212 THE ADIRONDACK. 



which I received from a gentleman who has spent 

 months around the Raquette. 



"There are, perhaps, but few sections in our coun- 

 try, where the amateur of the beauties of nature, and 

 the lover of sport, can better enjoy a few days of 

 retreat from the thronged city and the cares of busi- 

 ness, than at Raquette Lake. Here he feels liberated 

 from the restraints of organized society, and meets the 

 rude yet agreeable change, produced by an escape from 

 the formalities of the world — indeed, he enters upon 

 the enjoyment of that pure and artless freedom which 

 the society of nature alone can impart. As a striking 

 proof of the effect of this change, one can scarcely 

 turn his attention from the objects around him, to the 

 calculations of business, or the schemes of selfishness 

 and pride — and I venture to say, if the mines of Cali- 

 fornia were planted upon the shores of this beautiful 

 lake, the miser even, would forsake his sordid labor, 

 till he had viewed and re-viewed the enchanting land- 

 scape around him, while the man of taste would be 

 absorbed as it were, in the midst of a new creation ; 

 and not an hour would pass, but what he would find 

 ^omethins; to admire, or amuse him. 

 "The natural scenery of the Raquette is, however, 



