32 PEPACTON 



kept up with them, I dropped my paddle and 

 cheered. They kept the race up for a long dis- 

 tance, and I saw them making a fresh spirt as I 

 entered upon the rift and dropped quickly out of 

 sight. I next disturbed an eagle in his meditations 

 upon a dead treetop, and a cat sprang out of some 

 weeds near the foot of the tree. Was he watching 

 for puss, while she was watching for some smaller 

 prey? 



I passed Partridge Island — which is or used to 

 be the name of a post-office — unwittingly, and 

 encamped for the night on an island near Hawk's 

 Point. I slept in my boat on the beach, and in 

 the morning my locks were literally wet with the 

 dews of the night, and my blankets too ; so I waited 

 for the sun to dry them. As I was gathering drift- 

 wood for a fire, a voice came over from the shadows 

 of the east shore : " Seems to me you lay abed pretty 

 late ! " 



"I call this early," I rejoined, glancing at the 

 sun. 



"Wall, it may be airly in the forenoon, but it 

 ain't very airly in the mornin' ; " a distinction I 

 was forced to admit. Before I had reembarked 

 some cows came down to the shore, and I watched 

 them ford the river to the island. They did it 

 with great ease and precision. I was told they will 

 sometimes, during high water, swim over to the 

 islands, striking in well up stream, and swimming 

 diagonally across. At one point some cattle had 

 crossed the river, and evidently got into mischief, 



