THE COUNTRY. 189

 hundred and ten deer to furnifh this fmall
 affembly of ladies. An instance of luxury in
 drefs," he adds (and one can see the uplifted,
 deprecating hands, the frowning brows, the keen
 eyes looking over the silver-bowed spectacles at
 the decorated legs of the obliging landlady), -
 "an instance of luxury in drefs fcarcely to be
Paralleled by our European ladies! "
 But following the narrow creek farther into
 the woods, it is easier to understand the apathy
 of the men and women who live now in these
 endless shades. Nature is so triumphant, so
 fiercely insolent, that it seems folly to oppose
 the human mind to her.
 As one loses sight of the man and the woman
 in the dugout, leaving them in the shadows,
 and winding on into the heart of the forest, he
 finds the creek growing very narrow; but the
 clear water, checkered by spots of sunshine, is
 still deep; the branches of the trees begin to
 meet, and form a green and arching roof, with
 openings here and there like windows with
 flowing tracery, through which come wavering
 lines of light to dance upon the dark water; the