which, of course, Mary had meant only as a
jest in order to render our prospects more cheering.

"It was now near midnight, for we had sat up to that late hour
deliberating on what we should do. As I have said, we agreed to leave
the matter undecided until the morrow. The moon was just appearing over
the eastern cliff; and we were about rising to retire to our
resting-places, when our eyes fell upon an object that caused us all at
the same time to cry out with astonishment.

"I have said, that when we first entered this valley there was no lake
here. Where you now see one, was a green sward, with here and there a
coppice of trees, forming part of the little prairie in which we were
encamped. The stream ran across it, as it still does through the lake;
but at this point there were scarcely any banks, as the water flowed
over a wide and shallow channel. On previous nights, when the moon was
shining into the valley, as we sat around our camp fire, we had noticed
the stream winding like a silver thread through the dark-green herbage.
Now, to our extreme wonder, instead of the narrow line, a broad sheet of
water glistened before us! It seemed to cover a space of several
hundred yards in extent, reaching far up the glade towards our camp.
Could it be water, or was it only the _mirage_--the _fata morgana_? No;
it was not the latter. We had witnessed this before, on our passage
across the great plains. We had witnessed it on several occasions, and
it was nothing like what we now saw. There is a filmy, whitish
appearance about the illusions of the _mirage_ by which the experienced
traveller can always distinguish it from the real. But there was
nothing of that in the present instance. It was water that spread
before us,--for the moon, that had now risen above the cliff, was
plainly reflected upon its calm and glassy surface. Yes; it could be
nothing but a sheet of water!" But we were determined not to trust to
our eyes alone. We all ran towards it--Cudjo, the boys, and myself,--
and in a few seconds we stood upon its edge--upon the edge of what
appeared to be a large lake, formed as if by some magical influence!

"We had at first regarded the phenomenon only with feelings of wonder;
but our wonder was now changed to consternation, when we perceived that
the water was still rising! It ran in about our feet while we stood,
rippling slowly against the gentle ascent like the influx of a tide.

"`What could it mean