40 THE FORESTERS. 



While deep below the parted river roars. 

 Beyond its eastern stream, on level lands, 

 There Athens (once Tioga) straggling stands ; 

 Unlike that Athens known in days of old, 

 Where learning found more worshippers than gold, 

 Here waste, unfinished, their sole schoolhouse lies, 

 While pompous taverns all around it rise. 



Now to the left the ranging mountains bend, 

 And level plains before us wide extend, 

 Where rising lone, old Spanish-Hill(25) appears, 

 The posi of war in ancient unknown years ; 

 Its steep and rounding sides with woods embrowned, 

 Its level top with old entrenchments crowned ; 

 Five hundred paces thrice we measure o'er 

 Ere all their circling boundaries we explore ; 

 Now evergrown with woods alone it stands, 

 And looks abroad o'er open fertile lands. 

 Here on the works we ruminating lay, 

 Till sudden darkness muffled up the day ; 

 The threatening storm soon drove us to the plain, 

 And on we wandered through the woods again. 

 For many a mile through forests deep we passed, 

 Till girdled trees rose to the view at last ; 

 The fence and field successively appear, 

 And jumbling cow-bells speak some cottage near; 

 Anon the sounding axe, the yelping dogs, 

 The ploughman's voice, the sight of snorting hogs, 

 And sudden opening on the ravished eye, 

 Green fields, green meadows, gardens, orchards, lie 

 In rich profusion round the cottage neat, 



