122 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING. 
The midday meal was hardly over before the forest, 
which had been as still during the morning as if it were 
a painted one, began to get its voice, so to speak, and to 
bow and sough before a stiff breeze which blew from the 
ocean. Some said this indicated rain, and suggested 
that it would be best to remain in camp during the after- 
noon, but others thought we ought to make the most of 
the time at our command and get as much game as pos- 
sible. The latter having carried the point, we started 
off again, leaving the cook behind to keep camp and 
drive away any animals that might take a fancy to our 
food. We had not proceeded more than a mile before it 
became evident that a storm was brewing, but, not caring 
to turn back, we continued on our course, though we 
met no game except grouse, and these we tumbled out 
of the trees, where they had sought refuge from the 
threatened violence of the elements. 
While we were wandering about, the forest giants 
changed their notes from subdued murmuring to a hiss- 
ing moan, and, finally, swayed violently back and forth 
and fairly roared. ‘The rain also came down in such 
heavy torrents that the whole heavens seemed to have 
been let loose, while the wind screamed, and whirled 
leaves and branches through the air in the wildest con- 
fusion. Finding it impossible to face the fury of the 
tempest, we sought shelter under the protecting arms of 
a huge fir, which must have seen many centuries of life, 
but it proved anything but a refuge to us, for we were 
drenched to the skin in a short time. Our situation 
finally became so uncomfortable that we decided to get 
back to camp as soon as possible, for it was evident that 
we could not be in a worse plight than we were. We 
therefore sallied forth, and bending low our heads, in 
order to overcome the resistance of the wind and protect 
ourselves from the clouds of sticks that were flying about, 
we ran for our quarters as fast as our clinging garments 
