128 THE ADIRONDACK. 



Indian admonished us that we, too, needed repose to 

 prepare us for the toils of the next day. We did not 

 retire to our rooms and blow out the lights, but 

 spreading a blanket on the earth and leaves, stretched 

 ourselves upon it in a row, and with our feet to the 

 blazing fire, composed ourselves to rest — ^that is, all 

 the party but myself. I sat up for some time by 

 the crackling fire, and watched the others as they 

 dropped one after another to sleep, until exhausted 

 and weary, I also stretched myself beside the Indian 

 with a log for my pillow, between two knots of which 

 I placed my head to keep it from rolling. 



A little after midnight I awoke — the wind had 

 shifted to the east, and was blowing strong and chill, 

 sending a rapid swell on the beach, and a loud mur- 

 mur though the cedar tops overhead. The fire had 

 died away, except a few smouldering brands, while 

 the bright stars, those ceaseless watchers, looked 

 kindly down from their high sentinel posts in heaven. 

 The wild and lonely scream of the northern diver, 

 came at intervals through the darkness, as he floated 

 far away on the water ; and night, solemn night, with 

 the great forest, was around me. I strolled down to 

 the lake shore, and let the breeze fall on my fevered 



