Woodchuck 
attempts 
41 ' 
tdWwim 
across the 
river 
At about noon to-day, as I was approaching the 
Ball's Hill landing, an animal started out from the edge 
of the lily pads some distance in advance of me and headed 
directly across the river — here about 100 yards wide. 
At first I took it for a Musk-rat but the head looked 
larger and was carried a little higher while, as I approached 
nearer I could see a large dark eye showing conspicuously. 
The creature now perceived me for the first time and turned 
back, although it had nearly reached the middle of the open 
water. I overhauled it quickly and found that it was a 
Woodchuck , apparently of this sea.son* s birth, but well- 
grown. When I came up with it, it turned on me and 
floating quietly on the surface awaited what it must have 
thought to be certain dearth with the calm fortitude so 
characteristic of its race. The large fine eyes met mine 
unflinchingly. Their expression was at once honest and 
fearless with nothing of the sullen desperation which 
gleams in the eye of the cornered Wolf or Fox nor of the 
piteous plea for mercy so unmistakable in the eye of the 
Deer or Rabbit when it is forced to face its pursuers. 
Brave, self-reliant creature! I had no trampled clover- 
fields nor ravaged bean patches to avenge and I would not 
hawe ha.rmed it for worlds. But I did tease it a little 
with my paddle, chiefly to try if I could make it dive. It 
would not do this, although once I pushed it quite under 
water. It met the paddle-blade with open mouth, showing 
