While the towns are rapidly rising into being and improvement, the inhabitant of the wood, vegetating in his log cabin, seems to remain without increase of comforts, as he is without emulation to spur him on to obtain them. Being now beyond the boundaries of any regular tavern, necessity threw us upon seeking shelter for the night, in several of such habitations, open to every breath of the winds without, and swarming within with fleas, bugs, and other vermin: these are called "houses of entertainment;" they are known to those who cross this at present wilderness under such appellatives as "Preacher Biram's," "Preacher Blair's," "Widow More's," &c. At one of these, where, except a wretched shed behind for a kitchen, {88} there was only one room for all the purposes of life, we had put up for the night, and after such a supper as the house afforded, had lain down to endeavour to rest; not sleep, for that, not to mention the company above alluded to, would have been sufficiently prevented by the knives and forks of my host and his family at supper in the adjoining shed. After having watched for the end of this, with some hope that we might get sleep, and hearing at length the welcome sounds of putting away, I had just addressed myself to Morpheus, when a general chorus in all keys suddenly burst upon my ears--they had commenced at eleven o'clock at night their evening's devotion, put off perhaps by our arrival: when the psalm was ended, which was sung _a pleine gorge_, the preacher read a long homily, which took up near an hour more, and which finished the business, and quiet seemed likely to reign, when just as I had composed myself suddenly some one jogged my shoulders; it was my hostess come to tell me that two gentlemen, one a Dr. *****, and both particular friends of theirs had arrived, and wished to have supper in the room, however that it need not at all disturb us, as they were very nice gentlemen. However I strongly objected to this proposal; and after some demur {89} the gentlemen condescended to take their supper in the place which had just served for the domestic chapel and kitchen, and which I believe afterwards was the general dormitory of the party; after keeping it up very jovially until one or two o'clock of the morning, by which time the bugs, assisted by the light troops, had stormed and taken all my defences, and for the rest of the time effectually "murdered sleep."