WHAT I KNOW ABOUT GARDENING. 127 



In front of us was a huge fire of birch-logs ; 

 and over it we could see the top of the falls 

 glistening in the moonlight ; and the roar of 

 the falls and the brawling of the stream near 

 us filled all the ancient woods. It was a 

 scene upon which one would think no thought 

 of sin could enter. We were talking with 

 old Phelps, the guide. Old Phelps is at 

 once guide, philosopher, and friend. He 

 knows the woods and streams and mountains, 

 and their savage inhabitants, as well as we 

 know all our rich relations, and what they 

 are doing ; and in lonely bear-hunts and sa- 

 ble-trappings he has thought out and solved 

 most of the problems of life. As he stands 

 in his wood-gear, he is as grizzly as an old 

 cedar-tree ; and he speaks in a high falsetto 

 voice, which would be invaluable to a boat- 

 swain in a storm at sea. 



We had been talking of all subjects about 

 which rational men are interested, bears, 

 panthers, trapping, the habits of trout, the 

 tariff, the internal revenue (to wit, the injus- 

 tice of laying such a tax on tobacco, and 



