IN QUEST OF RAVENS 69 



in my excitement I had been aware that we 

 had halted almost directly in front of a 

 house, the only one for some miles, I 

 think, in the yard of which three men 

 were lounging. I looked at the bird, and 

 the men looked at me. It gave me pleasure 

 afterward to think what a story it must have 

 made. " Yes, sir, it 's gospel truth : he pulled 

 out a spy-glass and sat there looking at a 

 raven. I reckon he never see one before." 



I speak of excitement, but it was a won- 

 der to me how temperate my emotions were, 

 and how quickly they subsided. Within a 

 half-mile our progress was blocked by a large 

 oak-tree, which the wind had twisted partly 

 off and thrown squarely across the road. 

 The driver had brought no axe along, and 

 was obliged to go back to the house for 

 help, leaving me to care for the team. 

 Straight before me loomed the Balsam 

 Mountains, a dozen peaks, gloriously high 

 and mountainous ; not too far away, yet far 

 enough to be blue, with white clouds veiling 

 their lower slopes and so lifting the tops 

 skyward. I looked at them and looked at 

 them, and between the looks I put the raven 

 into my notebook. 



