246 WILD SPORTS IN THE FAK WEST. 



fixed on the tree, and giving, from time to time, a 

 short impatient howl. At length a gleam appeared in 

 the east; gradually the forms of the nearest objects 

 became visible ; as the light increased, we could make 

 out, on one of the upper branches of a tree, a dark spot, 

 which afterwards was distinctly seen to be a raccoon. 

 S raised his rifle slowly, and took aim ; the dogs 

 jumped up, and looked to and fro from the muzzle of 

 the gun to the dark spot on the tree, giving a slight 

 whine the piece became steady a flash a sharp 

 report and the creature fell dead from the top of the 

 tree. The dogs seized it instantly, and it cost some 

 trouble to rescue it from their fangs, before the skin 

 was quite spoiled. 



We returned to the house, and rested again till break- 

 fast. After breakfast I went out to shoot turkeys, which 

 were very numerous ; but when I descended to the 

 lower valley of the river, I found such an abundance 

 of winter grapes, that I thought no more of my 

 shooting, but gathering a good quantity, I lay down 

 under a tree to enjoy them. Alter lying there about 

 a couple of hours, I was roused by hearing the turkeys 

 calling; so, hiding myself behind a fallen tree, I used 

 my decoy pipe, and ten or a dozen stout fellows came 

 strutting along. When they arrived within about 

 twenty paces I gave, a whi>tle, which brought them to 

 a stand, and I shot the largest through the head. 

 Satisfied with my prize, I returned to the house, and 

 found that the grapes had quite spoiled my dinner. 



As the weather turned out line and warm in the 

 afternoon, we determined to hunt in the wood ibr a 



