58 WARWICK WOODLANDS. 



ing village, built on the mountain side; made two or three 

 sharp ugly turns, still going at a smashing pace, and com- 

 ing on the level ground, entered an extensive cedar swamp, 

 impenetrable above with the dark boughs of the evergreen 

 colossi, and below with half a dozen varieties of rhodo- 

 dendron, calmia, and azalia. Through this dark, dreary 

 track, the road ran straight as the bird flies, supported on 

 the trunks of trees, constituting what is here called a 

 corduroy road ; an article which, praise be to all the gods, 

 is disappearing now so rapidly, that this is the only bit 

 to be found in the civilized regions of New York — and 

 bordered to the right and left by ditches of black tenacious 

 mire. Beyond this we scaled another sandy hillock, and 

 pulled up at a little wayside tavern, at the door of which 

 Harry set himself lustily to halloa. 



•'Why, John; hilloa, hillo; John Riker!" 



Whereon, out came, stooping low to pass under the 

 lintel of a very fair sized door, one of the tallest men I 

 ever looked upon; his height, too, was exaggerated by 

 the narrowness of his chest and shoulders, which would 

 have been rather small for a man of five foot seven; but 

 to make up for this, his legs were monstrous, his arms 

 muscular, and his whole frame evidently powerful and 

 athletic, though his gait was slouching, and his air sin- 

 gularly awkward and unhandy. 



"Why, how do, Mr. Archer? I hadn't heerd you was in 

 these pairts — arter woodcock, I reckon?" 



"Yes, John, as usual; and you must go along with us, 

 and show us the best ground." 



"Well, you see, I cam't go to-day — for Squire Breawn, 

 and Dan Faushea, and a whole grist of Goshen boys is 

 comin' over to the island here to fish ; but you cam't well 

 go vio-ong." 



"Why not; are birds plenty?" 



"Well! I guess they be! Plentier than ever yet I see 

 them here." 



"By Jove! that's good news." Harry answered; "where 

 *hall we find the first?" 



■'Why, amost anywheres — but here, jist down by the 

 first bridge, there's a hull heap — leastwise there was a 

 Friday — and then you'd best go on to the second bridge, 

 and keep the edge of the hill right up and down to 



