THE FORESTERS. 27 



Grey with projecting rocks ; along whose steep9 

 The sailing eagle (23) many a circle sweeps. 

 Few huts appeared ; the wretched few we spied 

 Seemed caves where Sloth and Poverty reside ; 

 The ragged owners happier far to hear 

 Men, boys, arid dogs arouse the bounding deer ; 

 In fluttering rags, with scarce a hat or shoe, 

 Down the rough steep the roaring chase pursue. 

 To tree the bear; the midnight wolf to watch ; 

 Minx, otters, 'possums, or racoons to catch ; 

 The bloody panther boldly to destroy, 

 Their highest glory and their greatest j 

 While round each lint the richest soil is seen, 

 Bleak squalid wretchedness is found within, 

 Filth, want, and ignorance from sire to son, 

 The sad attendants of the dog and gun ; 

 As sage Experience long ago has said, 

 A £ood ammeme.nl, but a wretched trade. 



'Twas now deep noon, the winding pathway led, 

 Beneath tall maples near the river's bed, 

 Where moss-grown logs in mouldering ruins lay, 

 And spice and dogwood fringed the narrow way ; 

 The scarlet berries clustering hung around, 

 And mixed with yellow leaves bestrewed the ground ; 

 There glistening lay, extended o'er the path, 

 With steadfast, piercing eye, and gathering wrath, 

 A large grim rattlesnake, of monstrous size ; 

 Ti>ree times three feet his length, enormous lies; 

 His pointed scales in regular rows engraved; 

 His yellow sides with wreathes of dusky waved ; 



