518 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 



and nearly ran over the man in the boat, who shot him before 

 he reached the deep water. The dogs were then put out 

 again, and before ten o'clock they brought another deer 

 down to the water — but this fellow skulked, swam across a 

 narrow cove, and made off again. He did not return to this 

 lake, which is very unusual, but made off to another. Elm 

 Lake, three miles distant. The dogs were not reclaimed 

 until noon. After feeding and a short rest, they were put 

 out for a third race, and in a little while drove in a third 

 deer, which struck out for the widest part of the lake. 



Both hunters started in pursuit ; the oarsman cut it off 

 from land, and the boatsman, who was furnished with a long, 

 forked stick, across the prongs of which a slip-noose of rope 

 was tied, now came up by the side of the swimming deer, 

 and threw the rope over its head. It plunged very violently, 

 but in spite of its struggles he pushed its head under water 

 with the assistance of the fork, and soon drowned it. This 

 was a fine doe. 



The dogs were again put out, and after a long race brought 

 in a yearling spike buck. It came to the water twice, but 

 as it had the wind of the two hunters, both times it turned 

 and went out. It came at last on the opposite side, and 

 struck right out for the open water. The canoe man did 

 not succeed in cutting it off this time, and it reached one 

 of the islands. The boatman shot at it as it was going out, 

 and missed. 



They then took a position on each side to prevent its 

 escape, while " Old Sound," who had reached the shore, and 

 comprehended in a moment how matters were, swam to the 

 island and soon routed the little buck, which now attempted 

 to reach the second island. The man in the canoe cut it 

 off this time, and darting up alongside of it as it swam, 

 seized it by its short horns, and drawing its head back, cut 

 its throat. 



But the boatman in the meantime had his hands full as 



