erhaps by a hurricane. It now occurred to me that,
in moments of enthusiasm, encouraged by security, I had expressed myself
desirous of witnessing the wild charge of a furious hurricane on the
thick ranks of the forest. I confess, however, that, having within the
last twenty-four hours witnessed its effects, this desire was
considerably abated. With the probable approach of the event, my ardour,
like Acres's courage, "oozed away;" and the prospect of such a
visitation, whilst exposed on the _Box_, became the reverse of pleasant.

In this uncertainty I resolved to consult our driver's experience; so,
coming boldly to the point, demanded,

"I say, driver, do you calculate that we shall be caught in a
hurricane?"

"I'll tell you how that'll be exact," replied our oracle: "If the rain
comes down pretty, we shan't have no hurricane; if it holds up dry, why,
we shall."

Henceforth never did ducks pray more devoutly for rain than did the crew
of the _Box_, although without hope or thought of shelter; but, on the
contrary, with every possible chance of a break-down or upset, which
would have made the forest our bed, but stripped of the "Leaves so
green, O!" about which your ballad-mongers love to sing, with their toes
over the fender, and the hail pattering melodiously upon the pantiles.
At last, our prayers were heard; and we all, I believe, breathed more
freely as the gates of the sky opened, and the falling flood subdued and
stilled the hot wind whose heavy gusts rushing among the pines had been
the reverse of musical.

The thunder-clouds, hitherto confined to the southern horizon, now
closed down upon the forest, deepening its already darkness: at a
snail's pace we still proceeded, and luckily found an Indian party
encamped close by a sort of bridge lying across a swamp it would have
been impossible, as the driver assured us, to have crossed without a
good light.

From this party we not only procured a large supply of excellent
light-wood, but one of the men heartily volunteered to carry a bundle of
it, and act as guide; the squaw of the good fellow was in a violent rage
with her man for this courtesy, but he bore her ridicule and reviling
with perfect composure. Each of our party carried in his hand a large
sliver of this invaluable wood; and, thus prepared, marched in front of
the Box across this bridge, almost as ticklish as the single hair
leading to Mahomet's heaven: it was a quarter of a mile in length,
unguar