THE LOST ONE. 187 



and active, he imagined that he had walked with more than 

 usual speed, and had passed the place to which he was bound. 

 He accordingly turned his back upon the sun, and pursued a dif- 

 ferent route, guided by a small trail. Time passed, and the sun 

 headed his course ; he saw it gradually descend in the west, but all 

 around him continued as if enveloped with mystery. The huge 

 gray trees spread their giant boughs over him, the rank gi-ass 

 extended on all sides, not a living being crossed his path ; all 

 was silent and still, and the scene was like a dull and dreary 

 dream of the land of oblivion. He wandered like a forgotten 

 ghost that had passed into the land of spirits, without yet 

 meeting one of his kind with whom to hold converse. 



" The condition of a man lost in the woods is one of the most 

 perplexing that could be imagined by a person who has not 

 himself been in a like predicament. Every object he sees he at 

 first thinks he recognizes ; and while his whole mind is bent on 

 searching for more that may gradually lead to his extrication, 

 he goes on committing greater errors the farther he proceeds. 

 This was the case with the live oaker. The sun was now setting 

 with a fiery aspect, and by degrees it sunk in its full circular 

 form, as if giving warning of a sultry to-morrow. Myriads of 

 insects, delighted at its departure, now filled the air on buzzing 

 wings. Each piping frog arose from the muddy pool in which 

 it had concealed itself, the squirrel retu-ed to its hole, the crow 

 to its roost, and, far above, the harsh croaking voice of the 

 heron announced that, full of anxiety, it was wending its way 

 to the miry interior of some distant swamp. Now the woods 

 began to resound to the shrill cries of the owl and the breeze, 

 as it swept among the columnar stems of the forest trees, laden 

 with heavy and chilling dew. Alas ! no moon, with her silvery 

 light, shone on the dreary scene, and the lost one, wearied and 

 vexed, laid himself down on the damp ground. Prayer is 

 always consolatory to man in every difficulty or danger, and the 

 woodsman fervently prayed to his Maker, wished his family a 

 happier night than it was his lot to experience, and with a 

 feverish anxiety waited the return of day. You may imagine 

 the length of that cold, dull, moonless night. With the dawn 

 of day came the usual fogs of those latitudes. The poor man 

 started on his feet, and with a sorrowful heart pursued a course 



