PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



Bruin at length forsook his snug retreat, yawning and 

 looking stupid as he emerged into daylight, when a 

 bullet at less than five yards settled the matter. When 

 a bear is thus housed in a log a heavy vapour of steam, 

 should the weather be calm, perceptibly hangs over it. 

 A friend, in the true sense of the word, and myself 

 heard of a small lake on the edges of New Hamp- 

 shire and Maine, that was reported to swarm with 

 trout, and, as a tramp through the wild timber lands 

 was never objectionable, we determined to make an 

 effort to find it out. An old lumberman, long super- 

 annuated, gave us our instructions thus : " First go 

 through the wood two miles north, then incline a little 

 to the westward, and after about half-an-hour's walking 

 through a swamp you will strike a small brook, which 

 follow up and you will certain sure make the pond." 

 To those who have not wandered through an American 

 forest such instructions will be perceived to be far 

 from definite ; to the thorough woodsman, however, they 

 would be sufficient. Before we left the township road 

 where we were to branch off, there stood a shanty, at 

 which we halted to put up the horse and buggy in 

 which we had thus far travelled. From the head of 

 the establishment we made inquiries, who, calling to 

 his son who was within, gave the following directions 

 "Bub,t take the gents and show them the pond." 

 Now " Bub " was a most communicative youngster, 

 about fourteen years of age, and, scenting a dollar in 

 fhe distance, hopefully undertook the job. A cow- 

 path we, the trio, followed for more than a mile, then 



* Small lakes in Maine are always called ponds, 

 t A Yankee father's familiar way of addressing his son ; daughters 

 after the same manner are called "ciss." 



