164 Deer and Antelope of North America 



way. Dropping on one knee I fired and hit him 

 in the flank. At the moment I could not tell 

 whether or not I had missed him, for he gave no 

 sign ; but, running forward very fast, I speedily 

 saw him standing with his head down. He 

 heard me and again started, but at the third 

 bullet down he went in his tracks, the antlers 

 clattering loudly on the branches of a dead 

 tree. 



The snow was melting fast, and for fear it might 

 go off entirely, so that I could not follow my back 

 track, I went up the hillside upon which the wap- 

 iti lay, and taking a dead tree dragged it down 

 to the bottom, leaving a long furrow. I then 

 repeated the operation on the opposite hillside, 

 thus making a trace which it was impossible for 

 any one coming up or down the valley to overlook ; 

 and having conned certain landmarks by which 

 the valley itself could be identified, I struck 

 toward camp at a round trot ; for I knew that if 

 I did not get into the valley where the tent lay 

 before dark, I should have to pass the night out. 

 However, the last uncertain light of dusk just 

 enabled me to get over a spur from which I 

 could catch a glimpse of the camp-fire, and as 

 I stumbled toward it through the forest I heard 

 a couple of shots, which showed that the cook 

 and packer were getting anxious as to my where- 

 abouts. 



