ong a broken stony road, with several high and long hills, and
very awkward bridges in the valleys, to the north-westward of the
village.

Five miles brought us into a pretty little village lying at the base of
another ridge of what might almost be denominated mountains, save that
they were cultivated to the very top. As we paused on the brow of this,
another glorious valley spread out to our view, with the broad sluggish
waters of the Wallkill winding away, with hardly any visible motion,
toward the north-east, through a vast tract of meadow-land covered with
high, rank grass, dotted with clumps of willows and alder brakes, and
interspersed with large, deep swamps, thick-set with high grown timber;
while far beyond these, to the west, lay the tall variegated chain of
the Shawangunk mountains.

Rattling briskly down the hill, we passed another thriving village,
built on the mountain side; made two or three sharp ugly turns, still
going at a smashing pace, and coming on the level ground, entered an
extensive cedar swamp, impenetrable above with the dark boughs of the
evergreen colossi, and below with half a dozen varieties of
rhododendron, calmia, and azalia. Through this dark, dreary track, the
road ran straight as the bird flies, supported on the trunks of trees,
constituting what is here called a corduroy road; an article which,
praise be to all the gods, is disappearing now so rapidly, that this is
the only bit to be found in the civilized regions of New York--and
bordered to the right and left by ditches of black tenacious mire.
Beyond this we scaled another sandy hillock, and pulled up at a little
wayside tavern, at the door of which Harry set himself lustily to
halloa.

"Why, John; hilloa, hillo; John Riker!"

Whereon, out came, stooping low to pass under the lintel of a very fair
sized door, one of the tallest men I ever looked upon; his height, too,
was exaggerated by the narrowness of his chest and shoulders, which
would have been rather small for a man of five foot seven; but to make
up for this, his legs were monstrous, his arms muscular, and his whole
frame evidently powerful and athletic, though his gait was slouching,
and his air singularly awkward and unhandy.

"Why, how do, Mr. Archer? I hadn't heerd you was in these pairts--arter
woodcock, I reckon?"

"Yes, John, as usual; and you must go along with us, and show us the
best ground."

"Well, you see, I carn't go to-day--for Squire Breawn, and Da