98 PKAIRIE AND FOREST. 



but with perseverance and care I managed to carry the 

 track almost across to clear ground, where I suddenly lost 

 all signs, and was completely brought to a stand-still. I 

 was aware that all dodges were practised, more particularly 

 when deer feel the effects of increasing weakness and 

 incapacity for further exertion ; so, hoping that fortune 

 would favour me, I determined, like a skilful foxhunter, to 

 make a cast completely round the disturbed ground. After 

 the loss of twenty minutes I fortunately again struck the 

 trail, which, to my surprise, led in a reverse direction ; 

 clearly indicating that the deer had retraced his steps 

 probably in the same track, and thus, by this cunning 

 device, almost succeeded in eluding his pursuer. The 

 trail of the animal now became more irregular, and the 

 tell-tale track of the wounded limb greatly assisted me in 

 distinguishing his footsteps from those of his fellows, 

 which on every opportunity he selected; but all having 

 failed to throw me off so far, the deer adopted a new ruse, 

 which under other circumstances would have been 

 eminently agreeable to the sportsman, but in this instance 

 made me so savage that T would have indulged in the 

 amiable weakness of breaking the gun-stock over the 

 nearest tr^e, if it had not been that my friend might not 

 see the joke of his rifle being thus treated. 



So latent was I watching the tracks that I did not 

 observe the exhausted deer had halted. Becoming alarmed 

 by my near approach, imd dimming it advisable to make a 

 fresh effort to place distance between us, he again put 

 forth renewed energy. The brush, unfortunately, was so 

 remarkably dense, that although I got several glimpses of 



