TKe Bogs of E.tcHo'wo^ 23 



sided, and a small dog's shrill bark told me that I was 

 discovered, mistaken perhaps for the veritable " Witch 

 of the Hollow, ' ' by the present colored occupants. 



There was no use in trying to follow the stream 

 now, for its windings were intricate and indefinite. It 

 wandered all over the meadow marsh, and splashed out 

 in one great mud-hole, similar to that of the jungle in 

 District Fourteen, save that the meadow here was open, 

 with very little low tangle or underbrush in sight. In- 

 numerable tamarack trees, however, lifted their grace- 

 ful spires throughout the bog; yet this did not prevent 

 the meadow from appearing flooded with sunshine. 



Away over on the west side of this swamp were many 

 low-spreading trees of virgin pine, contrasting prettily 

 with the lighter greens of the delicate spires of tama- 

 rack. Between myself and the shore on either side of 

 this mud-swamp waved acres of Fleur-de-lis, which 

 would soon color the whole meadow with royal purple. 

 Still westward of this lay an alder swamp. This shrub, 

 called Speckled or Hoary Alder, belongs to the Willow 

 Family, and grows about fifteen feet high, along swamp 

 meadows, forming dense thickets. 



Many saucy swamp birds dwell here and appear 

 tame ; they came chattering after me, fearing, no 

 doubt, that I might be in search of their nests and 

 birdlings. 



Under the pines on the border of the swamp I rested, 

 finding the while tender young Wintergreens {Gaul- 

 ikeria), and many edible red berries, called Checker- 

 berries, fruit of Gaultheria, sometimes known as 



