144 NARRATIVES. 



reckon. Down I came, twenty feet at two jumps, hurting my 

 shins most wofully on the hmbs, and my nose on the stones 

 where I landed ; but I picked myself up and got into my 

 boat. Then commenced the chase. But let me describe 

 the boat in which I was, so that you can better appreciate the 

 fun. It is just eleven feet long, and sixteen inches wide, and 

 scarcely heavier than an egg-shell, (poetic license,) and will 

 upset a great deal easier. It was made from a bass-wood log, 

 and well made too, and is what is commonly called a " dug- 

 out." I had to stand on my knees in the middle, and had a 

 double paddle, which is just like a common one, only it has a 

 blade on each end. Thus equipped I started the chase, with 

 the wind in my favor, and with the firm intention of catching 

 the buck if I possibly could. He was a good half mile ahead 

 of me, and had not so far as that to go to get to shore ; and 

 I could see that he swam furiously. I had no weapons to slay 

 him with. My duty was to get around him, and drive him 

 up the lake to father, who, when he saw me start out, I ex- 

 pected, would come and meet me and help kill him. So away 

 I went, exerting every nerve and muscle ; shot around the 

 point, and was out at sea in " no time ; " kept my eye on the 

 deer, and took a course that would cut him off from the shore 

 that he was swimming for. For a long while I went thus, 

 with the wind in my favor, sometimes thinking that I should 

 overhaul him, and then again that I should not. Finally I 

 saw that I was gaining on him a little ; but I knew that I 

 must do more than that, if I wanted to catch him ; so I re- 

 doubled my efforts. " Pull, Sam ! " I muttered, " you must 

 overhaul him, anyhow ; " and so I did. After a long and hard 

 pull I came up to him. When he saw me he turned square off 

 from me, and swam almost as fast again as he did before. 

 When I came about, side to the wind, to follow him, my little 

 boat dipped water at every wave. But I stopped not for that. 

 I wanted to run in beside him once more, and turn him toward 

 the opposite shore ; but I found that it was somewhat harder 

 to do so than I expected. I laid out all my strength. You 

 could have heard me puff half a mile off, if you had been 

 within that distance. I could see that 1 gained on him, but 



