70 



WARWICK WOODLANDS. 



there verdant with the evergreen leaves of the pine and cedar 

 and the far azure summits of the most distant peaks, all steeped 

 in the serene and glowing sunshine of an October morning. 



For hours we lay there, our little vessel floating as the 

 occasional breath of a sudden breeze, curling the lake into 

 sparkling waveKts, cho:>e to direct our course, smoking our 

 Cigars, and chatting cozily, and now and then pulling up a great 

 broad-backed yellow bass, whose flapping would for a time 

 disturb the peaceful silence, which reigned over wood, and dale, 

 and water, quite unbroken save by the chance c'amor of a 

 passing crow : yet not a sound betokening the approach of our 

 drivers had reached our ears. 



Suddenly, when the sun had long passed his meridian height, 

 and was declining rapidly toward the horizon, the full round 

 shot of a musket rang from the mountain top, followed imme- 

 diately by a sharp yell, and in an instant the wiu,le basin of the 

 lake was tilled with the harmonious discord of the hounds. 



I could distinguish on the moment the clear sharp challenge 

 of Harry's high-bred foxhounds, the deep bass voices of the 

 Southern dogs, and the untamable and cur-like yelping of the 

 dogs which the Teach mans had taken with them. 



Ten minutes passed full of anxiety, almost of fear. 



We knew not as yet whither to turn our boats' head, for 

 every second the course of the hounds seemed to vary, at one 

 instant they would appear to be rushing directly down to us, 

 and the next instant they would turn as though they were 

 going up the hill again. Meantime our beat rs were not idle 

 their stirring shouts, serving alike to animate the hounds, and 

 to force the deer to water, made rock and wood reply in cheery 

 echoes; but, to my wonder, I caught not for a long time one 

 note of Harry's gladsome voice. 



At length, as I strained my eyes against the broad hill-side, 

 gilt by the rays of the declining sun, J caught a glimpse of his 

 form running at a tremendous pace, bounding over stock and 

 stone, and plunging through dense thickets, on a portion of the 

 declivity where the tall trees had a few years before been 

 destroyed by accidental fire. 



At this moment the hounds were running, to judge from 

 their tongues, parallel to the lake and to the line which he was 

 running the next minute, with a redoubled clamor, they turned 

 directly down to him. I lost sight of him. But half a minute 

 afterward, the sharp crack of his rifle again rang upon the air, 



