110 DAYS OUT OF DOORS. 



or logs, and not a trace of one on the huge rocks that 

 made up the shore. 



I climbed one of these to survey the lake, unmindful 

 of possible danger from venomous species, as the common 

 rattler ; and, escaping harm, felt well repaid for the scram- 

 ble. The water below me was brilliant with floating crow- 

 foot, whose golden bloom fairly rivaled the star-studded 

 heavens when the night is clear ; and, when the breezes 

 swept across the cove, " Eiver Styx " became a river of 

 molten gold. The innumerable jutting tree-stumps alone 

 gave the spot a desolate look ; and this was lessened by 

 the constant use to which they were put as coignes of van- 

 tage by birds, turtles, and the many snakes. 



A solitary kill-deer plover, seemingly quite out of place, 

 flitted from one stump to another, evidently ill at ease, 

 and wondering, perhaps, how or why he came there. It 

 was quite unmindful of the continual uplifting of savage 

 serpents' heads about it, and pirouetted on the broader 

 stumps as if really happy ; yet I knew that it was not, and 

 wished it far away. It proved a veritable annoyance ; and 

 we all know how serious petty vexations may become. 



About the rocks there were no birds of any kind, and, 

 indeed, nothing to attract them ; but, when at times for a 

 moment the wind fell, many familiar songs were floated 

 from the mountains opposite songs that linked me to 

 the home hill-side, and forced more than once a longing 

 sigh. 



The rock whereon I stood was itself beautiful, as were 

 all others that formed islets in the upper reaches of the 

 lake ; the mineral, opaque white, of rectangular cleavage, 

 and but slightly veined with stone of other color. In 

 many seams, often too narrow to insert a knife-blade, waxy 

 smilacina grew and flourished ; its deep-green leaves and 

 snowy bloom often extending completely across the rock's 

 surface, and down its precipitous sides. The effect was 



