After Attaining A
Height Of About Fifty Feet, A Natural Platform Of Eight Or Ten Yards
Broke The Perpendicular Line Of The Rock, When Another Wall, Like
The First, Rose To A Considerable Height, Terminating In A Second
And Third Platform Of The Same Description.
Fire, at some distant period, had run over these singularly
beautiful terraces, and a second growth of poplars and
Balm-of-gileads, relieved, by their tender green and light, airy
foilage, the sombre indigo tint of the heavy pines that nodded like
the plumes of a funeral-hearse over the fair young dwellers on the
rock.
The water is forty feet deep at the base of this precipice, which
is washed by the waves. After we had passed the battery, Mat Y - -
turned to me and said, "That is a famous place for bears; many a
bear have I shot among those rocks."
This led to a long discussion on the wild beasts of the country.
"I do not think that there is much danger to be apprehended from
them," said he; "but I once had an ugly adventure with a wolf two
winters ago, on this lake."
I was all curiosity to hear the story, which sounded doubly
interesting told on the very spot, and while gliding over those
lovely waters.
"We were lumbering at the head of Stony Lake, about eight miles from
here, my four brothers, myself, and several other hands. The winter
was long and severe; although it was the first week in March, there
was not the least appearance of a thaw, and the ice on these lakes
was as firm as ever. I had been sent home to fetch a yoke of oxen
to draw the saw-logs down to the water, our chopping being all
completed, and the logs ready for rafting.
"I did not think it necessary to encumber myself with my rifle, and
was, therefore, provided with no weapon of defence but the long
gad I used to urge on the cattle. It was about four o'clock in the
afternoon when I rounded Sandy Point, that long point which is
about a mile a-head of us on the left shore, when I first discovered
that I was followed, but at a great distance, by a large wolf. At
first, I thought little of the circumstance, beyond a passing wish
that I had brought my gun. I knew that he would not attack me before
dark, and it was still two long hours to sundown; so I whistled, and
urged on my oxen, and soon forgot the wolf - when, on stopping to
repair a little damage to the peg of the yoke, I was surprised to
find him close at my heels. I turned, and ran towards him, shouting
as loud as I could, when he slunk back, but showed no inclination
to make off. Knowing that he must have companions near, by his
boldness, I shouted as loud as I could, hoping that my cries might
be heard by my brothers, who would imagine that the oxen had got
into the ice, and would come to my assistance.
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