Across The PondThe Curse Of Oak Island : Season...

The gentlemen agreed, that if any one discoveredthe young lady, he should immediately call to theothers; and we all entered the thicket. I, however,turned along the edge of the island, with the intentionof making its circuit, for the purpose of tracing,if possible, the footsteps of those who had passed between Page 244it and the main shore. I made my way morethan half round the island, without much difficulty,and without discovering any signs of persons havingbeen here before me; but in crossing the trunk of alarge tree which had fallen, and the top of whichextended far into the ivy, I perceived some stains ofmud, on the bark of the log. Looking into theswamp, I saw that the root of this tree was connectedwith other fallen timber, extending beyond the reachof my vision which was obstructed by the brambleof the swamp, and the numerous ever-greens, growinghere. I now advanced along the trunk of the tree,until I reached its topmost branches, and here discoveredevident signs of a small trail, leading into thethicket of ivy. Creeping along, and following this trail,by the small bearberry bushes that had been trampleddown, and had not again risen to an erect position,I was led almost across the island, and foundthat the small bushes were discomposed, quite up tothe edge of a vast heap of the branches of ever-greentrees, produced by the falling of several large junipercypress trees, which grew in the swamp in a cluster,and, having been blown down, had fallen with theirtops athwart each other, and upon the almost imperviousmat of ivies, with which the surface of theisland was coated over.

Across The PondThe Curse of Oak Island : Season...

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