192 HUNTING SPORTS OP THE WEST. 



I had suffered so much, I could not say "No." On the 

 6th of February we rode out again, but there was no 

 longer any life in the thing ; we found the same Indians, 

 hunted with them a few days, shot a few deer, some tur- 

 keys, and a young bear, returning on the 12th, Conwell 

 with two deer-skins and some haunches, I with a turkey. 

 By this time my arm was quite healed. Nevertheless, 

 I had made up my mind to leave the mountains and go 

 southwards, partly from a returning fit of my old love of 

 change, partly because I longed for news from home, not 

 having received any letters for several months, and partly 

 also because game had become so scarce through the 

 number of hunters, that there was hardly enough to sub- 

 sist on. We heard that a party of twelve men had been 

 along the Richland and killed or driven away everything, 

 and that during the last three days not a turkey was to 

 be seen. The news of game from other quarters was no 

 better ; in short there was nothing for it but off ! off ! 

 When I was once more surrounded by my old friend's 

 amiable family, and passed another evening amongst 

 them, my resolution was indeed shaken ; however, during 

 the night I gave it mature consideration, and in the 

 morning I told them that I should that day take my de- 

 parture. Attempts were immediately made to dissuade 

 me from it, and old Conwell asked in downright earnest 

 if I could not stay with them always, and take the school. 

 The present schoolmaster was ignorant and a drunkard, 

 and they would have been glad to be rid of him. For 

 a moment, indeed, but only for a moment, my fancy de- 

 picted the delights of a home amongst the mountains, 

 then the image of my old village schoolmaster flashed 



