Il8 JOHN BURROUGHS 



many birds in the trees and bushes near me — the rufous 

 hummer, the rufous-backed chickadee, the golden-crowned 

 kinglet, the pine siskin. Back in the woods I hear the 

 russet-backed thrush and Steller jay. With my lunch I 

 have some yellow salmon berries gathered near by." 



"July 28th. Woke up this morning hearing the birds sing 

 through my open window. I looked out into the dusky 

 wooded side of a mountain nearly within a stone's throw. 

 We were in Grenville Channel, the skies clear, the sun 

 shining full upon the opposite shore. Presently we are 

 passing one of those bewitching alcoves or recesses in the 

 shore where the mountains form a loop miles deep around 

 an inlet of blue sea, with snow-crowned peaks above 

 great curves of naked rock at the head of it. Now we 

 cut one of those curious tide lines, where two currents of 

 water of different colors meet. The dividing line is sharp 

 and clear for a long distance." 



The next day, which was still bright and warm, there 

 was a film of smoke in the air in the morning which in- 

 creased as we went south. We were nearing the region 

 of forest fires. When we reached Seattle on the 30th 

 this smoke had so increased that all the great mountains 

 were hidden by it as effectually as they were by the 

 clouds when we entered upon the voyage. 



We had three tons of coal left in our bunkers, but of 

 our little stock farm down below only the milch cow re- 

 mained. She had been to Siberia and back and had given 

 milk all the way. No voyagers were ever more fortunate 

 than we. No storms, no winds, no delays or accidents 

 to speak of, no illness. We had gone far and fared well. 



