411 



accordingly. All the autumnal beauty of the forest was 

 upon the landscape, the gorgeously tinted leaves alternating 

 with the persistent verdure of the evergreens and betraying 

 by their varying depth of color the hidden track of streams, 

 or the quiet retreat of semi-stagnant waters. The wild ber- 

 ries of the thickets were ripening in the mellow autumn 

 sunshine, while the rattling chirp of grasshoppers and crick- 

 ets reveling among the tardily-opening flowers and half-dry 

 herbage, all contributed to make up a delightful picture of 

 a genuine Indian Summer in New England. The scientifi- 

 cally inclined among the strollers gave due attention, of 

 course, to the fauna of the territory, and many good speci- 

 mens were soon peeping from baskets and bottles to prove 

 both the fruitfulness of the field and the sharp eyes and 

 nimble fingers of the explorers. Frogs of various sorts, 

 striped snakes, and several kinds of newts or salamanders, 

 all went to swell the list of acquisitions in this department. 

 This party were accompanied by a bright little lad, who was 

 always ready to climb a tree or jump a bog or brook to serve 

 the wishes of the strangers ; and gave free utterance to the 

 popular prejudice against the newts, or " abbits" as he called 

 them, persisting that the bite of one would produce certain 

 death. The little fellow 'had not thought to inquire, any 

 . more than some older persons, whether the creature was 

 ever known to bite at all, a rather necessary pre-requisite to 

 any decision as to its venomous properties. 



Other companies pursued different routes. Some resorted 

 to the beach and followed a pleasant track along the sea- 

 shore, whose gurgling rollers, breaking incessantly among 

 the pebbles, might be heard far inland like the good natured 

 growl of some half-sleeping monster of the forest. Here 

 are many beautiful summer residences, occupied by citizens 

 of Boston and the neighboring cities, and through some of 

 the elegant grounds adjoining, a part of the members 

 sauntered with great satisfaction, admiring the taste and 

 comfort with which wealth surrounds itself in such situ- 



