AN AMATEUR IN THE NORTH WOODS. 173 



A more forlorn object than myself, as I emerged from the 

 woods on that memorable occasion, it would be difficult to 

 conceive of. Mud, rain, underbrush, and mosquitoes had so 

 thoroughly disguised me that it would have required an inti- 

 mate acquaintance to have recognized a familiar feature ; and, 

 as my powers of description are limited, I will leave the con- 

 ception of my personal appearance to the imagination of the 

 reader. Thanks, however, to an elastic constitution and a 

 sound night's sleep, the ensuing morning found me compara- 

 tively fresh, and in good condition for the completion of my 

 journey. 



Thus ended my campaign in the woods. We were now 

 within reach of the appliances of civilization, so that it was an 

 easy matter to reach the nearest railroad station, and avail 

 ourselves of steam locomotion. Despite the numerous vexa- 

 tions and petty hardships which neccessarily attended my 

 novitiate in backwoodsmanship, it was, on the whole, a pleas- 

 ant episode in my life, and one upon which I look back with 

 none but pleasurable emotions. And, although I should not 

 choose to establish my permanent residence in the woods, I 

 can readily sympathize with the attachment to the forest 

 which characterizes those hardy spirits who are " to the manor 

 born." 



My narrative has but little to do with trapping or even hunt- 

 ing, and may seem irrelevant in this book. But it relates at 

 least to life in the woods ; and, to give any thing like a full 

 view of that subject, it is important to show how such a life 

 seems to the inexperienced. This book may induce many 

 untried youth to enlist in the trapping service ; and, in mercy 

 to them, I would give them beforehand some adequate con- 

 ception of the realities before them, that they may not rush 

 upon the mosquitoes and gnats and wolves and whisky, and 

 long, weary, back-laden journeys, wholly unprepared. 



And, after all the tribulations that I have recorded, I came 

 out of the woods with such an appreciation of the discipline 

 of forest life, that I cannot conclude without expressing the 

 hope that the time will come when schools, that prize the 

 health and hardihood that come by gymnastics and military 



