14 FROM A NEW ENGLAND HILLSIDE. 



the gilded dome of the Capitol shone in a 

 passing gleam of sunlight, against the blue 

 hills on the further side of the great river. 

 Skirting the edge of the wood, which for 

 a time shut off the view of the higher 

 ground, the path at length wholly deserted 

 me as I found myself near the foot of the 

 talus from the cliffs which formed the 

 summit. 



I was left to take my chances among 

 the woodchuck holes, the hypothetical rat 

 tlesnakes, and upon the sliding fragments 

 of rock. But remembering that the latter 

 naturally found for themselves a position 

 of stable equilibrium, I ventured upon 

 them with the care which every one is 

 bound to take in such a place, increased 

 to the nth power by the reflection of the 

 cautious man upon the serious predicament 

 in which he would find himself in case of 

 a mishap occurring in an unfrequented 

 locality. 



Clambering around among great detached 

 masses of rock which stood out boldly midst 

 the trees, and speculating upon the possi 

 bility of in some way scaling the highest 

 of these, I became conscious of the pleas 

 ant odour of burning leaves, but also 

 apprehensive lest disastrous tire might bo 



