A PICNIC IN THE WOODS. 131 



creepers, which in many places were impenetrable. In 

 spite of all, we were not discouraged, but went on as 

 Avell as we could, floundering and resting alternately. 

 After a time, while taking a short repose, we heard 

 the strokes of an axe — a heavenly sound to our ears. 

 "We laid aside our burdens, and Ulil followed the 

 direction of the sound, to discover what unfortunate 

 child of man was thinking of settling in such a swamp. 

 He soon came back, and called to me to take up the 

 packages and come along, for he had found some 

 charming people ; and we both worked our way 

 through the ahnost impervious thicket to these stran- 

 gers. 



They were a family from Tennessee, Avho had halted 

 to dine. The group consisted of the father, a large, 

 strong built man, upon whom time was just beginning 

 to set his wrinkles, his wife, also formed on a large 

 scale, two sons, of fifteen and ten, and three daughters, 

 from twelve to seven. A horse and pair of oxen were 

 feeding quietly near them, and two large dogs were hid 

 under the two carts, one of which was for baggage, the 

 other, rather lighter, for the wife and children. The 

 dogs, anxiously looking out for their food, advanced as 

 near as their ropes would allow to the table-cloth, 

 which was spread out on a dry place. Maize-bread and 

 butter, pork, cheese, and coffee were the ingredients of 

 the meal; and, after a kindly greeting, and a hearty 

 invitation from the seniors, we were soon all in our 

 places, in Turkish attitudes, round the table-cloth. 

 The children had kindled fires all round us, laying on 

 rotten wood, there being no scarcity of it, so that we 

 were sheltered by a thick smoke, which these tor- 



