450 HUNTING ADVENTURES. 



gorging himself, when so reluctant is he to quit his meal, that, era- 

 "en-hearted as he is, he can scarcely be driven from it; but turning 

 Nigger's head away from them, as if I intended in no way to inter- 

 rupt the assembly, I suddenly brought him in an opposite direction, 

 upon getting on a line with the yelling crew, and, spurring hard, 

 sent them scampering at their best speed. It was a long, raking 

 shot, but covering the knight of the sable hue, I pulled, and dropped 

 him with a shot through the spine. He grinned most horribly, and 

 snapped his teeth together like the rattle of castanets, as I rode up 

 close to his side, and gave him his quietus with a pistol. 



There being an insurmountable difficulty in marking the spot wheie 

 he fell, as neither tree nor bush was to be seen by which it could be 

 retraced, I considered it advisable to make sure of my booty by car- 

 rying it with me, and as I was not expert in flaying, I was compelled 

 to lift the carcass, and, bearing it. with me across the pony's shoulders, 

 commenced a piece of diversion for my red-skinned friends, which 

 lasted as long as I was with them. 



Seeing a group of hunters coming towards me, I advanced to meet 

 them, among the foremost I distinguished the bold Hawkeye, who. 

 carried a large bale of hides in front of him, and in the same way 

 that T was carrying my treasure. 



" Has major killed buff'lo?" inquired he; but before I could re- 

 turn any answer, he saw the quality of my prize, and bursting into 

 a roar of laughter, exclaimed, " Major's meat ! Ha ! ha ! ha ! Major's 

 moat ! Nice roast, major, but berry lean !" 



The rest also were moved with equal mirth at the trouble I had 

 taken at bagging a wolf, and I was twitted immensely by my fac- 

 tious critics, who, had they been seen rolling on their horses, milking 

 the welkin ring with shouts of laughter, would have given a practi- 

 cal denial of the solemn character assigned to them by the writers 

 of fiction for the subscribers of circulating libraries. Notwithstand- 

 ing the explanation given, I was frequently reminded of the great 

 care I bestowed upon the carcass of the black wolf, it being alleged 

 that my intention was to eat the most savory parts, only for th( 

 discovery of the error that he did not come under the head of game 



