Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-02-08

| prospect Is not the same when viewed from
a boat in Summer time. Then the ever
greens, so conspicuous in the landscape of
the region, are supplemented by the foliage
OF the dcciduous trees and shrubs. Tho
cedars and jumpers in Winter look
blue with cold, and appear less
dense against the background of bare
hardwood trees. Every cavern in the steep
cliffs and portion of the rocky shore is en-.
bossed with shining ice. The waves dashed
up by the south wind reach fringing shrub
berry which now droops under the weight of
ice, and the water coursing down the rocks
forms into irregular stalacites The true
C6luean blue of ice, when in sufficient
mass, is seen above q background of pure
white snow, while that encrustpg the rocks
assumes their sombrc colols. Here and
there on the ice we see the booth of some
lone fisherman, in which he sits, screened
from the wind and with fire at his feet
and the never falling pipe in mouth, man.
ages to survive the cold.
The annual ice harvest begins In February.
Towards the last of the month a thaw often
sets in, melting the surface-snow, and leaving
pools of standing water to refreezc and re-
new the skating. There is generally album
dant opportunity to indulge in this eXhila-
rating exercise. The first black ice is per-
haps the best, but not always the safest for
this purpose. Vent holes are sool formed
| in the new ice, and wide riffs occur from the
action of the currents, where great depth
of water is ready to cnguf the skater.
| In early March the snow lies deep and
crisp on the lake and in the woods.
| Nature seems desolatc, but the burning-gass
of spring will soon rekindle the
dead embers, and recall the scattered inmates.
| The hearty call of the crow is heard again
and we see their familiar forms skirting the
| rugged shore and sailing from point to point,
wondering what povender they can pick
up in gaciated country. Cold, clear days
succeed. Over the deep blue sky is stretch
cd a film of gossamer Clouds Sometimes
they are spun out into long parallel trains,
travelling the vault from north to south where
they seem to meet by the perspective.
Towards evening they settle down into long
why strata. Some are drawn out like
threads Of wool, while in others the edges
are serratc. The spring soon begins
to unlock the icy letters Of veg
citation. The trees ring in the
woods az if struck with hatchets, and the
cracking Of the pine-cones suggests the
swapping of hemlock- boughs in the fire. The
robin comes up from the south and in cheer
full notes announces his arrival. The snow
gradually disappears from the hillsides. The
song-sparrow and the blue bird Ill the morn
ing air with their sweet music. The sap is
starting and the buds are swelling. 1t is
spring on the land, but upon the white bosom
Of the lake winter rcigns supremacy still.
This great dish of water like every other,
melts first about the edges. The strip OF
green water by the shore shows the effect Of
radiation from the sand, and marks the be-
ginning Of the breakup.
In n warm night the lake breaks out in its
Gnrintr IiSpaep nd tho ipp oSCup1pc a NpcEpU
spotted appearance. 1t is now ''combing,"
that is coming to resemble honey comb,
the expansion of the air cells beginning at
the top, and the sun soon melts this light
portion away and attacks fresh surface.
lhe lake becomes riddled with numerous
spiral hole, and depressions. The expansion
of the air bubbles raises and separates the
ice causing an audible rustling rs Of the
crumpling Of fine tissue Holes along the
margins mark the place OF hooks which lie
hidden beneath the surface and show the
reflection of solar heat.
The .enCircling strip OF open water
widcns by the shore, the stranded ice giving
it greenish tingc Then the great body of
the ice becomes saturated and vide seams
open and riffs appear in the direction of the
currents Dense fogs float over the lake
and the heavy laden air drlps with moisture.
Ducks soon find the open water and the
Canada geese are seen flying northward in
triangular file. The winds, sweeping up
from the south, br5ak in fragments the soft
ened ice and pile it up along the beach and
| on the rocks. The last strip of gray ice
| leaves the bay and now, the close Of April,
| the lake shows its face once more. NGvigl-
| ton is resumed aud large hocks of water
fowl dispoIting over the clean mirror ccle-
brate the event. L. II. II,