THE ALLEGASH AND EAST BRANCH. 
231 
kets. I lay awake very early, and listened to the clear, 
shrill ah-tette-tette-te , of the white-throated sparrow, re¬ 
peated at short intervals, without the least variation, for 
half an hour, as if it could not enough express its hap¬ 
piness. Whether my companions heard it or not, I 
know not, but it was a kind of matins to me, and the 
event of that forenoon. 
It was a pleasant sunrise, and we had a view of the 
mountains in the southeast. Ktaadn appeared about 
southeast by south. A double-topped mountain, about 
southeast by east, and another portion of the same, east- 
southeast. The last the Indian called Nerlumskeechti- 
cook, and said that it was at the head of the East Branch, 
and we should pass near it on our return that way. 
We did some more washing in the lake this morning, 
and with our clothes hung about on the dead trees 
and rocks, the shore looked like washing-day at home. 
The Indian, taking the hint, borrowed the soap, and 
walking into the lake, washed his only cotton shirt on his 
person, then put on his pants and let it dry on him. 
I observed that he wore a cotton shirt, originally 
white, a greenish flannel one over it, but no waistcoat, 
flannel drawers, and strong linen or duck pants, which 
also had been white, blue woollen stockings, cowhide 
boots, and a Kossuth hat. He carried no change of 
clothing, but putting on a stout, thick jacket, which he 
laid aside in the canoe, and seizing a full-sized axe, his 
gun and ammunition, and a blanket, which would do for 
a sail or knapsack, if wanted, and strapping on his belt, 
which contained a large sheath-knife, he walked off at 
once, ready to be gone all summer. This looked very 
independent; a few simple and effective tools, and no 
India-rubber clothing. He was always the first ready 
