AMERICAN SWAMP-HARE. 79 



since spring. The trip promised an acquaintance with a 

 new beat, and an insight into what I was not as yet conver- 

 sant with in this section of the American continent viz., 

 the method followed of trapping martens. As the sun was 

 rising over the eastern hills for these primitive people are 

 early risers we found ourselves about to leave the sur- 

 veyed road. My frienci bore on his back a sack in which 

 to place his long-neglected traps, while I carried my trusty 

 ten-bore double gun, loaded by request with ball in one 

 barrel, and buck-sliot in the other. Our route at first was 

 through a dense cedar swamp, exceedingly irregular on the 

 surface, while the undergrowth was so close that it was 

 with difficulty parted ; a thick coating of moss was under- 

 foot, so spongy and full of water that if we remained sta- 

 tionary for a few seconds we would be over the insteps in 

 water. Nevertheless, the tracks of the American swamp- 

 hare were innumerable; an animal, by-the-bye, which is 

 very similar to the Scotch blue hare, some authorities going 

 so far as to say they are the same species, slightly changed 

 by climate and different habits of life, resulting from the 

 dissimilar localities in which they are found. 



A blazed path was all we had for direction ; but as both 

 were iii the full vigor of manhood, we steadily progressed. 

 Several times we flushed the Canadian spruce grouse ; but 

 as my projectiles were not suited to this stamp of game, 

 and my companion continually kept reminding me that 

 larger might be expected, I forbore troubling them. 



From the swamp we got on drier soil, very rocky, and 

 densely wooded with pine, the trees increasing in stature 

 as we ascended, till we were surrounded with such glorious 

 pines as might one day form, without discredit, the main- 

 mast of a line-of-battle ship. 



Upward, like the youth who shouted "Excelsior," we 

 kept ascending; but we had not the maiden to warn us, 



