THE FIRE ISLANDS. 97 



for self-preservation seems sometimes like the cun- 

 ning and reason of man. A gentleman, an old hunter, 

 told me that not long since he chased a doe all day 

 through these woods without succe-ss, and was per- 

 fectly astonished at the cunning she exhibited in 

 baffling her pursuers. The hounds aroused her early 

 in the morning, when she bounded away, leaving them 

 far behind. After running an hour or so she laid down 

 to rest till t^e dogs, followed close by the hunter, on 

 a full gallop through the woods, came up, when she 

 again started off. She managed in this way till noon, 

 and then adopted a different expedient. Coming to a 

 public road, she walked up and down it in the same 

 track several times, and then sprang with a long leap 

 into the forest. The dogs, when they arrived, ran up 

 and down the road, making the forest ring with their 

 deep bay, perfectly baffled. But when the hunter 

 came up, knowing the cunning of the animal, he be- 

 gan to beat about the bushes, and soon set the hounds 

 on the track. Following close after, he at length got 

 sight of her galloping slowly through an open field, 

 apparently not in the least frightened, keeping her 

 enemies at a safe distance behind her as she stretched 

 over the plain. Still unable to throw them from the 

 track, she dashed into a flock of sheep, and began to 

 chase them over the field. Scattering them hither and 

 thither in confusion, she soon got the dogs pursuing 

 them, and then boldly pushed again for the forest. 

 But the hunter being at hand to assist the dogs, they 

 were soon again in hot pursuit. As the last resort, 

 after doubling a while through the woods, she dashed 



