INTR on UCTIOK 7" 



way lay along a sloping bit of pasture land, bounded on the 

 east and higher ground by a dense wood, which afforded 

 shelter from the sun. Beguiled on and on, among the 

 lovely copses of exquisite flowering shrubs and a wealth 

 of floral treasures which carpeted the turfy slopes, we were 

 unconscious of time. 



Though only in the merry month of May, blackberries 

 of enormous size and delicious flavour, trailing on long 

 briars yards and yards over the mossy grass, invited us to 

 break our fast ; and, all unmindful of the breakfast-hour, 

 we feasted and rested. 



Suddenly we found ourselves no longer shaded by the 

 wood to the east of us, for the sun had mounted high ; and 

 at the first touch of his scorching rays as we rose to our feet, 

 we glanced at each other in dismay, for we had open ground 

 to cross in getting home. My Virginia companion said that 

 it would be better to ford the streams in the wood, than 

 risk sunstroke by crossing a cornfield, our nearest way home. 



This we decided to do, and having surmounted all 

 obstacles, were almost within earshot of the house, when 

 Ella, with a shriek, started and ran back, exclaiming, ' A 

 moccasin ! ' 



' What ? where ? ' I eagerly inquired, trying to follow 

 the direction of her eye. 



* Oh, Miss Hopley, come back ! Quick ! Come away ! 

 Water moccasins are worse than rattlesnakes, for they dart 

 at you ! ' 



Sufficiently alarming, certainly ; yet I wanted to see the 

 terrible object, and ascertain how far off it was, and at 

 length discovered the head and neck of a snake erect. 



