A Sportsman 49 



a speed increased by my near approach. If it had 

 been earlier in the day my method would have been 

 to press them to the utmost, but it was too late, and 

 I had to look around for a camping spot, which I 

 selected by a large dead fallen pine partly imbedded 

 in the snow, but having limbs to pull upon for fuel. 

 It was bitterly cold, as it had been growing colder all 

 day, and somewhat below zero, as I found upon my 

 return to camp. My hatchet was a poor substitute 

 for an axe, but I managed to pile up a good supply 

 for my night fire, but which proved insufficient before 

 morning, and at three o'clock I had again to supply 

 more wood, but considering it was the first night's 

 camping in the snow, which generally is not so com- 

 fortable as the following, I got along by the fire pretty 

 well, though not overburdened with sleep, and I felt 

 quite ready to go on as soon as the first glimmerings of 

 light appeared. 



I found within a quarter of a mile where the deer 

 had lain down in the night, and the beds had not 

 frozen where they had rested, which was very en- 

 couraging, showing that their departure had but 

 briefly preceded my arrival. They, however, got 

 along better than I expected, and more than an 

 hour passed before I overtook them, which was a 

 signal for them to divide, as they usually do when 

 hard pressed. Selecting the largest one I followed 

 it for a mile or so before I brought him up, which 

 proved to be a pretty good-sized buck, which I quickly 

 gave the quietus to from my rifle. Giving the finishing 

 stroke with my knife, I disembowelled him, hanging 

 him up to freeze, and followed my trail back to the 

 lake, between four and five miles. It was a bright, 



