VIRGINIAN DEER. 151 



house, a native of Baltimore (a city which boasts 

 of having the best blood in the United States), 

 soon put me at my ease, treating me quite as 

 a brother; and this friendship was all the more 

 readily cemented by the familiarity which I struck up 

 with the charming little son of my worthy host and 

 his vnfe, who seemed at once to receive me into his 

 affections. Mrs. Eustis was seated on my arrival 

 before an amply furnished table, spread with cold 

 meat, boiled eggs, muffins, and hot cakes made of 

 wheat and Indian corn. Everything was admirably 

 cooked and served, and the welcome was warmer and 

 better than anything. 



The eight days which I spent at Crow's Nest 

 seem like an oasis hi the midst of a journey filled 

 with danger and difficulty- The first day was spent 

 in walking about. In the evening, we had a chat 

 about a hunt for the next day, and the talk at the 

 tea-table had been prolonged until after ten o'clock, 

 an unusual hour, where early going to bed and early 

 rising are the order of the day. Next morning, we 

 were all busily engaged with our breakfast, when 

 there came a ring at the bell. David, the black 

 servant, answered it, and presently returned with 

 intelligence that the locksmith had arrived " with 

 tlie lanterns."' " I know what it is," cried the host. 

 David soon showed in the Crow's Nest locksmith, 

 who came up with a couple of lanterns, the only 

 peculiarities about which were, that they were hoi- 



