THE GRAVE OF THE SILENT HUNTER. 209 



we can have our hunt out, and hear Uncle Jake's story of this 

 Bill Smith !" 



" Well, I'm agreed — ^but stop a few moments, Charlie. As 

 I have risked a lynching to get a sight of the old hunter's 

 skull — I am going to have a good look at it now before we 



go!" 



He uttered some exclamation of impatience, and sunk down 

 upon the leaves again, when I was soon deep in the mystery 

 of bumps. 



I marvelled at that head ! The skull was of rather small 

 size, and ran up at firmness almost to a cone — secreetiveness 

 was enormous, too, and destructiveness quite as excessive — 

 but combativeness was not large — adhesiveness, benevolence 

 and conscienciousness remarkably large. Of acquisitiveness 

 he seemed to have nothing scarcely, and of what is called 

 human nature, a great deal. He had prominent language, yet 

 one of his sobriquets was, the " Silent Indian killer !" Of 

 casuality there was little — but comparison was large — the 

 organs between the eyes were large — form, locality, &c. Phi- 

 loprogenitiveness was the largest organ, except firmness ! 



These were the hasty observations I had time to make 

 before the impulsive hurry of my comrade compelled me to 

 replace the skull. This was done with the most scrupulous 

 care, in as exactly the position from which I had taken it as 

 possible. The grave was also re-covered with the same care, 

 and restored as nearly as I could get it to the condition in 

 which I found it. We soon after mounted our horses, with 

 the bear meat tied behind us, and set ofi" rapidly on our return 

 to town. During the whole ride I was thinking of this extra- 

 ordinary head, and what had been no doubt its equally remark- 

 able owner. What a man this must have been, and what a 

 career ! — for, obscure as it appeared to have been, it was 

 evident from the awe and dread his very bones inspired in 

 the mind of the simple hunter, that he must have possessed 



14 



