114 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



a quarter of a mile out for few animals swim so fast as 

 deer when the signal was given to commence the chase. 

 Never did oarsman more energetically pull never did 

 race-horse more gallantly struggle ; every thew, every 

 muscle was brought into play, and what I lacked in skill 

 was made up in vim. It, however, took all the dusky 

 gentleman's skill to keep the craft's head straight. For 

 many minutes we did not appear to have gained an inch ; 

 the perspiration ran down my face, and even lodged in my 

 eyes ; but there was no time for rest, no desire for respite ; 

 each succeeding stroke equalled its predecessor in strength. 

 At length, we commenced gaining a further inducement 

 to renewed exertion and the paddle was dipped deeper 

 and handled still more swiftly. Inch by inch we crept up, 

 at first slowly, then more rapidly, till but twenty yards 

 severed the victim and the destroyer. I was about to 

 drop my paddle and seize my gun, when Master Kedskin 

 informed me, " Not time yet ! " On we advanced ; ten 

 feet at most intervened. Mr. Chippewa gave the desired 

 permission, and as I pitched my gun to the shoulder he 

 veered the canoe a point or two to the right. A sharp 

 report followed, and the water boiled with the ineffectual 

 efforts of the stricken animal. Quickly the birch bark 

 was shot up, and just as the deer was disappearing it was 

 grabbed by the ear, and after several ineffectual efforts 

 lifted on board. Know you, reader, that a dead deer will 

 sink ; and although I remembered it not at the time of 

 drawing the trigger, my double-barrel was loaded with 

 No. 6, which at that short range, and pointed at the back 

 of the head, almost instantaneously destroyed vitality ; and, 



