116 HERDS OF STAGS. 



them, but then indeed darted away with the 

 swiftness of an arrow. We sometimes also, 

 but less frequently, saw another species of stag, 

 as large as a horse, with branching antlers ; 

 these generally graze on hills, from whence 

 they can see round them on all sides, and ap- 

 pear much more cautious than the small ones. 

 The Indians, however, have their contrivances 

 to take them. They fasten, a pair of the stag's 

 antlers on their heads, and cover their bodies 

 with his skin ; then crawling on all-fours among 

 the high grass, they imitate the movements of 

 the creature while grazing; the herd, mistaking 

 them for their fellows, suffer them to approach 

 without suspicion, and are not aware of the 

 treachery till the arrows of the disguised foes 

 have thinned their number. 



Towards noon the heat became so oppressive, 

 that we were obhged to halt on the summit of 

 a hill : we reposed under the shade of some 

 thick and spreading oaks, while our horses 

 grazed and our meal was preparing. During 

 our rest, we caught a glimpse of a troop of In- 

 dians skulking behind some bushes at a dis- 

 tance ; our dragoons immediately seized their 



