DESCENT FKOM MOUNT TAHAWUS. 27 



without anything over him in the clamp air, had got 

 up and piled on such a quantity of dry fuel, that it 

 was roasting hot. A row of men lay stretched out 

 before me like pickled herring, and it was inconceiva- 

 bly ludicrous to see them turn and twist in their 

 sleep to escape the heat. First on one side and then 

 on the other, they kept rolling about, until at length 

 one started up, and looking a moment at the fire, 

 shot like a bolt into the woods. Another and an- 

 other followed in speechless silence, until the whole 

 shanty was empty of every one but myself. I lay 

 at the extreme end, and hence could safely watch 

 operations. 



The morning, the welcome morning, at length 

 came, though with a heavy fog, and we again took 

 up our line of march through the wet woods, and at 

 noon emerged into the little clearing where are sta- 

 tioned the Adirondac Iron Works. ''Oh, but weary 

 wights were we" — nearly" every man of us, from the 

 hunter down, more dead than alive. I was struck, on 

 this expedition, and indeed on several others, with 



the kindness of Mr. B n, a tall, powerful man, 



with one of those frames of iron which encase a feel- 

 ing and generous heart. He seemed to take special 

 charge of me, offering continually to ease me of my 

 load, and at night always insisting I should have the 

 best spot in which to sleep. Some of the time I suf- 

 fered severely in the woods from sickness, and then 

 there was nothing he would not do for me. I never 

 before received kindness which so won upon me, and 



