DAIRY IN THE WOODS. 313 



desirable article, if this rain-storm continued. There 

 being only a light mist falling at the time, and having 



nothing else to do, F and I concluded to accompany 



him. Crossing the lake, we struck a narrow foot-path in 

 the forest, which, after following for a quarter of a mile 

 over a ridge, we came upon a sheet of water completely 

 embosomed in the woods, while its lower margin was 

 starred with white and yellow lilies. A boat lay moor- 

 ed to the shore, into which we stepped, and, under the 

 lusty strokes of the oarsman, were soon shooting like 

 an arrow over the miniature waves that the fierce north- 

 easter rolled down the bosom of the lakelet. At the 

 extreme furthest limit was a single clearing, with, a log 

 hut standing by the shore. This was the dairy from 

 which our butter was to come. In front of this hovel 

 stood the settler himself, the " raggedest" man (if I 

 except an occasional Italian beggar I have encountered 

 in Italy) that I ever saw. I scrutinized him in vain to 

 ascertain on what principle of adhesion his clothes kept 

 on him. He was employed in playing with a calf which 

 was butting his leg. In conversing with him I noticed 

 an extraordinary vehicle that I had never seen before. 

 It was mounted on four wheels about the size and shape 



of four good-sized pumpkins. They had been cut off 



14 



