104 ADIRONDAC. 



permanent back-log to all fires. A faint 

 voice of running water was heard near by, 

 and, following the sound, a delicious spring 

 rivulet was disclosed, hidden by the moss 

 and debris as by a new fall of snow, but 

 here and there rising in little well-like open- 

 ings, as if for our special convenience. On 

 smooth places on the logs, I noticed female 

 names inscribed in a female hand ; and the 

 guide told us of an English lady, an artist, 

 who had traversed this region with a single 

 guide, making sketches. 



Our packs unslung and the kettle over, 

 our first move was to ascertain in what state 

 of preservation a certain dug-out might be, 

 which the guide averred he had left moored 

 in the vicinity the summer before, for upon 

 this hypothetical dug-out our hopes of veni- 

 son rested. After a little searching, it was 

 found under the top of a fallen hemlock, but 

 in a sorry condition. A large piece had 

 been split out of one end, and a fearful 

 chink was visible nearly to the water-line. 

 But freed from the tree-top, and caulked 

 with a little moss, it floated with two aboard, 

 which was quite enough for our purpose. A 

 jack and an oar were necessary to complete 

 the arrangement, and before the sun had set, 



