84 Deer and Antelope of North America 



thrill ; and the nights around the flickering camp- 

 fire seemed filled with romance. 



My first experiment in jacking was a failure. 

 The jack, a bark lantern, was placed upon a stick 

 in the bow of the boat, and I sat in a cramped 

 huddle behind it, while Mose Sawyer plied the 

 paddle with noiseless strength and skill in the 

 stern. I proved unable to respond even to 

 the very small demand made upon me, for when 

 we actually did come upon a deer I failed to see 

 it until it ran, when I missed it ; and on the way 

 back capped my misfortune by shooting at a large 

 owl which perched on a log projecting into the 

 water, looking at the lantern with two glaring 

 eyes. 



All next day I was miserably conscious of the 

 smothered disfavor of my associates, and when 

 night fell was told I would have another chance 

 to redeem myself. This time we started across 

 a carry, the guide carrying the light boat, and 

 launched it in a quiet little pond about a mile off. 

 Dusk was just turning into darkness when we 

 reached the edge of the little lake, which was per- 

 haps a mile long by three-quarters of a mile across, 

 with indented shores. We did not push off for half 

 an hour or so, until it was entirely dark ; and then 

 for a couple of hours we saw no deer. Never- 

 theless, I thoroughly enjoyed the ghostly, mys- 

 terious, absolutely silent night ride over the water. 



