172 THE ADIRONDACK. 



his head above water for a single second, opposite 

 where he stood, and he of course missed him. The 

 frightened bird did not appear again till it rose far 

 out in the lake. 



I mention this circumstance merely to show the 

 habits of this, to me, most singular bird of our north- 

 ern waters. I forgot to say that although it cannot 

 rise from the water except with great difficulty, and 

 never attempts it to escape danger, neither can it 

 walk on the shore. Diving is about the only gift it 

 possesses, which it uses, I must say, with great 

 ability and success. 



Paddling up Raquette river, we at length came to 

 Buttermilk Falls, around which we were compelled 

 to carry our canoes. So in another place we were 

 compelled to carry them two miles, around rapids, 

 through the woods. Nothing can be more comical 

 than to stand and see a party thus passing through 

 the forest. First a yoke is placed across the guide's 

 neck, on which the boat is balanced bottom side up, 

 covering the poor fellow down to the shoulders, and 

 sticking out fore and aft over the biped below in such 

 a way as to make him appear half human, hall-super- 

 natural, or, at least, entiYely un-natural. But it was 



