214 Life of Auduhon. 



in a short time, one of us would go across the interven 

 ing forest. The sun went down behind a cloud, and the 

 south-east breeze that sprung up at this moment sounded 

 dolefully among the tall pines. Along the eastern hori- 

 zon lay a bed of black vapor, which gradually rose, and 

 soon covered the heavens. The air felt hot and oppres- 

 sive, and we knew that a tempest was approaching. 

 Plato was now our guide, the white spots on his skin be- 

 ing the only objects we could discern amid the darkness ; 

 and as if aware of his utility in this respect, he kept a 

 short way before us on the trail. Had we imagined our- 

 selves more than a few miles from the town, we would 

 have made a camp, and remained under its shelter for 

 the night ; but conceiving that the distance could not be 

 great, we resolved to trudge along. Large drops began 

 to fall from the murky mass overhead ; thick impenetra- 

 ble darkness surrounded us, and, to my dismay, the dog 

 refused to proceed. Groping with my hands on the 

 ground, I discovered that several trails branched out at 

 the spot where he lay down, and when I had selected 

 one he went on. Vivid flashes of lightning streamed 

 across the heavens, the wind increased to a gale, and the 

 rain poured down upon us like a torrent The water 

 soon rose on the level ground, so as almost to cover our 

 feet, and we slowly advanced, fronting the tempest. 

 Here and there a tall pine on fire presented a magnifi- 

 cent spectacle, illumining the trees around it, and sur- 

 rounded with a halo of dim light, abruptly bordered with 

 the deep black of the night. At one time we passed 

 through a tangled thicket of low trees, at another crossed 

 a stream flushed by the heavy rains, and again proceed- 

 ed over the barrens. How long we thus, half lost, 

 groped our way, is more than I can tell you, but at length 

 the tempest passed over, and suddenly the clear sky be- 

 came spangled with stars. Soon after we smelt the sail 



