208 LITERARY PILGRIMAGES 



evening songs and the swifts twittering and 

 circling nearer and nearer the big chimney which 

 is their summer home. The bird cherry trees were 

 white angels of bloom, and from all the land far 

 and near the incense of opening blossoms made 

 the air sweet and rose toward the high, mysterious 

 altar of Chocorua's peak as if in adoration of the 

 rose glow of its sunset tints. Chocorua Lake was 

 a mirror in which the glory of the summit, the 

 blue dusk of the lower ranges and its own shores 

 were reflected in perfect beauty. It was a sound- 

 ing-board as well, across whose level came to the 

 ear innumerable bird songs, singing carols of 

 praise to the passing of day. Out of the blue 

 depths of the sky the cool of night dropped like 

 a blessing from heaven and seemed to soften and 

 liquefy all melodies into purer, more mellow music. 

 Wood thrushes and hermits sang in the shadows 

 hymns of praise to the most high peak of the 

 mountain, a pantheistic worship that was old ages 

 before any spires other than those of the spruces 

 had pointed the way to heaven. 



From the hillocks of the pasture to the topmost 

 boughs of the forest all bird life joined in the 



