ADIRONDAC. 85 



After it was thoroughly dark we went down to make 

 a short trial-trip. Everything working to satisfaction, 

 about ten o'clock we pushed out in earnest. For the 

 twentieth time I felt in the pocket that contained the 

 matches, ran over the part I was to perform, and 

 pressed my gun firmly, to be sure there was no mistake. 

 My position was that of kneeling directly under the 

 jack, which I was to light at the word. The night was 

 clear, moonless, and still. Nearing the middle of the 

 lake, a breeze from the west was barely perceptible, 

 and noiselessly we glided before it. The guide han- 

 dled his oar with great dexterity ; without lifting it from 

 the water or breaking the surface, he imparted the 

 steady, uniform motion desired. How silent it was ! 

 The ear seemed the only sense, and to hold dominion 

 over lake and forest. Occasionally a lily-pad would 

 brush along the bottom, and stooping low I could hear 

 a faint murmuring of the water under the bow : else all 

 was still. Then, almost as by magic, we were encom- 

 passed by a huge black ring. The surface of the lake, 

 when we had reached the centre, was slightly luminous 

 from the starlight, and the dark, even forest-line that 

 surrounded us, doubled by reflection in the water, pre- 

 senting a broad, unbroken belt of utter blackness. The 

 effect was quite startling, like some huge conjuror's 

 trick. It seemed as if we had crossed the boundary - 

 line between the real and the imaginary, and this was 

 indeed the land of shadows and of spectres. What 

 magic oar was that the guide wielded that it could 



