76 THE ADIKONDACKS. 



each guide has his boat. Beautiful crafts they are, weighing 

 from sixty to eighty pounds, and drawing but three inches 

 of water. Most of them, carry two persons, some of them three. 

 A guide will sling one of them upon his back and carry it 

 mile after mile as easily as a tortoise carries his shell. When 

 the carries are long, wagons and sleds are in readiness to haul 

 them from landing to landing ; but few are the guides that 

 will refuse to back them over for the price of the carriage. 



Great is the stir at these caravansaries on the long summer 

 evenings ribbons fluttering on the piazzas ; silks rustling in 

 dress promenade ; ladies in short mountain suits, fresh from 

 an afternoon picnic; embryo sportsmen in velveteen and 

 corduroys of approved cut, descanting learnedly of backwoods 

 experience ; excursion parties returning, laden with trophies 

 of trout and pond lilies; stages arriving top-heavy with 

 trunks, rifle-cases, and hampers; guides intermingling, 

 proffering services, or arranging trips for the morrow ; pistols 

 shooting at random ; dogs on the qui vive ; invalids, bundled 

 in blankets, propped up in chairs; old gents distracted, 

 vainly perusing their papers ; fond lovers strolling ; dowagers 

 scheming; mosquitoes devouring; the supper-bell ringing, 

 and general commotion confusing mine host. Anon some 

 millionnaire Nimrod or piscator of marked renown drags in 

 from a weary day with a basket of unusual weight, or per- 

 chance a fawn cut down before its time. Fulsome are the 

 congratulations given, manifold the acknowledgments of his 

 prowess. He receives his honors with that becoming dignity 

 which reticence impresses, and magnificently tips a twenty- 

 dollar note to his trusty guide. The crowd look on in ad- 

 miration, and vow to emulate the hero. After supper there 

 is a generous flow of champagne to a selected few upon the 

 western piazza, and the exploits of the day are recounted and 

 compared. The parlors grow noisy with music and dancing ; 

 silence and smoke prevail in the card-room. This is the daily 

 evening routine. 



At early dawn of morning camping parties are astir. 



