Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-09-07
Correspondence Of the Free Press.
FROM THE WOODS.


We get up early, sometimes at halfpas
four, the first man who wakes stirring up the
rest Go down to the lake for wash, and
then sit by the fire till breakfast, which is
on the table "a large piece of bark propped
up on poles, with poles set up along side fol
seats) about half past six. Then one or two
Of US 20 out fishing, while the rest station
themselves around the lake to watch for deer
We do not always succeed in getting one,
having killed but three out of nine that have
been started, the others steering for Raquette
river instead of the lake. We get back to
dinner, sometimes at twelve, sometimes not
till after two. After dinner, if the morning
hunt was unsuccessful, a party start out
again. We are all in to supper about half
| past seven, and after an hours talk and
smoke around the campfire, we turn in.
We five sleep in our hammocks; the four
guides in their blankets under us, and a
comical sight 1t must be, too. We wish every
day for an artist to sketch US.
The weather has been very unsettled since
we came out. There has been but one day
without shower, and on Friday it rained
almost all day The hunters came in wet
enough. c. and |, who started out fishing,
came in after about an hour and lay in the
the tent, across our hammocks, pretty much
all day. We have few books and passed
the time not unpleasantly. There has been
enough venison to keep the larder supplied
until yesterday, and about Is pounds of lake
trout caught every day, in spite Of the rain.
How it did pour last night But our tent is
tight as a new keg, and we can listen to the
fierce patter on the roof with perfect COM
placency.
Perhaps the pleasantest hour is that We
spend around the fire, before we 20 to bed
sitting il a row, guides and all. with the
bright light flashing in our faces.and jjokesaud
laughter flying around as thick as the sparks.
The Doctor draws on his fund of stories (that
man has told & story once in 5 minutes on
the average, leaving out sleeping time and
when he was too far off for US to hear, ever
since we left home y and the rest Of US are
not backward to contribute our share.
Occasionally the hoot of an owl breaks the
stiffness out side the camp, otherwise only
interrupted by breath of wind through the
tree-tops, and the plash of the little waves on
the beach. Once or twice we have heard
tree fall in the forest, in that mysterious way
which every one who has lived in forest has
noticed, crashing down without help of wind
or man, alone in the woods.
There comes still moment, sometimes,
during the day the wind dies away; the
lake lies perfectly quiet in the sunlight; l am
out on point with one of the guides perhaps,
watching for deer-and suddenly loon
raises his quayering cry across the lake, or a
fshhawk sailing over our heads screams
shriIly as he carries his writhing prey to his
nest on i tall dead pine. All, it is worth
coming long way for.
The Doctor and W. are packing up.
Their time of absence has expired,
and they mean to be home by Tues
day. We shall miss them. The Doctor has
been the best man of the partY-killins the
first deer, telling the most stories, tanning up
in the most frightful manner, and no ways
behind in clearing the table. We are getting
up large appetltes, all of US, and he begins to
warn US against the danger of never getting
up again when we get seated before plate
of broiled fish and venison steak.
We have notmoved our camp since we first
came, preferring not to spend any time in
travelling around, as the Doctor and W.
could make but short stay. When the guides
come back from taking them to the settle
ments, the Commodore, c. and propose to
take our way to Long Lake, Forked Lake,
Raquette and Blue Mountain Lake, coming
home, possibly, by way of Crown Point.
We hope for more pleasant weather to
travel in than we have had in camp. There
has been no cold weather but the constant
damp is uncomfortable But no has
thought of catching cold. though We are wet
every day, and sit out in the open air all the
evening Why it is, l don't know; but so it
it is. have never had my feet wet 50 much
since | can remember, but feel no inconve-
nience.
There WIS Il tornado on small scaled
yesterday afternoon. We saw squall
coming up from the West, but did not re-
turn to camp, thinking to weather it. W.
and Mitchell were out on tAe point at the
mouth of Agassiz Bay, as the largest of the
Bays is called,-tFe Naturalist staid here
with party sometime last year-and hear
ing an unusual roar crawled out from under
their boat, turned over to keep the rain off,
to see what it was. The waters of the bay
were iI great commotion, whirled up twenty
feet in the air by the wind as it eddied round
and round the trees on the shore went
crashing down as the whirlwind struck
them, and the scene was sublime indeed
sublime enough to be very dangerous. But
the squall fortunately did not touch the
point where the two stood was anchored
out in the lake. fishing, when the storm
came on, and the wind was strong enough to
break the rope and set us adrift. But keep
ing head on. we shipped no water, and the
wind died away as suddenly as it came
IIRrb there is the far off crack of
rife. We are not alone in the woods, then.
1t is party over on Raquette River, proba-
bly, There was party camped on this lake
when We came, but they went away before