Deer of the River Bottoms. 



When the sun rose next day, the third we were out, 

 the sky was clear, and we two horsemen at once pre- 

 pared to make a hunt. Some three miles off to the south 

 of where we were camped, the plateau on which we were 

 sloped off into a great expanse of broken ground, with 

 chains upon chains of steep hills, separated by deep val- 

 leys, winding and branching in every direction, their bot- 

 toms filled with trees and brushwood. Toward this place 

 we rode, intending to go into it some little distance, and 

 then to hunt along through it near the edge. As soon as 

 we got down near the brushy ravine we rode along with- 

 out talking, guiding the horses as far as possible on 

 earthy places, where they would neither stumble nor 

 strike their feet against stones, and not letting our rifle- 

 barrels or spurs clink against any thing. Keeping out- 

 side of the brush, a little up the side of the hill, one of us 

 would ride along each side of the ravine, examining 

 intently with our eyes every clump of trees or brushwood. 

 For some time we saw nothing, but, finally, as we were 

 riding both together round the jutting spur of a steep 

 hill, my companion suddenly brought his horse to a halt, 

 and pointing across the shelving bend to a patch of trees 

 well up on the opposite side of a broad ravine, asked me 

 if I did not see a deer in it. I was off the horse in a 

 second, throwing the reins over his head. We were in 

 the shadow of the cliff-shoulder, and with the wind in our 

 favor ; so we were unlikely to be observed by the game. 

 I looked long and eagerly toward the spot indicated, 

 which was about a hundred and twenty-five yards from 

 us, but at first could see nothing. By this time, however, 



