AMERICAN SWAMP-HARE. — 79 
since spring. The trip promised an acquaintance with a 
new beat, and an insight into what I was not as yet conver- 
sant with in this section of the American continent—viz., 
the method followed of trapping martens. As the sun was 
rising over the eastern hills—for these primitive people are 
early risers—we found ourselves about to leave the sur- 
veyed road. My friend bore on his back a sack in which 
to place his long-neglected traps, while I carried my trusty 
ten-bore double gun, loaded by request with ball in one 
barrel, and buck-shot in the other. Our route at first was 
through a dense cedar swamp, exceedingly irregular on the 
surface, while the undergrowth was so close that it was 
with difficulty parted; a thick coating of moss was under- 
foot, so spongy and full of water that if we remained sta- 
tionary for a few seconds we would be over the insteps in 
water. Nevertheless, the tracks of the American swamp- 
hare were innumerable; an animal, by-the-bye, which is 
very similar to the Scotch blue hare, some authorities going 
so far as to say they are the same species, slightly changed 
by climate and different habits of life, resulting from the 
dissimilar localities in which they are found. 
A blazed path was all we had for direction; but as both 
were in the full vigor of manhood, we steadily progressed. 
Several times we flushed the Canadian spruce grouse; but 
as my projectiles were not suited to this stamp of game, 
and my companion continually kept reminding me that 
larger might be expected, I forbore troubling them. 
From the swamp we got on drier soil, very rocky, and 
densely wooded with pine, the trees increasing in stature 
as we ascended, till we were surrounded with such glorious 
pines as might one day form, without discredit, the main- 
mast of a line-of-battle ship. 
Upward, like the youth who shouted “Excelsior,” we 
kept ascending; but we had not the maiden to warn us, 
