104 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



Britisher, with a bird gun, could kill the higgest buck 

 in Illinois. In conclusion I would say that in skin- 

 ning we found that at the first shot one grain had 

 gone through the lungs, while two more had lodged 

 further back. The gross weight of this deer was one 

 hundred and eighty-four pounds. 



Shooting deer driven to water by hounds is a very 

 common method adopted in autumn for their destruc- 

 tion. 



While visiting in Canada West, I chanced to make 

 the acquaintance of a young Highlander ardently 

 devoted to the chase, and who, when he found that I 

 was also a would-be disciple of the chaste Diana, at 

 once proposed, as the season was suitable and busi- 

 ness affairs did not interfere, that we should start for 

 .the gigantic and then unbroken woods which covered 

 the township of Oro, lying on the edge of that placid 

 sheet of water, so well known for its lovely woodland 

 scenery, Lake Simcoe. After a long tedious walk 

 over the most villanous roads that ever unfortunate 

 was condemned to traverse, we arrived late at night 

 opposite Snake Island, then inhabited by a remnant 

 of the once numerous and powerful Chippewa Indians. 

 The distance across to this island retreat was too far for 

 our lungs to inform its denizens that two benighted 

 travellers were desirons of joining them, and, as there 

 was no boat, a camp fire and blanket were required to 

 do duty for roof and feather bed. But, alas ! our 

 limbs and bcnes were demoralized from our former 

 life, and absolutely refused to be satisfied, so that 

 both tossed, fumed, and fretted till the sun thought 

 proper to make his re-appearance. Nor was this all; 

 a scoundrelly wolf, whose midnight propensities for 



