The faint hum of a single wood-chuck, which, from its confused motions,
appeared to have wandered into an unknown territory, and by its uneasy
action and frequent chirping, seemed to indicate a perfect knowledge of
the fact, was the only object which at intervals broke through the spell
of silence which hung so heavily upon the sense. The air of our
traveller was that of one who appeared unable, however desirous he might
be, to avoid the train of sad thought which such a scene was so
eminently calculated to inspire; and, of consequence, who seemed
disposed, for this object, to call up some of those internal resources
of one's own mind and memory, which so mysteriously bear us away from
the present, whatever its powers, its pains, or its pleasures, and to
carry us into a territory of the heart's own selection. But, whether the
past in his case, were more to be dreaded than the present; or whether
it was that there was something in the immediate prospect which appealed
to sterile hopes, and provoking memories, it is very certain that our
young companion exhibited a most singular indifference to the fact that
he was in a wild empire of the forest--a wilderness--and that the sun
was rapidly approaching his setting.
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