60 HILLS AND LAKES. 



moose on snow-shoes in the winter, and been eat up 

 by the black flies and musquitoes in the summer. So, 

 fifteen years ago last June, I thought I'd take a trip 

 to Albany, and dispose of my spelter, and see the 

 sights. 1 packed up my stuff, and a good lot of it I 

 had too. I had all I could load in a big skiff, of furs 

 and skins, and among 'em was more'n one of the 

 painter and bear. I started from Plattsburgh for 

 Whitehall, and let me tell you, Squire, that's a long 

 road on old Champlain, to travel all alone, pullin' a 

 big skiff, and when you've tried it, you'll Believe its 

 some. Well, after four days hard pullin', I landed at 

 Whitehall ; there I got my stuff on board of a canal- 

 boat, and went ahead. At West Troy I hired a canal- 

 horse and a wagon, and started for Albany. I sold 

 my stuff at a profit, and then I thought I'd take a look 

 at the sights. So I went gaping about, lookin' in at 

 the windows of the stores, and staring at the queer 

 signs, and lookin' at the carriages and the women, in 

 a way that was no doubt uncommon. The boys 

 got round me, and wanted to know where I was 

 caught, and whether my mother knew I was out. I 

 didn't mind this much, for they were too small to get 

 angry with, and they didn't know any better. Pretty 



