500 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 
‘by the incessant movement of our hands in striking off the 
clinging flies ! 
George curses strong and deep, “sotto voce,” and we move 
on into the lake without a word from us. Now we are 
gliding along its marshy shore, and the only sound we make 
is that caused by the low grating of the bottom of our boat 
against the heavy leaves of the water-lilies, which cover the 
whole surface as far as we can see, but that is not far. The 
heavy mist-wreaths still curl up around us and arching to 
our light, roll and spread their whitened volumes murkily. 
The slow boat ploughs through these fantastic shapes as if 
it labored with their weight; but now and then an eddy of 
the mountain wind lifts them, whirling in broken masses, 
and reveals the dark shadows of the forest on the shore, 
with the shining flags that push up among the bordering 
lilies. The night is becoming chill, and we have crept into 
every cove and winding strait among the inlets along the 
Shore, and still the same slow-rising vapor twists and rolls in 
huge white phantoms, bushing past us; and, lifting in solemn 
sweep upon the winds, the jaws of darkness open over 
the broad water, as if on that side the abyss of black infinity 
were yawning to engulph us. No deer yet, for they seem 
to have been all startled by our first misadventure; we 
should have seen a dozen eyes shine our light before this! 
We are cold as cold can be, for much time has now passed, 
and chilled, too, by the disappointment. Now we shoot 
into a narrow cove between two islands. The long grass 
and shrubs on either side nearly meet above our heads, we 
must move with still greater caution lest we brush them. 
Now the narrow way widens again somewhat, and we go 
winding on, while our advance light dawns with a strange 
gleam beneath the curling vapor upon the dense wall of leafy 
stems on either side, and we seem urging up, among ghastly 
clouds, the glistening stegp of night. It is a wild, unearthly 
scene; we shudder with chilly awe, for the vast weight of 
