76 WAKE-ROBIN 



reasons, surrounded by a heavy growth of birch, 

 hemlock, and pine, with a lining of balsam and fir, 

 the rude cabin welcomed us. It was of the ap- 

 proved style, three sides inclosed, with a roof of 

 bark and a bed of boughs, and a rock in front that 

 afforded a permanent backlog to all fires. A faint 

 voice of running water was heard near by, and, fol- 

 lowing the sound, a delicious spring rivulet was dis- 

 closed, hidden by the moss and debris as by a new 

 fall of snow, but here and there rising in little well- 

 like openings, 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 be- 

 fore, for upon this hypothetical dug-out our hopes 

 of venison 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. Freed from the treetop, how- 

 ever, and calked with a little moss, it floated with 

 two aboard, which was quite enough for our pur- 

 pose. A jack and an oar were necessary to com- 

 plete the arrangement, and before the sun had set 

 our professor of wood-craft had both in readiness. 

 From a young yellow birch an oar took shape with 



