76 WAKE-ROBIN 
reasons, surrounded by a heavy growth of birch, 
hemlock, and pine, with a lining of balsam and fir, 
the rude cabin welcomed us. It was of the ap- 
proved style, three sides inclosed, with a roof of 
bark and a bed of boughs, and a rock in front that 
afforded a permanent backlog to all fires. A faint 
voice of running water was heard near by, and, fol- 
lowing the sound, a delicious spring rivulet was dis- 
closed, hidden by the moss and débris as by a new 
fall of snow, but here and there rising in little well- 
like openings, as if for our special convenience, On 
smooth places on the logs I noticed female names 
inscribed in a female hand; and the guide told us 
of an English lady, an artist, who had traversed 
this region with a single guide, making sketches. 
Our packs unslung and the kettle over, our first 
move was to ascertain in what state of preservation 
a certain dug-out might be, which, the guide averred, 
he had left moored in the vicinity the summer be- 
fore, — for upon this hypothetical dug-out our hopes 
of venison rested. After a little searching it was 
found under the top of a fallen hemlock, but in a 
sorry condition. A large piece had been split out 
of one end, and a fearful chink was visible nearly 
to the water-line. Freed from the treetop, how- 
ever, and calked with a little moss, it floated with 
two aboard, which was quite enough for our pur- 
pose. A jack and an oar were necessary to com- 
plete the arrangement, and before the sun had set 
our professor of wood-craft had both in readiness. 
From a young yellow birch an oar took shape with 
