128 WAR TO THE KNIFE. 



possessed a single gun, fired several times at the deer. And 

 though at the second discharge, the piece burst near to 

 the muzzle of which some six to eight inches were carried 

 clean away other discharges, and with good effect, were 

 subsequently made with the stump of the barrel. At length, 

 however, the men succeeded in driving the animal from off 

 the lake, when he again betook himself to the forest. 



Here the chase was continued; but all at once, and in 

 pretty close cover, the elk wheeled suddenly about, and 

 retracing his own tracks, which the men were following, 

 made a desperate rush at the headmost who was some- 

 what in advance of his comrades, and who, from being 

 encumbered with Skidor, was unable to get out of his 

 way and instantly knocked him over. Happily for the 

 poor fellow, the infuriated animal, owing to wounds and 

 exhaustion, fell at the same time alongside of him; when 

 the man not being seriously injured, after a while was 

 enabled to rise on his knees ; and with great presence of 

 mind, with his left hand seizing hold of one of the long, 

 pendent ears of the deer, and drawing forth his knife with 

 his right, succeeded, after a desperate struggle, in cutting the 

 throat of his antagonist. 



