A SUMMER BOATING TRIP 19 



now with a sharp smack upon my rubber coat; then 

 with a heavy thud upon the seat in the bow or stern 

 of my boat; then plump into my upturned ear, or upon 

 my uncovered arm, or with a ring into my tin cup, or 

 with a splash into my coffee-pail that stood at my side 

 full of water from a spring I had just passed. After 

 two hours' trial I found dropping off to sleep, under 

 such circumstances, was out of the question ; so I sprang 

 up, in no very amiable mood toward my host, and drew 

 my boat clean from under the elm. I had refreshing 

 slumber thenceforth, and the birds were astir in the 

 morning long before I was. 



There is one way, at least, in which the denuding 

 the country of its forests has lessened the rainfall: in 

 certain conditions of the atmosphere every tree is a 

 great condenser of moisture, as I had just observed 

 in the case of the old elm ; little showers are generated 

 in their branches, and in the aggregate the amount 

 of water precipitated in this way is considerable. Of 

 a foggy summer morning one may see little puddles of 

 water standing on the stones beneath maple-trees, 

 alono; the street ; and in winter, when there is a sudden 

 change from cold to warm, with fog, the water fairly 

 runs down the trunks of the trees, .and streams from 

 their naked branches. The temperature of the tree is 

 so much below that of the atmosphere in such cases 

 that the condensation is very rapid. In lieu of these 

 arboreal rains we have the dew upon the grass, but it 

 is doubtful if the grass ever drips as does a tree. 



The birds, I say, were astir in the morning before 

 I was, and some of them were more wakeful through 

 the night, unless they sing in their dreams. At this 

 season one may hear at intervals numerous bird voices 



