THE THRESHOLD OF THE GODS. 87 



whatever cause, a something like the glamour 

 of a uream or of romance had settled down 

 upon stream and rocks and trees. An exhila- 

 ration like that induced by a salt breeze, more 

 refined and subtile, however, took hold on me. 

 The motion or the boat was now quite rapid, 

 but smooth and noiseless. 



I began to be impressed with the utter, the 

 primeval, the unchanged beauty of the land- 

 scape. These woods, locked in by awful 

 precipices, this stream, full of dangerous falls, 

 had never been troubled by hunters or anglers, 

 or naturalists or tourists, nor yet by the insa- 

 tiable makers of farms. Pristine power and 

 perfectness dwelt here as they did aeons ago. 

 I looked and saw the smooth, greenish-colored 

 bark of the trees, the deep expression of riant 

 vitality in the leaves ; I drew into my gratified 

 sense the strengthening bouquet of surround- 

 ing nature, and then suddenly the inquiry, 

 from what source I cannot say, arose in my 

 mind, are the gods still here ? At first it was 

 a half-idle thought, blown across my mental 

 field like a rose petal across a garden ; but it 

 found a lodgment. I toyed with it and it 

 grew. It suited my mood and the mood of 

 nature. 



The halcyon flitted on before us, and now, 

 far away, like the soft murmur of a breeze, our 

 ears caught the pulsating sound of the rapids, 

 A deer, bearing young antlers, stood on the 

 bank and very steadily eyed us as we passed. 

 He did not seem to fear us, his gaze denoting 

 only a lively curiosity. Indeed he had no 

 cause to fear us, for all thought of the chase 

 was far from me, and as for my guide he had 

 enough to do caring for the boat. 



