250 SPORT m NORTH AMERICA. 



noon. I kept my eyes too, fixed, as well as I was 

 able, upon a certain point on the horizon so as to 

 keep as much as possible in a straight line In this 

 manner I walked all day long, and when night 

 came, I halted near a spring, and searched about 

 for snails. For the first two days, my supplies held 

 out very well, but the third day and afterwards there 

 came a dearth both of food and drink. The snails 

 finally disappeared altogether, and there was such 

 a scarcity of water, that I began to experience the 

 twofold torture of hunger and thirst tempting me 

 out of the straight line to search after food and 

 water. Sometimes, I heard a sound of galloping, 

 and, on looking up, saw a troop of mustangs in the 

 distance, which fled away directly they perceived 

 me, and before I could get within gunshot. Occa- 

 sionally, I saw a deer rise from the deep herbage 

 and scud away ; alas ! always out of distance — 

 sometimes flocks of cranes flew overhead quite out 

 of reach, and, although I fired at them and fancied 

 I could hear the thud of the shot upon their 

 feathers, I never had the satisfaction of seeing 

 one of them drop. These were the only living 

 creatures I saw, with the exception of some bull- 

 frogs, loathsome creatures, which at any other time 

 would have caused the most livel}^ disgust, but 

 which I devoured ravenously, and sought eagerly 

 for more of this hideous game. Sometimes, indeed, 

 I was followed by a few coyotes, but they kept at a 



