348 SPORTING ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 



chanted packs numbering many thousands. The dogs 

 coursed about the hills for some time, until the quarry be- 

 came weary, when it headed for the river. This brought 

 the pack toward us ; but we could not tell in what particu- 

 lar direction it was running, owing to the sonorous echoes 

 that resounded from every quarter. 



While anxiously waiting on a well-worn run-way, I es- 

 pied a splendid doe come bounding through the forest. I 

 intended at first to fire at her before she got too near, but 

 I thought my chances would be better if I allowed her to 

 come so close that I could get a shot at her sides ; and act- 

 ing impulsively on this idea, I reserved my fire until she 

 came within a few paces of me on my left. I then pulled 

 the trigger, but before the shot reached her she was a stride 

 away, and when I turned round to give her the second bar- 

 rel, she was screened by a net -work of fallen trees and 

 bushes, which she had cleared with a tremendous bound. 

 I was so incensed at myself for missing such an easy shot 

 that I was fairly crestfallen ; but before I had much time to 

 think over my chagrin, a report to the right attracted my 

 attention, and this was soon followed by a joyous shout 

 — a proof that somebody had been more successful than 

 myself. 



As the baying of the pack still sounded in the distance, 

 instead of answering the summons for aid, I concluded I 

 had better keep my post, in hopes of being able to retrieve 

 my lost luck. I waited an hour in vain ; and though the 

 time seemed long, yet I was not uneasy, for newts and sala- 

 manders crossed the trail with their slow pace, the little 

 pewee intoned its soft, musical notes amidst the towering 

 firs, woodpeckers drummed on the trees in every direction, 

 and coveys of grouse went whirring by in a state of great 

 alarm, while numerous small birds whistled and chirped or 

 sang in the heavy shrubbery. The forest was sometimes 

 as silent and gloomy as it could well be, and the only 

 sound that disturbed its brooding stillness was the occa- 

 sional echoing melody of the dogs, which sounded afar off, 

 and was wafted toward me by tree and zephyr. 



