132 THE SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE. 



only a few rods from the water's edge, thus affording a 

 very picturesque view of the lake and rising sun. It re- 

 quired only a few moments to erect our tent and make the 

 camp, and the next labor which followed was the prepara- 

 tion of the dinner. This was disposed of and a deer-hunt 

 promptly inaugurated by Wellington, who started into the 

 woods with the does about three o'clock in the afternoon. 

 The captain and Mildenberger watched the northern ex- 

 tremity of the lake while George and I went to the south- 

 ern part of the same. These points are separated by some- 

 thing more than one mile ; nevertheless we heard distinctly 

 the sound of Mildenberger's gun when he shot the deer just 

 as it broke from cover and before it entered the water. 



The author soon after this returned to camp, where he 

 found the happiest man on the American continent (at that 

 particular moment), an amateur sportsman, who had just 

 won his grandest triumph, — had killed larger game than can 

 now be found in any part of Germany. The ambitious 

 military officer zvho has just won his first gi^and victory could 

 not be happier. 



The photographer in his childhood dreams had never 

 anticipated so grand a success as a sportsman. The deer 

 that he had just killed was not ruthlessly slaughtered in 

 the water, but was struck by the deadly missile while still in 

 the air, and only a few seconds after it broke cover. 



It is now fashionable for our sporting papers to con- 

 demn entirely the use of dogs in deer-hunting, not even 

 admitting that the question is one which might properly be 

 discussed ; thus certain harpists seek to become authorities 

 in all these matters. 



