A YEAR IN THE FIELDS 



We found this mountain had a hollow in 

 its back where the ground was soft and 

 swampy. Some gigantic ferns, which we 

 passed through, came nearly to our shoul- 

 ders. We passed also several patches of 

 swamp honeysuckles, red with blossoms. 



Our guide at length paused on a big rock 

 where the land began to dip down the other 

 way, and concluded that he had gone far 

 enough, and that we would now have no 

 difficulty in finding the lake. " It must lie 

 right down there," he said, pointing with 

 his hand. But it was plain that he was not 

 quite sure in his own mind. He had several 

 times wavered in his course, and had shown 

 considerable embarrassment when bearing 

 to the left across the summit. Still we 

 thought little of it. We were full of con- 

 fidence, and, bidding him adieu, plunged 

 down the mountain-side, following a spring 

 run that we had no doubt led to the lake. 



In these woods, which had a southeastern 

 exposure, I first began to notice the wood 

 thrush. In coming up the other side I had 

 not seen a feather of any kind, or heard a 

 note. Now the golden trillide-de of the 

 wood thrush sounded through the silent 

 woods. While looking for a fish-pole about 



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