80C 



Burns — Alexander Wilson. 87 



On through Germantown, Chestnut Hill, fertile Bucks 

 county and over Northampton's barren heights, describing 

 the comfortable " Pennsylvania Dutch " farmer with fidelity. 

 Leaving Easton behind, a spur of the Blue mountain was 

 ascended for the pleasure of the extensive view of the Dela- 

 ware and Lehigh rivers, before the northern journey was 

 continued and a little rural school visited and commented upon 

 as only a fellow pedagogue could. Then on to the Pocono. at 

 that time one of the few localities in Pennsylvania where the 

 Pinnated Grouse frecjuented ; and " near where Tobyhanna's 

 savage stream descends," a bear was startled from his feast 

 of whortleberries in the great windfall of timber and two 

 strutting Rufifed Grouse secured. That night they lodged in 

 a settler's cabin in the Dismal Swamp, and the woodman told 

 them tales of adventure v/ith the wild animals of the country ; 

 and the following day being stormy, shelter was sought in a 

 hunter's shack midst the pines near Bear creek, and the oc- 

 cupant made happy by a present of some of Dupont's best 

 powder. Next Wiomi came in view and Wilson found that 

 his broken German made him welcome in the valley of 

 Wyoming. Robins, the Bald Eagle, and the Pileated Wood- 

 pecker, which in a footnote he calls the crested woodcock or 

 the great scarlet-crested black woodpecker, are observed. 

 Journeying onward along the banks of the Sttsquehannah, 

 hemmed in on every side by the mountains, they cross at 

 Keeler's ferry, and continue upon the opposite bank. Beyond 

 Tuckhannock creek, they put up at a miserable dwelling with- 

 out a door and prepare their own meal of game and bread. 

 After jotting down the incidents of the day, Wilson enquires: 



"'What Township's this, old daddy?' 'Why — hni — well; 

 Township? The dickens. Sir. if I can tell; 

 It's Pennsylvania, though? 'Right, Daddy Squares. 

 Who are your nearest neighbors?' 'Why, the bears.' 

 'No mill or school-house near you?' 'Yes, we've one 

 Beyond the church a piece, on Panther's Run.' 

 'Is church far distant, daddy?' 'Why — hm — no; 

 Down Susquehanna, twenty miles or so.' 

 'You go to preaching, then?' 'Re sure, that's clear. 



