546 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Dec. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 "WOODLAND SCENES-.-Wo. 3. 



Upon one side of this tract of pine woods, 

 where we were seated at the conclusion of my sec- 

 ond article, there is a low, swampy piece of 

 ground, or meadow, which extends from a led'^e 

 or rocky bluff in the woods, to the pond — a dis- 

 tance of about seventy rods ; in breadth it is 

 nearly one-half the above distance. As the route 

 to the camp would be much shortened by cross- 

 'ingthis meadow, we concluded to do so, but soon 

 ■ found that in this instance, it was much easier to 

 talk of doing a thing than to do it. We had not 

 proceeded three rods into this deceitful morass, 

 before our courage began seriously to waver, and 

 my companion thought best to go back, but think- 

 ing that the ground would improve a little further 

 ahead, I persuaded him to keep on. But it was 

 of no use; the willows, wild vines of all sorts, 

 trailing herbs, and fowl meadow grass, six feet 

 high, formed such a thick and tangled net-work, 

 that to force a passage through it was next to im- 

 possible. The ground was also quite moist, and 

 as it was concealed from our sight by the confused 

 mass of vegetation, in which we sank to our waists 

 at every step, the passage was not only difficult, 

 but dangerous ; for we might, without any previ- 

 ous warning, step into a bog-hole, and slip down, 

 nobody knows where. While struggling and 

 floundering in this chaos of living and decayed 

 vegetation, the trials and hardships of men who 

 have been on exploring expeditions — like those 

 for instance which have crossed the Rocky Moun- 

 tains and the Isthmus of Darien — were brought 

 vividly to mind. In some of these expeditions, 

 espefially those across the Isthmus, the travellers 

 were obliged, day after day, to cut their way with 

 hatchets through the otherwise impenetrable for- 

 est before them ; being surrounded with hostile 

 Indians, ferocious beasts, poisonous serpents, and 

 with starvation continually staring them in the 

 face. How much easier it is to sit down by our 

 own fireside, and read of these adventures, than 

 to take an active part in them. 



We finally gave up the contest, and retraced 

 our steps to the solid ground ; preferring to take 

 a much longer and safer path, than to trust our- 

 selves to one that was short, but treacherous. A 

 similar decision might sometimes be applicable 

 to more important matters. 



We now proceeded towards the rocky bluff at 

 the upper end of the meadow, but before reaching 

 it, crossed a little stream, which, with other 

 springs, supplies the meadow with moisture. The 

 brook, at the place where we crossed, was entire- 

 ly hidden beneath the rocks in its bed ; and if we 

 had not heard the low, gurgling sound beneath 

 our feet, we should have been ignorant of its exist- 

 ence. We next came to the bluff", which is a mass 

 of granite rocks of all shapes and sizes, heaped 

 confusedly together upon the side of a hill com- 

 posed of the same kind of rock. Here our spaniel 

 "Don," irced a woodchuck among the stones ; 

 but the poor little "varmint" hid chosen a secure 

 retreat, for after poking with sticks in the crev- 

 ices between the rocks for some time, the only re- 

 ward we received was the sound of his peculiar 

 equealing chatter. For my part, I was very glad 

 that the little f.;llow was safe from our attacks, 

 and we left him to enjoy life in his own way. 



After scrambling along at the foot of this ledge 

 for some distance, we entered a thick growth of 

 young oak. The lower limbs of the trees had 

 died as the wood increased in height, and they 

 formed a very curious, and as my city friend 

 thought, a very serious net-work of "sharp sticks." 

 However, it was not long before we came to a 

 good road — that is, good for the locality we were 

 in. The bushes which grew in this road, had 

 been recently mown and thrown aside, so we con- 

 cluded it led to the fishing ground ; and our con- 

 jecture was right, for in a few moments we came 

 in sight of the pond. 



Just before reaching the shore, we were sur- 

 prised to find a cow tied to a tree, with a calf by 

 her side. She had a yoke on her neck, and the 

 reins with which she was tied were fastened to 

 her horns. A little farther on was the "rigging" 

 which the poor animal had drawn to the pond. 

 It had two wheels, and a very long body or rack, 

 such as some farmers use in carting hay into the 

 barn, only much more rude in construction ; the 

 shafts were two, round, oaken poles of such enor- 

 mous length, that I am yet unable to decide how 

 the driver of this picturesque cozy-cart ever turned 

 about in the thick woods, when he took the "back 

 track." 



While viewing this outlandish-looking vehicle, 

 we heard at a short distance from us, a long- 

 drawn yawn, as if some one was very sleepy, or 

 was just rubbing open his eyes. Perhaps our cu- 

 riosity was greater than our politeness, for we in- 

 stantly began to search for a path which might 

 lead us to the spot from whence the sound pro- 

 ceeded. After searching a few minutes, we found 

 a side path, so concealed by bushes and brakes — 

 the tops of which sprang back together after we 

 had passed — that the careless observer would not 

 have noticed it. This path led us to a small 

 wood-covered knoll, close by the shore of the 

 pond ; and here we found ourselves at last, in the 

 midst of the camp. One glance around was suf- 

 ficient to give us a pretty good idea of the whole 

 concern. 



Now I hope that none of my kind readers who 

 have followed me through this somewhat lengthy 

 description of a woodland walk, have been expect- 

 ing, as had the writer, a rich treat after so much 

 pains-taking ; for, if such has been the fact, they 

 are doomed to disappointment. 



We had been imagining, and partly expecting, 

 all along, that this party was a choice collectioa 

 of a dozen or more of nice young ladies and gen- 

 tlemen, who had come to this secluded dell, not 

 only to enjoy each other's society, and to follow 

 the profession of "Old Ike Walton," but to be 

 enraptured with the beauties and melodies of the 

 forest ; to ride over the fair bosom of the lake, 

 and gather the white, fragrant lilies that spangled 

 its surface, and the brilliant Lobelia canlinalis — 

 Scarlet Cardinal Flower — which then embellished 

 the borders of the brooks, in their meandering, 

 babbling courses to the pond ; perhaps, also, to 

 portray Avith pencil and paper, some of the charm- 

 ing scenes before them. 



13 ut the character, number, objects and tastes 

 of the actual party were entirely different from 

 the one which had existence only in our imagina- 

 tions. A space among the trees had been cleared 

 of underbrush, some rude seats and a table had 

 been constructed of imported materials ; dishes 



