56 JOCK'S LAKE. 



the dropping of our hooks in the water was like smiting a 

 mirror into fragments, so utterly quiet and glassy -calm 

 was the surface, and the trout, as well as we. seemed to 

 be in a revery after a lunching of their own. 



We had been told of a rock on the west shore, " as big 

 as a house," placed or misplaced there by some convulsion 

 of nature. It was visible from afar, and we put ashore 

 near its hase. Thompson and Horace sat on a rock by the 

 water in the shade, while I paid a visit of curiosity and 

 respect to the mysterious .stranger. A tree had fallen 

 against its side, and on that I climbed as far as the tree 

 went and then clambered on a precarious footing up the 

 nearly perpendicular side to the top. It was over twenty 

 feet high, and about thirty feet by fifteen on the top, and 

 in general outlines rectangular, a conglomerate boulder, 

 with shining quart/ intermingled with sand stone. 1 

 pecked some of the jewels from his crown and put them 

 in my pocket for souvenirs. The grand old fellow had a 

 history but he was mute and silent in our presence and 

 refused to be interviewed. 



After OUT early supper, we all gathered about the camp- 

 tin-, as usual, to talk over the affairs of the day and to 

 enjoy the pipes and jokes and stories. 



The rabbits, by this time, had become quite accustomed 

 to our presence, and came out after sunset from the shrub- 

 bery at the upper end of our little farm, to feed. We were 

 greatly ammused and interested in their play, and watched 

 them with the spirit of a naturalist, until some earthy 

 minded soul suggested that rabbits made an excellent 



