Page:Rural Hours.djvu/107

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ROW ON THE LAKE.
89

which three men, who went upon Tongue Mountain, on Lake George, for the purpose of hunting rattlesnakes, destroyed in two days eleven hundred and four of these venomous creatures! They are taken for their fat, which is sold at a good price.

We found this afternoon a very pretty little butterfly, pink and yellow; it seemed to be quite young, and scarcely in full possession of its powers yet; we thought it a pity to interfere with its happy career, but just begun, and left it unharmed as we found it.

Thus the fresh clarion, being readie dight,
 Unto his journey did himself addresse,
And with good speed began to take his flight
 Over the fields in his frank lustinesse;
And all the champaine o'er he soared light,
 And all the country wide he did possesse;
Feeding upon his pleasures bounteouslie,
 That none gainsaid, nor none did him envie.”

Monday, 28th.—Cloudy day. Pleasant row on the lake. The country, as seen from the water, looked charmingly, decked in the flowery trophies of May. Many of the fruit-trees are still in blossom in the orchards and gardens, while the wild cherries and plums were drooping over the water in many spots. The evening was perfectly still, not a breath to ruffle the lake, and the soft spring character of the hills and fields, bright with their young verdure, had stolen over the waters. Swallows were skimming about busily. We met several boats; one of them, filled with little girls in their colored sun-bonnets, and rowed by an elder boy, looked gayly as it passed. We landed and gathered