The Creating of Game Refuges 



literally of vital interest, their education would 

 progress rapidly, particularly that of the wary old 

 bucks, experienced in danger which they had sur- 

 vived in the past simply because their bump of 

 caution was well developed, these would soon 

 realize that they were safe within the bounds of 

 a certain tract — that there the sound of the rifle 

 was never heard, that there far less frequently they 

 ran across the hateful scent of their enemies, and 

 for some mysterious reason were left to their own 

 devices. When once this idea has found firm 

 lodgment in the head of an astute deer, the very 

 first thing that he will do will be to get into an 

 asylum of this sort, and to stay there; if he has 

 any business to transact beyond its boundaries, ex- 

 actly as an Indian would do in similar circum- 

 stances, he will delegate the same to a young buck 

 who is on his promotion, and has his reputation to 

 make, and who possesses the untarnished courage 

 of ignorance and youth. It seems to me that this 

 system of small refuges would have the merit of 

 fairness both to the hunters and to the deer, and 

 it is respectfully submitted to the legislators of the 

 United States. This may seem one of the simplest 

 of solutions, and hardly worth a summer's cruise 

 to discover. It may prove that this is not the first 

 occasion when the simplest solution is the best. 



435 



