HIS RECOVERY. 245 



lowed, and, from the spraint, concluded the animal would 

 cross the path again hefore evening ; and after setting his 

 trap, Antony retired to a distance, whence, himself unseen, 

 he could watch the event. 



At twilight, as the old man had conjectured, the otter, on 

 his return, crossed the path, and was secured, and the hunter 

 and his terrier made good the capture. Proud of his success, 

 which to the old man seemed a proof that his energies were 

 not yet gone, he foolishly endeavoured to carry this trophy of 

 his skill along with him, instead of leaving it with his trap, 

 for some gossoon to bring in the morning to the cabin. He 

 turned his steps homeward ; but the trap and the otter, with 

 the soft and harassing ground he had to traverse, speedily 

 exhausted his feeble strength ; the light faded away, the wind 

 rose, and before he crossed the swamp, and gained the firm 

 but rugged path beside the river, the darkness rendered it 

 almost impossible for even a young person to have proceeded 

 safely. After feeble and slow efforts to get forward, he 

 stumbled over a stone, his energies were totally exhausted 

 by fatigue, and he was unable to rise again. 



His faithful dog couched herself beside her fallen master, 

 and the last sounds that the despairing otter-killer heard, 

 were the long and mournful howls with which Venom 

 mourned over his calamity. 



Guided by the torch-light, we carried the rescued sufferer 

 to a place of refuge. Everything that kindness could sug- 

 gest was done to effect his restoration ; and the old man 

 owned it as a consolation, that he was saved from perishing 

 in the desert ; and that, in death, he should have those 

 around his bed, who, in life, had possessed his love, fidelity, 

 and veneration. 



CHAPTER XXXVII. 



The otter-killer carried to the lodge Fishing homewards Angling 

 closes for the season Remarks Feelings on the occasion Smuggler 

 appears Landing a cargo Captain Matthews The Jane Cutter 

 stands out to sea Hooker on a rock Traveller alarmed Anecdote of 

 an Englishman. 



THE illness of the old otter-killer has clouded our moor- 

 land excursions at their close, and we leave with melancholy 

 forebodings our mountain bivouac. Antony, at his own 



