeance by attacking and almoft devouring
him alive. Having finifhed our cookery and our fupper, we laid
ourfelves down quite clofe to one another, the Laplanders literally
upon each other, like entwined ferpents in winter; the whole
company lying around our great preferver and protedor, the central
fire.
2 A change
A change having taken place in the atmoiphere, there fuddenly
arofe fuch a ftorm of wind and rain, as threatened almoft to throw
down our cabin. The fmall degree of comfort our ihelter afforded
was enhanced by the howling o f the tempeft, and by the con-
fideration that it would involve the deftrudion of our enemies.
At every whiffling blaft of the wind, “ Behold now,” we faid to
one another, “ the total difcomfiture of our befiegers ! They are
“ put to rout, difperfed, and driven before the wind to a hundred
“ miles diftance !” This confolatory refledion contributed to lull
us to a found fleep, which the fucceeding calm did not for fome
time difturb. In the morning I went boldly out of my hole, without
hat, gloves, or veil, to breathe a little frefh air, and, being now
freed from the inceffant attacks of the mufquetoes, to view in
tranquillity the face of the country. I took a walk round the
cabin, in order to make myfelf fure that we were now at laft in a
ftate of peace and lafety : when lo ! an ambufcade ruihed forth
againft me. I was all of a iudden covered over with the whole
army of inieds. I fought, wrapped myielf clofe up as well as I
could, and fled to the cabin, which, for want of due fumigation,
did not afford me relief fo loon and lo eafily as I expeded. During
the ftorm the infeds had the lagacity to get behind the fide of
the cabin that was iheltered from the violence of the wind, and
waited till it Ihould be over, and till an opportunity offered of
making a freih attack. Their plan and tadics were attended with
complete lucceis. When we relumed our journey, we were ftill
N 2 attended