AND OTHER HUNTING ADVENTURES. 175 



left the canon and ascended the mountain. I fol- 

 lowed up this for a time, but seeing that he had not 

 yet paused, and finding that my famished condition 

 rendered me unequal to the climb, was compelled to 

 abandon the pursuit and with a heavy heart return 

 again to the canon. I kept on up it, but could find 

 no other game or sign of any. Like the red hunter, 

 in the time of famine, who 



" Vainly walked through the forest, 

 Sought for bird, or beast, and found none; 

 Saw no track of deer or rabbit, 

 In the snow beheld no foot-prints, 

 In the ghostly gleaming forest 

 Fell f<nd could not rise from weakness," 



so I trudged on until, wearied and worn oat, I lay 

 down beside a giant fir tree, whose spreading 

 branches had kept the snow from the ground, and 

 fell asleep. When I awoke my joints were stiff and 

 sore, and I was chilled to the bone. It was late in 

 the afternoon, and a quiet, drizzling rain had set in. 

 I found the trail that led through the canon, and 

 started back to camp, trudging along as rapidly as 

 possible, for hunger was gnawing at my vitals and 

 my strength was fast failing. 



" Over snow-fields waste and pathless, 

 Under snow-encumbered branches, 

 Empty-handed, heavy-hearted," 



I toiled wearily on. The snow had become satu- 

 rated with the rain, and great chunks of it were 

 falling from the trees with dull, monotonous sounds. 

 " Slush, slush," " Splash, splash," came the gloomy 

 sounds from all parts of the woods. I was nearing 

 camp, and had abandoned all hope of seeing game. 



