IN THE CATSKILLS 



your companion is striking and memorable. You 

 see effects and groups every moment that you would 

 give money to be able to carry away with you in 

 enduring form. How the shadows leap, and skulk, 

 and hover about! Light and darkness are in per- 

 petual tilt and warfare, with first the one unhorsed, 

 then the other. The friendly and cheering fire, 

 what acquaintance we make with it! We had al- 

 most forgotten there was such an element, we had so 

 long known only its dark offspring, heat. Now we 

 see the wild beauty uncaged and note its manner 

 and temper. How surely it creates its own draught 

 and sets the currents going, as force and enthusi- 

 asm always will! It carves itself a chimney out of 

 the fluid and houseless air. A friend, a minister- 

 ing angel, in subjection ; a fiend, a fury, a monster, 

 ready to devour the world, if ungoverned. By day 

 it burrows in the ashes and sleeps ; at night it comes 

 forth and sits upon its throne of rude logs, and rules 

 the camp, a sovereign queen. 



Near camp stood a tall, ragged yellow birch, its 

 partially cast-off bark hanging in crisp sheets or 

 dense rolls. 



" That tree needs the barber," we said, " and 

 shall have a call from him to-night." 



So after dark I touched a match into it, and we 



saw the flames creep up and wax in fury until the 



whole tree and its main branches stood wrapped in 



a sheet of roaring flame. It was a wild and strik- 



234 



