BIRCH BROWSINGS. 187 



In these woods, which had a southeastern expos- 

 are, I first began to notice the wood-thrush. Ir 

 coming up the other side I had not seen a feathei 

 of any kind, or heard a note. Now the golden 

 trillide-de of the wood-thrush sounded through the 

 silent woods. While looking for a fish-pole at Mit 

 half-way down the mountain, I saw a thrush's nest Q 

 a little sapling about ten feet from the ground. 



After continuing our descent till our only guide, 

 the spring run, became quite a trout brook, and its 

 tiny murmur a loud brawl, we began to peer anx- 

 iously through the trees for a glimpse of the lake, or 

 for some conformation of the land that would indicate 

 its proximity An object which we vaguely discerned 

 in looking aader the near trees and over the more 

 distant ones proved, on further inspection, to be a 

 patch of ploughed ground. Presently we made out a 

 burnt fallow near it. This was a wet blanket to our 

 enthusiasm. No lake, no sport, no trout for supper 

 that night. The rather indolent young man had 

 either played us a trick, or, as seemed more likely, 

 had missed the way. We were particularly anxious 

 ^0 be at the lake between sundown and dark, as at 

 that time the trout jump most freely. 



Pushing on, we soon emerged into a stumpy field, 

 a the head of a steep valley, which swept around 

 toward the west. About two hundred rods below us 

 was a rude log-house, with smoke issuing from the 

 thimney. A boy came out and moved toward the 

 ipring with a pail in his hand. We shouted to him, 



