WARWICK WOODLANDS. 



DAY THE FIFTH. 



OUR last day's shooting in the vale of Sugar-loaf was over ; 

 and, something contrary to Harry's first intention, we had de- 

 cided, instead of striking westward into Sullivan or Ulster, to 

 drive five miles upon our homeward route, and beat the Long- 

 pond mountain not now for such small game as woodcock, 

 quail, or partridge ; but for a herd of deer, which, although now 

 but rarely found along the western hills, was said to have been 

 seen already several times, to the number of six or seven head, 

 in a small cove, or hollow basin, close to the summit of the 

 Bellevale ridge. 



As it was not of course our plan to return again to Tom 

 Draw's, everything was now carefully and neatly packed away; 

 the game, of which we had indeed a goodly stock, was produced 

 from Tom's ice-house, where, suspended from the rafters, it had 

 been kept as sound and fresh as though it had been all killed 

 only on the preceding day. 



A long deep box, fitting beneath the gun-case under the front 

 seat, was now produced, and proved to be another of Harry's 

 notable inventions; for it was lined throughout, lid, bottom, 

 sides and all, with zinc, and in the centre had a well or small 

 compartment of the same material, with a raised grating in the 

 bottom. This well was forthwith lined with a square yard, or 

 rather more, of flannel, into which was heaped a quantity of 

 ice pounded as fine as possible, sufficient to cram it absolutely 

 to the top ; the rest of the box was then filled with the birds, 

 displayed in regular rows, with heads and tails alternating, and 

 a thin coat of clean dry wheaten straw between each layer, until 

 but a few inches' depth remained between the noble pile and 

 the lid of this extempore refrigerator ; this space being filled in 

 with flannel packed close and folded tightly, the box was lock- 

 ed and thrust into the accurately fitting boot by dint of the 

 exertion of Timothy's whole strength. 



" There, Frank, 5 ' cried Harry, who had superintended the 

 storage of the whole with nice scrutiny, " those chaps will keep 

 there as sound as roaches, till we get to young Tom's at Ram- 

 apo ; you cannot think what work I had, trying in vain to save 

 them, before I hit upon this method ; I tried hops, which I have 

 known in England to keep birds in an extraordinary manner 

 for, what you'll scarce believe, I once ate a Ptarmigan, the day 



