100 PKAIEIE AND FOREST. 



trigger. Discouraged I was, but whether most at my own 

 stupidity or want of luck I know not. Still hoping for 

 another chance, I followed on in no very amiable frame of 

 mind. 



Time fled and the long shadows of the trees told of the 

 rapid approach of night, still not a sight did I further get 

 of the buck ; and to add to my troubles, the tracks a 

 second time led through ground that hogs had lately fed 

 over. Never was I so sorely puzzled. Back and forwards 

 I searched, my eyes nearly strained to bursting, till at 

 length I was compelled to give up the chase. On looking 

 round to find out as nearly as possible my situation, the 

 better and more directly to return to my horse, I espied a 

 splendid wild turkey busy feeding not over thirty yards 

 off, and still unaware of my presence. Sheltering myself 

 behind a fallen log, I took sight along my barrel, deter- 

 mining inwardly to have some reward for my labour ; but, 

 although this time I worked the trigger correctly, nothing 

 but the explosion of the cap took place ; in fact, the rifle 

 had missed fire. The turkey, frightened at the noise, 

 lowered his head, ran about twenty yards, then stopped, 

 and looked around, still ignorant of the cause of his alarm. 

 Substituting a new cap and again taking sight, was but 

 the work of a few moments, but still the gun refused to 

 explode. I now sprung my ramrod and placed on the 

 nipple another cap, but the result was as before, and the 

 turkey having become conscious that he was in a dan- 

 gerous neighbourhood, sought safety in flight. How often 

 a day's shooting is one tissue of blunders from morning 

 till night ! and so it was in this case. First, the game 



