388 THE ADIRONDACK. 



sunlight, while here and there a deer browsing on the 

 shore and raising his head as the sound of our voices 

 came borne to him across the water, gave still greater 

 picturesqueness to the enchanting scene. I lay back 

 in the boat and gave myself up to its delicious, influ- 

 ence. The air was pure and balmy, and the heavens 

 bright and loving. Soon, however, I forgot all, fur 

 my imagination was off into a land of its own crea- 

 tion. The gentle dip of the oars, the low tinkling 

 murmur of the ripples against the boat, and the slightly 

 swaying motion, lulled me into a half dreamy state, 

 and at length I slept. I was awakened by the prow 

 of the boat grating on a sand-beach, and rousing up, I 

 inquired if we had reached our camping-ground. ' No," 

 said John, " but when I was here two weeks ago with 

 a gentleman, I buried some potatoes that we didn't want 

 to lug back, and I am going to get them for supper." 

 I was not sorry to hear this, and having bagged them, 

 we pushed on to the upper end of the lake. Here, 

 in a beautiful little bay, on a gently sloping piece of 

 ground, we found two bark shanties standing, in one 

 of which were the traps of some gentlemen who had 

 already taken possession. Near by hung a deer dress- 

 ed. The party was off on the lake somewhere in boats, 



