IN THE HEMLOCKS. 51 



has a much greater elevation, and hence a climat* 

 that compares better with the northern part of th« 

 State and of New England. Half a day's drive to 

 the southeast brings me down into quite a differem 

 temperature, with an older geological formation, dif 

 ferent forest timber, and different birds ; — even with 

 different mammals. Neither the little gray rabbi* 

 nor the little gray fox is found in my locality, but th 

 great northern hare and the red fox. In the las 

 century a colony of beavers dwelt here, though the 

 oldest inhabitant cannot now point to even the tradi- 

 tional site of their dams. The ancient hemlocks, 

 whither I propose to take the reader, are rich in 

 many things beside birds. Indeed, their wealth in 

 this respect is owing mainly, no doubt, to their rank 

 vegetable growths, their fruitful swamps, and theii 

 dark, sheltered retreats. 



Their history is of an heroic cast. Ravished an6 

 torn by the tanner in his thirst for bark, preyed upon 

 by the lumberman, assaulted and beaten back by the 

 settler, still their spirit has never been broken, their 

 energies never paralyzed. Not many years ago a 

 public highway passed through them, but it was at 

 DO time a tolerable road; trees fell across it, mud 

 and limbs choked it up, till finally travelers took the 

 hint and went around ; and now, walking along its 

 deserted course, I see only the foot-prints of coons ; 

 foxes, and squirrels. 



Nature loves such woods, and places her own sea] 

 l|)on them. Here she shows me what can be don« 



