170 



THE ADIRONDACK. 



But our light canoes soon left the last clearing ; and 

 curving round the shore, we shot into Raquette 

 River, and entered the bosom of the forest. As we 

 left the lake, I saw a northern diver some distance up 

 the inlet, evidently anxious to get out once more into 

 open space. These birds (about the size of a goose,) 

 you know, cannot rise from the water except by a 

 long effort, and against a strong damp wind ; and de- 

 pend for safety entirely on diving, and swimming. 

 At the approach of danger, they go under like a duck, 

 and when you next see them, they are perhaps sixty 

 rods distant, and beyond the reach of your bullet. If 

 cornered in a small pond, they will sit and watch 

 your motions with a keenness and certainty that is 

 wonderful, and dodge the flash of a percussion-lock 

 gun all day long. The moment they see the blaze 

 from the muzzle they dive, and the bullet, if well 

 aimed, will strike exactly where they sat. I have 

 shot at them again and again, with a dead rest, 

 and those watching, would see the ball each time, 

 strike in the hollow made by the wake of the 

 water above the creature's back. There is no killing 

 them except by firing at them when they are not ex- 

 pecting it, and then their head and neck are the only 



