60 THE PINE-TREE, OR 



gerous specimen of the feline species, known by woodsmen as the 

 " Indian devil," had prowled from time immemorial. From the 

 manner in which my exiled companions piled the brush on the 

 fire, I suspected, also, that they had some confidence in its pro- 

 tective power. The night was cold, but by our exertions to keep 

 up a brilliant fire, and copious draughts of black pepper tea, 

 which we made in a little kettle, we kept quite comfortable. 

 This process lasted until two o'clock in the morning, when the 

 boat returned for us, having twice crossed the lake, in all twelve 

 miles. We stepped on board, and at four o'clock her third trip 

 across during the night was finished. One half mile from the 

 shore, surrounded by an almost unbroken wilderness, stood a log 

 cabin, tenanted by a man with his family, who had settled down 

 for the purpose of clearing up a farm. At the time we landed 

 the sky was overcast with dense clouds, and the darkness was 

 so intense that I could not see an inch before my nose ; I felt 

 the force of that trite old proverb, " It's always darkest just be- 

 fore day." To the above-named cabin we were piloted through 

 a dense forest, which was interlaced with a thick growth of un- 

 derbrush. We made our way along as entirely unassisted by vi- 

 sion as though there were no such thing. By the aid of a con- 

 stant hallooing, which was kept up at the log cabin, we made 

 a direct course ; and, after an untold number of stumbles over 

 old windfalls, and jibes from the limbs, knots, and protruding 

 boughs of trees, we reached the object of our solicitude hungry 

 and much fatigued. Here, however, the hospitable inmates had 

 anticipated our wants ; a good meal of bread, baked beans, and 

 pork, with coffee, was in waiting ; and after heartily participa- 

 ting of the same, we threw ourselves upon a coarse bed, and were 

 soon lost in a profound and undisturbed sleep. When we awoke 

 the shades of night had entirely disappeared, the sun shone beau- 

 tifully, and our ears were saluted with the wild notes of a thou- 

 sand feathered songsters, whose sweet warblings lent a peculiar 



