280 A POET'S DESCRIPTION. 



the water, making marvellous efforts to bring ashore his 

 prey, which he held by one ear. Mr. Howard, not losing 

 a moment, ran forward, and with his hatchet cut down 

 the trunk of a tree growing on the bank, in such a manner 

 that it fell across the stream. By means of this obstacle 

 we were able to seize on the cariboo. 



" It grows late, my friend," said Mr. Howard ; " and 

 as it will be impossible for us to carry away our game this 

 evening, we must make some arrangement to prevent the 

 wolves from devouring it. To work ! Let us cut out 

 the entrails, and hang the body to this branch, out of the 

 reach of all intruders." 



This was done almost as soon as said ; and leaving the 

 cariboo safe from all attack, we resumed the road to the 

 log-cabin, lighted by the moon and by the gleam of stars, 

 which shone like diamonds. 



Monai had anticipated us : with a hastily built up 

 sledge he had hauled away the cariboo killed by Mr. 

 Howard, and the animal's skull and antlers appeared 

 above the doorway of our hut, the glorious trophy of a 

 magnificent chase ! 



[As a relief to M. Revoil's narrative, we may quote 

 Longfellow's animated description of " hunting the deer," 

 from his poem of " Hiawatha " : 



" Hidden in the alder-bushes, 

 There he waited till the deer came, 

 Till he saw two antlers lifted, 

 Saw two eyes look from the thicket, 

 Saw two nostrils point to windward, 

 And a deer came down the pathway, 

 Flecked with leafy light and shadow ; 

 And his heart within him fluttered, 

 Trembled like the leaves above him, 

 Like the birch-leaf palpitated, 

 As the deer came down the pathway. 



