"I had expected to meet with bears, wolves, raccoons, lynxes, and other animals, and was surprised at encountering so few living creatures. `They are here, notwithstanding,' observed our friend; `you will get your eyes sharpened to find them in time.  In the course of a year or two you _may_ become expert backwoodsmen.  You can't expect to drop into the life all at once.'  By attending to the advice our friend gave us, and keeping our senses wide awake, we gained some knowledge even during that journey.