The Writings of John Burroughs

DAY AND

rched tongue. It was the one refreshing oasis in this desert of dazzling light. I sat down upon it to let the eye bathe and revel in it. It took away the smart like a poultice. For so gentle and on the whole so beneficent an element, the snow asserts itself very proudly. It takes the world quickly and entirely t

by the stainless element, hang upon the sides of the mountains, or repose across the long sloping hills. The fences or stone walls show like half-obliterated black lines. I turn my back to the sun, or shade my eyes with my hand. Every object or movement in the landscape is sharply revealed; one could see a fox half a league. The farmer foddering his cattle, or drawing manure afield, or leading his horse to water; the pedestrian crossing the hill bel

The very trees have turned to snow. The smallest branch is like a cluster of great white antlers. The eye is bewildered by the soft fleecy labyrinth before it. On the lower ranges the forests were entirely bare, but now we perceive the summit of every mountain about us runs up into a kind of arctic region where the trees are loaded with snow. The beginning of this colder zone is sharply marked all around the horizon; the line runs as level as the shore line of a lake or sea; indeed, a warmer aerial sea fills all the valleys, submerging the lower peaks, and making white islands of all the higher ones. The branches bend with the rime. The winds have not shaken it down. It adheres to them like a growth. On examination I find the branches coated with ice, from which shoot slender spikes and needles that penetrate and hold the cord of snow. It is a n

than an inch apart. This is perhaps the little shrew-mouse of the woods, the body not more than an inch and a half long, the smallest mole or mouse kind known to me. Once, while en

he depth of nearly an inch, and his chips strew the snow all about. He knows what is in there, and the mice know that he knows; hence their apparent consternation. They have rushed wildly about over the snow, and, I doubt not, have given the piratical red squirrel a piece of their minds. A few yards away the mice have a hole down into the snow, which perhaps leads to some snug den under the ground.

cleared field that stretches up from the valley below, and just laps over the back of the mountain. It is a broad belt of white that drops down and down till it joins other fields that swe

ravel upon the highway. It is on that side, too, that he keeps the sharpest lookout, and the appearance of the hunter above and behind him is always a surprise. We pause here, and, with alert ears turned toward the Big Mountain in front of us, listen for the dog. But not a sound is heard. A flock of snow buntings pass high above us, uttering their contented twitter, and their white forms seen against the intense blue give the impression of large snowflakes drifting across the sky. I hear a purple finch, too, and the feeble lisp of the redpoll. A shrike (the first I have seen this season) finds occasion to come this way also. He alights on th

out the summit,"

ere," say I,

ost part the older stratum, a foot or so down, bears us; up and up we go into the dim, muffled solitudes, our hats and coats powdered like millers'. A half-hour's heavy tramping brings us to the broad, level summit, and to where the fox and hound have cros

e fox!" we both ex

o eye and to ear as quickly as if he had plunged into a cave. The woods are, indeed, a kind of cave,-a cave of ala

"he will cross up there or down here," ind

voice comes up astonishingly near. A mass of snow falls from a branch, and makes one start; but it is not the fox. Then through the white vista below me I catch a glimpse of something red or yellow, yellowish red or reddish yellow; it emerges from the lower ground, and, with an easy, jaunty air, draws near. I am ready and just in the mood to make a good shot. The fox stops just out of range and listens for the hound. He looks as bright as an autumn leaf upon the spotless surface. Then he starts on, but he is not coming to me, he is going to the other man. Oh, foolish fox, you are going stra

and cleared away the snow, I thought of the familiar saying, that so far as the sun shines in, the snow will blow in. The fox, I suspect, has always his house of refuge, or knows at once where to flee to if hard pressed. This place proved to be a large vertical seam in the rock, into which the dog, on a little encouragement from his master, made his way. I thrust my head into the ledge's mouth, and in the dim light watched the dog. He progressed slowly and cautiously till only his bleeding heels were visible. Here some obstacle impeded him a few moments, when he entirely disappeared and was presently face to face wit

ow, snow everywhere, for weeks and for months, and intense cold, and no henroost accessible, and no carcass of sheep or pig in the neighborhood! The hunter, tramping miles and leagues through his haunts, rarely sees any sign of his having caught anything. Rarely,

pretty sharp one. Reynard goes a-wooing in February, and it is to be presumed that, like other dogs, he is a jealous lover. A crow had alighted and examined the blood-stains, and now, if he will look a little farth

OMAC

ps to and from Mount Vernon. The weather was chilly and the sky threatening. The clouds had a singular appearance; they were boat-shaped, with well-defined keels. I have seldom kn

was a large "bed" of ducks. I thought the word a good one to describe a long strip of water thickly planted with them. One of my friends was a member of the Washington and Mount Vern

es to shoot from, and I felt sure we should have a pleasant time, whether we got any ducks or not. The weather improved hourly, till in the afternoon a well-defined installment of the Indian summer, that had been delayed somewhere, settled down upon the scene; this lasted during our s

eye of the great Captain would perhaps first strike the water as he came out in the morning to take a turn up and down his long piazza, the Club had formerly had a "blind," but the ic

everal quail that the dog should have pointed, and put a rabbit to rout by a well-directed broadside, but brought no game to camp. We kicked about an old bushy clearing, where my friends had shot a wild turkey Thanksgiving Day, but the turkey could not be started again. One shooting had sufficed for it. We crossed or penetrated extensive pine woods that had once (perhaps in Washington's time) been cultivated fields; the mark

heard them take to the water again, far below and beyond us. We loaded a boat with the decoys that night, and in the morning, on the first sign of day, towed a box out in position, and anchored it, and disposed the decoys about it. Two hundred painted wooden ducks, each anchored by a small weight that was attached by a cord to the breast, bowed and sidled and rode the water, and did everything but feed, in a bed many yards long. The shooting-box is a kind of coffin, in which the gunner is interred amid the decoys,-buried below the surface of the water, and invisible, except from a point above him. The box has broad canvas wings, that unfold and spread out upon the surface of the water, four or five feet each way. These steady it, and keep the ripples from running in when there is a breeze. Iron decoys sit upon these wings and upon the edge of the box, and sink it to the required level, so that, when everything is complete

ICE VERSA. As I was walking carelessly on the borders of an old brambly field that stretched a long distance beside the pine woods, I heard a noise in front of me, and, on looking in that direction, saw a veritable turkey, with a spread tail, leaping along at a rapid rate. She was so completely the image of the barnyard fowl that I was slow to realize that here was the most notable game of that part of Virginia, for the sight of which sportsmen's eyes do water. As she was fairly on the wing, I sent my robin-shot after her; but they made no impression, and I stood and watched with great interest her long, level flight. As she neared the end of the clearing, she set her wings and sailed strai

oad but only a footpath led to them. Three or four children, the eldest a girl of twelve, were about the door of

to my inquiry. Their mother worked in Washington for "eight

pump her about the natu

hese woods,-what kin

nd things were so thick you could hardly go out- o'-doors." A fox had come along one

ere any

snakes, moccasi

et right hold of your leg as you were passing along, and whip

f they caught

catches dem

e gums?"

n dare? Dat'

er things, such as beehives, and tubs, etc., are frequently made in the South

indulging myself in listening. The ear loves a good field as well as the eye, and the night is the best t

, that from

ion t

e quick of

ke

ct,-the steady, measured beat of an oar in a wooden lock, a very pleasing sound coming over still, moonlit waters. It was an hour before the boat emerged into view and passed my post. A white, misty obscurity began to gather over the waters, and in the morning this had grown to be a dense fog. By early dawn one of my friends was again in the box, and presently his gun went bang! bang! then bang! came again from the second gun he had taken with him, and we imagined the water strewn with ducks. But he reported only one. It floated to him and was picked up, so we need not go out. In the dimness and silence we rowed u

d not belie the ear. We beheld an awkward black hulk that looked as if it might have been made out of the bones of the first steamboat, or was it some Virginia colored man's study of that craft? Its wheels consisted each of two timbers crossing each

ss call some one to breakfast. They were astir up at Mount Vernon, too, though the fog hid them from view. I heard the mocking or Carolina wren alongshore calling quite plainly the words a Georgetown poet has put in his mouth,-"Sweetheart, sweetheart, sweet!" Presently I heard the whistle of approaching wings, and a solitary duck alighted back of me over my right shoulder,-just the most awkward position for me she could have assumed. I raised my head a little, and skimmed the water with my eye. The duck was swimming about just beyond the decoys, apparently apprehensive that she was intruding upon the society of her betters. She would approach a little, and then, as the stiff, aristocratic

its way through the fog, till I was nearly blind, but

pleasant remembrances, we retur

N

, or vel

ant

r, w

anth

railing, o

thu

vil

d, Ge

s

te

nk, or pin

a, sm

ea,

a, ye

n inexp

-a-b

r's B

, s

, attacked

r-w

ames, quot

er,

bee, Honey-bee,

sol

ec

rr

wo-teeth, or

eaver

Moun

eed,

h, y

; process of hatching; leaving the nest; arrival in spring; love-making among; war amon

, their fligh

, or cowbird (

r purple grackle (

etry; his resemblance to t

nged. See Starlin

usty. See Gr

rwort,

IALIS), in poetry;

's bugloss; travels

a pict

YX ORYZIVORUS; as

te. See

Bet, or s

o

en; as a poet of nat

heat,

gl

iper's. Se

lfr

bee; n

ng, E

digo. See I

r snowflake (PAS

rd

ert, quota

t E

ter

nia sp

opo

; in th

on, b

INALIS CARDINA

wer. See Lob

ot,

ES CAROLINENSIS), i

tn

ll Mou

g a river; as e

cedar waxwing (

mom

hee (PIPILO ERY

RUS ATRICAPIL

; at the

r succory;

pmu

. See S

ou

or har

, or spri

tis,

, boat

ov

er,

cton

ck

che

muel Taylor,

tsf

foot,

umb

ions,

-flo

See Ra

mor

, In

See Black

See

See Marig

ip, E

RTHIA FAMILIARIS A

See Tree

US BRACHYRHYNCHOS),

heard at night; habits

o, Eu

oo-b

oo-f

oo-p

m. See Lad

fod

, Eng

y, o

del

rn

a w

-net

pacton branch of.

tar

po

or squir

curled

, ye

the (a

woodchucks. See Gr

rm, hou

gb

ng (ZENAIDUR

ve

nsv

Br

, fee

ting on t

by a kingbird;

Bra

cam

quotations from; his

edestrianism in; the foot

op

rium,

n, ha

CARPODACUS PURP

an, an

pring mov

e, or w

. See H

ld, in poet

n America; English; a

distinguished

Washi

rite sleeping places of; hard fare in

-orchis

See Bu

king. See

g. See Hyla,

rl

an, c

ged, 63; Brya

i

rl

et

den

TRAGALINUS TRISTIS; pai

se-

ple. See Bla

ty blackbird (EUPHAGUS

ural covering

, har

s, q

s, q

Cove S

yho

und

ridge (BONASA UMBELLUS)

um

-tr

gg

nc

nort

re

sonbu

rv

fly. See

etry, 116.

See Osprey

's P

geh

e-sp

ck, p

nb

-ha

first spring flower; an int

cul

ro

(ARDEA HERODIAS;

-winged woodpecker,

EUS; notes

of the H

ywe

owers whi

ing habits of; hunting wild bees; method of

ysuc

, Sir

-cl

et,

et,

, fox

's-to

tonic

a, or in

ee. See

ated (TROCHILUS COLUBRI

en, quota

nth,

, or peeping frog

the s

go bunting (CYANOSP

e. See H

s, noc

n-w

v

poi

catc

ANOCITTA CRIS

el-

e-colored.

ydi

NUS), chasing an eagle;

belted (CE

Hon.

t-g

ipper, la

slipper

ipper, sm

s tre

Oqu

mp

pw

See Sk

TOCORIS ALPESTRIS and O.

ksp

l, mo

ek

wild, 2

nn

-for

af. See

a, gre

rlet, or car

st-t

his inaccuracy in dealing w

estr

trife,

ked, travels of;

, quotations from; hi

ll

dra

fragrance of

old,

rple (PROG

Poets, A, qu

See Arbutus

yw

TURNELLA MAGN

PHODYTES CUCULLATUS),

i

kwe

i

r squaw-berry, or

cas

IMUS POLYGLOTT

renoon, distin

her

t Ve

e, f

-footed, 169

n; hab

ein,

in, w

etcong

ise animal; active

ard,

inaccuracy in dealing with; Whittier's treatment of; Lowell's fidelity to Tennyson's accurate observati

a conversa

tt

le,

le,

CHORDEILES

hts

the wood

, w

n, w

os

merican fl

ged. See Fri

is,

S GALBULA); as a fruit-de

den. See Li

es, n

wk (PANDION HALIA?TUS CAROLI

te

URUS AUROCAPIL

MEGASCOPS ASIO

li

tion to the n

nip,

See Grous

rry. See Mit

idge

iver; a vo

OPUS VIRENS), Tro

RNIS PHBE); not

ger (ECTOPISTE

ge

gw

loblol

wer. See Az

erican. S

ks. See

nta

, narrow

unt of an inter

inaccuracies and felicities in matters of na

adder's

ewe

la, fr

sweet-scente

ily, y

scarlet

ine, C

ver, duck-

se, in

se, ev

ce's

sla

e Wintergr

-white (COLIN

it,

bb

on, o

sh,

on the D

a trouble

rboreal

pbe

, w

. See C

NTHIS LINARI

-ro

oden

e down a; lone

England an

RATORIA); in poetry; in lov

out

ike molt

ohn's

nder,

ander

violet-color

tonio,

. See Bou

ellied. See-Woodpec

l, a f

Sir W

TELEPH

TERN

gba

ll, his POETIC INTE

ions from; his accu

ver

unk Mou

erd's

re

ri

un

k-ca

n the Huds

ai

ak

e, b

dscape of;

slate-colored junco (JUNCO H

. See Bun

do

el,

or Held (SPI

ASSER DOMESTICUS),

hipping, or "chippie

LOSPIZA CINEREA M

GRAMINEUS), rejecting the

ria, cl

ling a bee;

den coming

auty. See

f; fondness of trout for; physiology of; their mineral elements; large; as refrigerators; countries poor i

y. See Mit

rel,

rel,

, Mexica

rrel

corn. See

s, as pa

shoo

ered, or red winged

larence, his SEEK

Louis, his TRAVE

ck-

, life

amo

erries

. See C

ma

ank (RIPAR

HIRUNDO ERYTHRO

chimney swift (CH?TUR

OCHELIDON LUNIFRONS)

w, Eur

ws, in

at-

, use

ns

See

as

quotations from;

s, quotat

le, C

le, c

le, p

le, s

ames, quot

n (TOXOSTOMA R

CHLA GUTTATA PALLASII)

YLOCICHLA MUSTE

ican pipit (ANTH

See Tr

d-f

ba

toi

. See

-cri

e-t

ondness for springs;

t-fi

, his natural histo

ELEAGRIS GALLOP

rt

le-h

wer. See

th. See

eaf. See

lookin

rv

, or

, in p

nada; its

, comm

t, En

et,

t, ye

, in

ney-bees; quo

and; a simple an

mped, or myrtle (D

d. See Ho

ly. See

edar. See

as

took

ft; great travelers; their abundance in America; native and foreign; the growth of; escaped fro

St. Wi

t, w

ANTROSTOMUS VOCI

d. See F

student of American n

eaf, as a poet of nat

ester

n, false,

reen, s

-haze

dch

d-f

ker, in

y (DRYOBATES PUB

olden-winged.

-bellied, or yello

US VARIUS),

-pig

orrel,

orrel,

William, quo

HRYOTHORUS LUDOVI

LODYTES A?DON), n

rr

ow-j

Ame