ught for. Deep fogs obscure the
earth, and hide the sun from our eyes; the signs are wanting which
should direct our feet in the path of our return; for the moss grows
equally on every side of the tree; the waters lie dead, and sleeping,
and stagnant, so that no one may gather from their flow a knowledge of
his path; it is not the hour of the day for the Hunter's Star to shine
upon the eyes of our judgment; no wind stirs to inform us whether it
comes from the flowery land of the South, or the cold hills of the
North--how then can I assist my bewildered brothers, who am myself
bewildered? I see not whence we came, I know not where we are; I only
know this--that we have ventured into a narrow and crooked path in the
Lake Ouaquaphenogan, and are lost, as many of our nation have been
before, in the intricate mazes into which it is death to venture." So
concluded the young hunter.

The four bewildered hunters still continued their endeavours to
retrace their path, but without success. Still more dark and dismal
grew those mazes--more wet and miry the morass. Night came, but it
brought no stars to enable them to find their road back to their
dwellings, nor south nor north winds were abroad to direct their
steps--the waters were still stagnant, and still did moss grow upon
every side of the tree. No bird flew by, to direct by the course of
his flight to his roosting-place, or to the nest of his beloved, on
the dry hills beyond the waste--no plaint of animals, which love not
the water or damp grounds, was heard in the distance. They knew no
better than a child of the last moon the path which should lead them
back to safety.

While they were wandering about in the mazes of the swamp, one said to
another, "I hear the sound of voices." Listening, they were soon able
to distinguish the sounds of music and merriment proceeding from a
glade at a short distance, in the direction of the little path upon
which they were entering. Pursuing that path, they soon came to a
little knoll of high and rich land. Nothing could be more beautiful
than the appearance of this little spot. Here and there were clumps of
trees, covered with fruit in every stage of its growth, and blossoms
scenting the air with their fragrance. The earth was covered with a
robe of flowers; birds were singing on the boughs, and hopping about
on the twigs, filling the air with sweet melody, and little rills were
rattling away over the gentle slopes. Upon one side of the