BIRCH BROWSINGS 171 



find the lake. If I succeeded and desired them to 

 come forward, I was to fire my gun three times; if 

 I failed and wished to return, I would fire it twice, 

 they of course responding. 



So, filling my canteen from the spring, I set out 

 again, taking the spring run for my guide. Before 

 I had followed it two hundred yards it sank into 

 the ground at my feet. I had half a mind to he 

 superstitious and to believe that we were under a 

 spell, since our guides played us such tricks. How-, 

 ever, I determined to pUt the matter to a further 

 test, and struck out boldly to the left. This seemed 

 to be the keyword, — to the left, to the left. The 

 fog had now lifted, so that I could form a better 

 idea of the lay of the land. Twice I looked down 

 the steep sides of the mountain, sorely tempted to 

 risk a plunge. Still I hesitated and kept along on 

 the brink. As I stood on a rock deliberating, I 

 heard a crackling of the brush, like the tread of 

 some large game, on a plateau below me. Suspect- 

 ing the truth of the case, I moved stealthily down, 

 and found a herd of young cattle leisurely browsing. 

 We had several times crossed their trail, and had 

 seen that morning a level, grassy place on the top 

 of the mountain, where they had passed the night. 

 Instead of being frightened, as I had expected, they 

 seemed greatly delighted, and gathered around me 

 as if to inquire the tidings from the outer world, — 

 perhaps the quotations of the cattle market. They 

 came up to me, and eagerly licked my hand, clothes, 

 and gun. Salt was what they were after, and they 



