314 NATIVE OPINIONS DIFFER! 



creeks on the line of march, I resolved to draw for a 

 deer, leaving the waggons to continue on their direct 

 course to the camping-place, and to join them there by 

 night. A more likely place for deer than the covert we 

 tried on the banks of the Big Blue River, I never saw, and 

 in that covert there were several of the common English 

 rabbit ; but though they were close beneath the feet of 

 my brown mare . Sylph, whom I rode because Tay- 

 mouth, being considerably " tucked up" after his chase 

 with the bison, was not fit to go, I spared their lives, 

 inasmuch as the deer cartridge with which my Manton 

 gun was loaded would have blown them all to pieces. 

 As Mr Canterall, George Bromfield, and myself were 

 riding about through the covert, three wild geese passed 

 over the river very nearly in shot, and gave me a hint 

 that the time was approaching when I might expect to 

 meet with flocks of these birds in all appropriate 

 places. 



Having tried a vast deal of covert, but all in vain, I 

 came to a cabin where a young man was leaning over 

 a gate. He accosted me civilly, asking the question if I 

 was " out on a hunt ? " when having replied in the 

 affirmative, I asked him if there were any deer or wild 

 turkeys in the neighbourhood, when he assured me that 

 they were so scarce that it was almost hopeless to look 

 for one of either kind. This off-hand assurance, given 

 in perfect sincerity, was hardly out of his mouth, when 

 an older man, who had partly heard my question, and 

 perhaps the reply, came hastily out of the cabin, and at 

 once redeemed the character for romance that pervades 

 certain classes of that " pattern republic," by reiterating 

 my previous question: " Any deer or turkeys? Guess 

 there are ! Turkeys ? I reckon ? em by thousands here- 



