270 THE SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE; 



near which it was lying at the moment of the discovery, 

 assuming such a position that we could continue to watch 

 the approaching animal, while we were, at the same time, 

 unobserved. Onward he came, while his large antlers 

 were visible in the bright sunlight, as well as his head and 

 his large, shapely neck. Patiently we waited for the arri- 

 val of the moment when we should start boldly in the 

 chase for him, when he should have passed so far from 

 the land that we could be assured of overtaking him 

 before he could reach the cover of the woods. The 

 proper moment having arrived the canoe darted rapidly 

 from its cover, driven forward by two paddles, while the 

 water fairly boiled about its bow. The author was now 

 aiding the guide in hastening forward the little bark. 



The old buck had not yet discovered us, and was, there- 

 fore, swimming directly forward, as if he even desired the 

 meeting; but be assured, my reader, that the moment he 

 either sights or scents us he will make a change in his 

 course and greatly accelerate his speed. On, onward we 

 sped ! On, onward he came ! Two thousand yards now 

 separated us, but we were discovered ! He had dropped 

 his ears, turned his head, and was now bounding through 

 the water towards the nearest land, but, alas, it was too late ! 

 The victory was ours ! The poor animal had been fairly 

 ambushed ! The question uppermost in my mind at this 

 moment is, Do animals reason ? In the case of this deer 

 it seems impossible to reconcile his varied movements con- 

 sistently with the belief that instinct instead of a reasoning 

 faculty controlled his action. It was observed that he lis- 

 tened attentively to the baying of the hounds, and that his 



