came out of the shed, some with burning brands, and others with their axes glittering in the flames; but they could render no help: at last, one man, a fearless backs-woodman, happened to observe by the fire-light, a tree on the bank of the torrent, which it in some degree overhung, and he called for others to join him in making a bridge. In the course of a few minutes the tree was laid across the stream, and we scrambled over, just as the river extinguished our fire, and swept our shanty away.

This rescue was in itself so wonderful, and the scene had been so terrible, that it was some time after we were safe, before I could rouse myself to believe I was not in the fangs of the nightmare. My poor boys clung to me as if still not assured of their security, and I wept upon their necks in the ecstasy of an unspeakable passion of anguish and joy.

About this time the misling rain began to fall softer; the dawn of the moon appeared through the upper branches of the forest, and here and there the stars looked out from their windows in the clouds. The storm was gone, and the deluge assuaged; the floods all around

us gradually ebbed away, and the insolent and unknown waters which had so swelled the river shrunk within their banks, and long before the morning had retired from the scene.

1

Need I say that anthems of deliverance were heard in our camp that night? O surely no! The woods answered to our psalms, and waved their mighty arms; the green leaves clapped their hands, and the blessed moon, lifting the veil from her forehead, and looking down upon us through the boughs, gladdened our solemn rejoicing.

CHAPTER IV.

"His household Gods were all removed, his hearth Extinguished, and his home made desolate !"

THE restoration of the shanty was but the work of a few hours, and was performed by Amidab Peters, the guide, and the two boys; for being eager to be doing something, I entered next day on my office as Boss on the road, to gang number five. For several days nothing particular occurred, but the weather was unsettled, and less work was obtained from the labourers than usual at that season of the year, which made the agent peevish; as the speculators for whom he acted, often grumbled most when they ought to have been best pleased; not that any party who have to pay for out-of-door

work are ever otherwise than dissatisfied with

bad weather.

But the rainy, do-nothing days, which increased the agent's bills, were holidays to the settlers. On those occasions, they were wont to assemble in the large shed to tell stories and sing songs for pastime, the rain having forbidden every kind of active sport. This, as the season was uncommonly wet, came round so often, that the songs and tales at last began to grow stale, and we had recourse to different devices to raise fresh supplies. It was to me they were indebted for the suggestion, that every one should tell a story either of himself or some adventure that had taken place within his own knowledge; and as encouragement to begin, I opened the ball, by a full, true, and particular account of some of the adventures herein related. This led on others, till at last the turn came to an old man, who for his mild and genteel manners, was jocularly known in the settlement as Mr. Gentleman; nobody, however, ventured to address him so familiarly.

I had frequently noticed him with curiosity,

but somehow was restrained without knowing wherefore, from making his acquaintance.

I saw him first in the woods alone; he was sitting on the trunk of a tree which he had newly felled, caressing a little dog; his axe rested against the stump; at a short distance on the ground lay his coat and straw hat, and near them a dead snake recently killed. Something in his air and appearance bespoke my compassion, and the fairness of his hands showed that to him the toil of the chopper was a new trade; `moreover, he was evidently aged, three-score at least, for his hair was quite white, and besides the deep furrows of thoughtfulness, his countenance was impressed with those other dry and withered wrinkles, which age as well as anxiety is necessary to produce.

After some hesitation he began :

"It is of no importance to tell you who I am, nor would the disclosure of my real name increase the interest of my little story. You see me here alone, unknown to you all; some of you deem me proud because I shun your occasional amusements, but whatever motives lead me to