The Portland daily press., 1879-02-15

to the branch and l calculated to reach it
by one O'Clock, but there were so many oo-
stacles to be overcome that my progress was
slow. Many thickets had grown up in the
old road go thick that it was difficult to pene-
trate them, and I was quite frequently COM
PEELED to make circuit through the woods
to avoid them; trees had fallen across the
road and it was quite three O'Clock when L
emerged from the woods upon the banks of
the branch. Heated and exhausted, threw
myself upon the ground by the side of the
stream but the pangs of hunger soon began
to torment me. Rigging my tackle, two
handsome trout were soon landed from a
promising eddy in the stream. They were
soon cooked and my dinner was ready.
1t has been my good fortune to eat sundry
| dinners in my life, the memory of which is
very precious to me. Some are memorable
for the deicacy of the cookery, others for the
surprising elegance of plate and other acces-
series displayed, some for the presence of
cherished friends, and still others are remem-
bered by some peculiar event associated with
them; but among them all I recall to-day no
one with more grateful emotions than that
solitary dinner in the Maine woods. There
were not many courses to it-broiled trout,
pilot bread and cold coffee, that was all.
| My plates were chips gathered from the
| driftwood on the shore; my table was the
| green sward; yet there was present with me
| guest SO fastidious that he has sometimes
been known to refuse to sit at the tables of
kings,-a good appetite.
When I had finished my repast and was
ready to resume my journey, the sun was
| already low in the west and the shadows of
the trees grew larger and larger as they fell
across my path. The road, which led along
the banks of the stream was not SO rough
and difficult as was that of the forenoon.
The land was generally high and bold and
comparatively free from underground. Sew
eral times, however, was delayed by streams
which crossed my path, but, on the whole,
made good progress. 1t was about sunset
when WEAKNESS warned me that it was time
to encamp for the night. cut some spfuce
boughs for my bed, kindled fire and col
lected sufficient fuel to supply it for the night.
There was tempting eddy in the stream,
but was too weary to catch trout, so was
content to sup from pilot bread and pure
spring water which came bubbling out of the
rivers bank. Rolling myself in my blanket
lay down upon my bed of boughs and,
lulled by the ripple of the stream. and the
soft murmur of the spruces, quickly fell
asleep.
Hitherto, during my stay at the pond and
in the woods, the weather had been clear,
and bright; but when awoke in the gray Of
the early morning of the second day of my
| journey, the sky was overcast and brisk
northeast wind was soughing dsmally
through the spruces over my head. 1 felt
that there was need OF haste. The settle
ment, according to my reckoning, must be
quite twenty miles distant, and a storm was
threatening. Hastily eating little bread,
and taking good draught of water from the
spring, began again my solitary walk.
pushed forward with all possible speed, hop
ing the storm would delay until could reach
the shelter of the settlement, which I ex-
pected to do by three or four O'Clock in the
afternoon.
| But about ten O'Clock the first drops of the
approaching storm sprinkled the dead leaves
beneath my feet. Faster and faster they came
and harder and colder blew the wind, until
the storm had fairly set in. The big drops
OF water soon began to collect upon the
bushes and ratified down upon me as passed.
By noon I was wet to the skin and felt cold
and miserable enough. The haste and un-
wonted exertion of my walk began to tell up
on my strength. Faint from hunger, did
not stop to prepare my dinner but, with
piece of bread in my hand, made shift to
eat as I walked. The thought that every
mile measured by my weary feet was bring
| ng me nearer the settlement, kept my cour-
age up. pictured to myself nice, hot
supper, pleasant evening by cheerful fire
and soft, clean bed for the night. My
brain was as busy as my feet; while the rain
fell in ever increasing quantity ard the north
east wind blew colder and colder every min
ute.
Ali at once the road was pursuing ceased,
| leaving me in the centre of a spruce swamp.
I
along the bank of which had supposed my
self to be walking, but it was nowhere to be
seen; nor could 1 recollect seeing it for more
than an hour past The disagreeable fact
that was lost, gradually dawned upon me.
In my haste and with nay mind preoccupied
by antcipations of what comforts awaited
me at the settlement, I must have taken the
wrong road. If there is more dismal SEN
sation than that which arises from being
lost, alone in trackless forest on rainy day
with night rapidly approaching, have yet to
experience it, sat down upon fallen tree
and when realizing sense of my condition
came TO me, am very much afraid that a
few hot tears mingled with the cold rain
drops. But, after resting few minutes my
courage returned and concluded to make an
effort to regain the lost road. Setting by my
compass course which would take me to
the river, I tramped painfully and doggedly
on, until, in the course of an hour, sight of
the lost stream rewarded my efforts.
1t was hard, extremely hard work pushing
through the wet unde-brush. often in the
water to my knees, so that, when / reached
the road my strength was nearly exhausted.
The settlement seemed to be many weary
miles away. In imagination measured those
miles rod by rod, until my head fairly reeled
with the grand total. Disagreeable as the
alternative was, was forced to the conclu-
sion that it was impracticable for me to pro-
coed farther that night. 1 commenced to
search for shelter from the driving rain, blu
found only a partial refuge under project
ing ledge by the side of the river. Wet and
exhausted, l crept under this. 1t was i'm
possible to kndle fire in the rain, so that I
soon began to grow numb with the
piercing cold. With my teeth chattering
with cold and my head giddy from anxiety,
driven by desperation I rushed from my mis-.
cradle shelter and commenced my weary
journey again. By this time the afternoon
was far spent and knew that night was