BIRCH BROWSINGS. 239 



o'clock prepared to leave the lake. The 

 weather had been admirable, and the lake 

 was a gem, and I would gladly have spent a 

 week in the neighborhood ; but the question 

 of supplies was a serious one, and would 

 brook no delay. 



When we reached, on our return, the point 

 where we had crossed the line of marked 

 trees the day before, the question arose 

 whether we should still trust ourselves to 

 this line, or follow our own trail back to the 

 spring and the battlement of rocks on the 

 top of the mountain, and thence to the rock 

 where the guide had left us. We decided 

 in favor of the former course. After a 

 march of three quarters of an hour, the blazed 

 trees ceased, and we concluded we were near 

 the point at which we had parted with the 

 guide. So we built a fire, laid down our 

 loads, and cast about on all sides for some 

 clue as to our exact locality. Nearly an 

 hour was consumed in this manner and with- 

 out any result. I came upon a brood of 

 young grouse, which diverted me for a mo- 

 ment. The old one blustered about at a 

 furious rate, trying to draw all attention to 

 herself, while the young ones, which were 

 unable to fly, hid themselves. She whined 



