OR, THE LAKE LANDS OF CANADA. 269 



the hounds off his trail. He remained in the water con- 

 tinuously, either walking, trotting, or swimming, except 

 when brought in contact with a point of land extending 

 out into the lake a considerable distance, when he would 

 boldly leave the water, cross the point, and again resume 

 his peregrinations along the shore. In this manner the 

 shrewd animal traversed more than a mile along the lake- 

 shore, while we were following in our canoe behind him. 

 He finally passed from the range of our vision for a brief 

 period, and when next discovered by us had taken to the 

 deep waters of the lake, and was at this moment swim- 

 ming directly towards us, with the apparent intention of 

 returning to his forest home by the same run-way by which 

 he had left it. The hounds, in the mean while, had reached 

 the lake, and were now following slowly along the shore. 

 They had already ceased to give tongue and were appar- 

 ently discouraged and despondent. 



I had never previously witnessed, on the part of a deer, 

 so much coolness and intelligent manoeuvring as had taken 

 place in this case. Every movement by this animal had 

 been characterized by caution and intelligence. He was 

 evidently on the alert, as was shown by the various attitudes 

 which he assumed and the movements which he made. It 

 seemed to us that he had a fixed plan which he was en- 

 deavoring to execute ; and the plan itself spoke well for 

 his intelligence ; but our presence on the lake, where we 

 had not yet been observed by him, was the sole cause of 

 its failure and his misfortune. Having discovered him 

 well out in the lake and swimming directly towards us, we 

 immediately 'placed our canoe partially behind an island, 



