BIRCH BROWSINGS 171 
find the lake. If I succeeded and desired them to 
come forward, I was to fire my gun three times; if 
I failed and wished to return, I would fire it twice, 
they of course responding. 
So, filling my canteen from the spring, I set out 
again, taking the spring run for my guide. Before 
I had followed it two hundred yards it sank into 
the ground at my feet. I had half a mind to be 
superstitious and to believe that we were under a 
spell, since our guides played us such tricks. How- 
ever, I determined to put the matter to a further 
test, and struck out boldly to the left. This seemed 
to be the keyword, —to the left, to the left. The 
fog had now lifted, so that I could form a better 
idea of the lay of the land. Twice I looked down 
the steep sides of the mountain, sorely tempted to 
risk a plunge. Still I hesitated and kept along on 
the brink. As I stood on a rock deliberating, I 
heard a crackling of the brush, like the tread of 
some large game, on a plateau below me. Suspect- 
ing the truth of the case, I moved stealthily down, 
and found a herd of young cattle leisurely browsing. 
We had several times crossed their trail, and had 
seen that morning a level, grassy place on the top 
of the mountain, where they had passed the night. 
Instead of being frightened, as I had expected, they 
seemed greatly delighted, and gathered around me 
as if to inquire the tidings from the outer world, — 
perhaps the quotations of the cattle market. They 
came up to me, and eagerly licked my hand, clothes, 
and gun. Salt was what they were after, and they 
