ISO ADVENTURES OF DR. ALLEN. 



long time. It seemed designed by Providence for our special 

 use. Our scanty stock of provisions was soon unpacked, 

 and we cooked supper in our new house. 



After a good night's rest and a hearty breakfast, we 

 were in the best of spirits, and set out John going down 

 and I up the stream. Several coveys of grouse started up 

 at my approach, but I did not want to frighten larger game 

 for the sake of grouse. Suddenly ten deer came out of a 

 dense cottonwood thicket on my right, so noiselessly and 

 orderly as to scarcely disturb a leaf or twig. Their heads 

 were held erect, their long slender necks were finely arched, 

 their eyes were standing out like stars on a clear, frosty 

 night. 



Two bucks, side by side, led the way, while a large stag 

 with ponderous horns brought up the rear, with the does and 

 fawns between. I shot at the stag. The report echoed and 

 reechoed from the mountain to mountain and vibrated 

 through the valley. The deer swept along with the speed of 

 birds on the wing, and were soon lost among the low hills, 

 but the old stag made a few jumps, then came to earth, with 

 his glossy coat bathed in blood. 



About three miles farther I saw something out in the 

 water that looked like a beaver on a cake of ice. I went as 

 close to it as possible and saw that the animal was an otter. 

 He was eating something that I could not make out, and a 

 shot in the eye laid him on his back. There is always more 

 than one way of doing a thing, so I brought him to the shore 

 with a long hooked pole, for the ice would not bear my 

 weight. He was a large male. By him lay a fine trout, half 

 eaten. I examined his stomach, and found it overloaded 

 with trout. 



About noon I came to a singular little stream, that I 

 called the Devil's Slide ; the stream was very narrow ; its 



