WhenthestageforSanFranciscorolledawaythenextmorningwithMr。Hamlinandtheeditor，thelattermighthaverecognizedintheoccupantofadust-coveredbuggythatwascomingleisurelytowardsthemthetallfigure，longbeard，andstraightdusterofhislatevisitor，Mr。JamesBowers。ForMr。Bowerswasonthesamequestthattheothershadjustabandoned。LikeMr。Hamlin，hehadbeenlefttohisownresources，butMr。Bowers\'sresourceswerealife-
longexperienceandtechnicalskill；hetoohadnotedthetopographicalindicationsofthepoem，andhisknowledgeofthesylvaofUpperCaliforniapointedasunerringlyasMr。Hamlin\'slucktothecryptogamoushauntsoftheSummit。Suchabnormalgrowthswereindicativeofcertainlocalitiesonly，but，astheywerenotremunerativefromapecuniarypointofview，weretobeavoidedbythesagaciouswoodman。Itwasclear，therefore，thatMr。Bowers\'svisittoGreenSpringswasnotprofessional，andthathedidnotevenfigurativelyaccepttheomen。
Hebaitedandrestedhishorseatthehotel，wherehisbucolicexterior，however，didnotelicitthatattentionwhichhadbeenaccordedtoMr。Hamlin\'scharminginsolenceortheeditor\'scultivatedmanner。Butheglancedoveratownshipmaponthewallsofthereading-room，andtooknoteofthenamesoftheownersofdifferentlots，farms，andranches，passingthatofDelatourwiththeothers。Thenhedroveleisurelyinthedirectionofthewoods，and，reachingthem，tiedhishorsetoayoungsaplingintheshade，andenteredtheirdomainwithashamblingbutfamiliarwoodman\'sstep。
ItisnotthepurposeofthisbriefchronicletofollowMr。Bowersinhisprofessionaldiagnosisofthelocality。HerecognizedNatureinoneofhermoodsofwastefulextravagance，——awastethathisexperiencedeyecouldtellwasalsosappingthevitalityofthoseoutwardlyrobustshaftsthatrosearoundhim。Heknew，withouttestingthem，thathalfofthesefair-seemingcolumnswerehollowandrottenatthecore；hecoulddetectthechillodorofdecaythroughthehotbalsamicspicesstirredbythewindthatstreamedthroughtheirlongaisles，——likeincenseminglingwiththeexhalationsofacrypt。Hestoppednowandthentoparttheheavyfrondsdowntotheirrootsinthedankmoss，seeingagain，ashehadtoldtheeditor，theweirdSECONDtwilightthroughtheirminiaturestems，andthemicrocosmoflifethatfilledit。But，evenwhilepayingthistributetotheaccuracyoftheunknownpoetess，hewas，likehispredecessor，hauntedmorestronglybytheatmosphereandmelodyofherverse。Itsspellwasuponhim，too。
UnlikeMr。Hamlin，hedidnotsing。Heonlyhaltedonceortwice，silentlycombinghisstraightnarrowbeardwithhisthreefingers，untiltheactionseemedtodrawdownthelinesofhisfaceintolimitlessdejection，andaninscrutablemelancholyfilledhissmallgrayeyes。ThefewbirdswhichhadhailedMr。Hamlinastheirsuccessfulrivalfledawaybeforethegrotesqueandangularhalf-