BIRCH BROWSINGS 



They attempted to follow me, but I 

 escaped them by clambering down some 

 steep rocks. I now found myself gradually 

 edging down the side of the mountain, keep- 

 ing around it in a spiral manner, and scan- 

 ning the woods and the shape of the ground 

 for some encouraging hint or sign. Finally 

 the woods became more open, and the 

 descent less rapid. The trees were remark- 

 ably straight and uniform in size. Black 

 birches, the first I had seen, were very 

 numerous. I felt encouraged. Listening 

 attentively, I caught, from a breeze just 

 lifting the drooping leaves, a sound that I 

 willingly believed was made by a bullfrog. 

 On this hint, I tore down through the woods 

 at my highest speed. Then I paused and 

 listened again. This time there was no 

 mistaking it ; it was the sound of frogs. 

 Much elated, I rushed on. By and by I 

 could hear them as I ran. Pthrung, Pthrung; 

 croaked the old ones ; pug, pug; shrilly 

 joined in the smaller fry. 



Then I caught, through the lower trees, 

 a gleam of blue, which I first thought was 

 distant sky. A second look and I knew it 

 to be water, and in a moment more I stepped 

 from the woods and stood upon the shore of 

 I0 5 



