ibed, rounded,
rather than sloped, off into the clear heaven below; and so clear was
this heaven, so perfectly, at times, did it reflect all objects above
it, that where the true bank ended and where the mimic one commenced,
it was a point of no little difficulty to determine. The trout, and
some other varieties of fish, with which this pond seemed to be almost
inconveniently crowded, had all the appearance of veritable flying-fish.
It was almost impossible to believe that they were not absolutely
suspended in the air. A light birch canoe that lay placidly on the
water, was reflected in its minutest fibres with a fidelity unsurpassed
by the most exquisitely polished mirror. A small island, fairly laughing
with flowers in full bloom, and affording little more space than just
enough for a picturesque little building, seemingly a fowl-house--arose
from the lake not far from its northern shore--to which it was connected
by means of an inconceivably light--looking and yet very primitive
bridge. It was formed of a single, broad and thick plank of the tulip
wood. This was forty feet long, and spanned the interval between shore
and shore with a slight but very perceptible arch, preventing all
oscillation. From the southern extreme of the lake issued a continuation
of the rivulet, which, after meandering for, perhaps, thirty yards,
finally passed through the "depression" (already described) in the
middle of the southern declivity, and tumbling down a sheer precipice of
a hundred feet, made its devious and unnoticed way to the Hudson.

The lake was deep--at some points thirty feet--but the rivulet seldom
exceeded three, while its greatest width was about eight. Its bottom and
banks were as those of the pond--if a defect could have been attributed,
in point of picturesqueness, it was that of excessive neatness.

The expanse of the green turf was relieved, here and there, by an
occasional showy shrub, such as the hydrangea, or the common snowball,
or the aromatic seringa; or, more frequently, by a clump of geraniums
blossoming gorgeously in great varieties. These latter grew in pots
which were carefully buried in the soil, so as to give the plants the
appearance of being indigenous. Besides all this, the lawn's velvet was
exquisitely spotted with sheep--a considerable flock of which roamed
about the vale, in company with three tamed deer, and a vast number of
brilliantly--plumed ducks. A very large mastiff seemed to be in vigilant