PICTURESQUE SCENERY. 209 



This animal was not higher, though it was longer, 

 than a good-sized foxhound, and evidently was only 

 two-thirds grown. The excitement of this adventure 

 had so effectually banished sleep, that neither of us 

 felt inclined again to court the drowsy god. So sitting 

 up we rebuilt our fire, and listened to the howling of 

 a second puma, who could not screw his courage up 

 to the point of bringing himself within range of our 

 arms. 



Next morning there was ice on the stagnant 

 pools, and cakes of it were floating in the stream. 

 Wild fowl were also abundant ; among which I 

 noticed many specimens of wood-duck (Atias oscura), 

 f $he first of that family I had observed this season. 

 As they are well known at home on all our orna- 

 mental waters a description of them is unnecessary. 



The appearance of the country, as we continued 

 to progress northward, became far more picturesque. 

 The scenery had a great resemblance to some por- 

 tions of Montgomeryshire in Wales, only that the 

 timber grew almost to the summit of the high 

 grounds. Pines and other evergreen trees now pre- 

 dominating over every other variety of the vegetable 

 kingdom, threw a sombre hue over the landscape, 

 which required a bright sun to show it to the greatest 

 advantage, a privilege not vouchsafed to us. Our 

 course led us up a . constant ascent, in parts very 

 steep and tedious for the horse, forcing us both to 

 march on foot the greater part of the day. Mos- 

 quitoes, to my great grief, were becoming very 



P 



