CRUST AND LAKE HUNTING. 519 



well. He had not time to load his gun or see what became 

 of the young buck, for the other dog had brought down an 

 enormous old buck, which took water at the same time near 

 him. He lay still and let it swim out some distance, and 

 then gave chase. He was soon up with him in wide water, 

 and attempted to throw the noose over its horns. The buck 

 showed fight, and striking up, suddenly knocked the stick 

 from his grasp. Then, with stiffened bristles, and a hoarse 

 low of wrath, it raised itself in the water, and planted its 

 fore-feet on the side of the boat. 



The man was too old a hunter to be much alarmed, though 

 the deer seemed determined to turn the boat over or get in. 

 The gun was empty, as we have said, but these men always 

 throw a stout club of heavy green wood into the bottom of 

 the boat to provide against contingencies such as these; 

 indeed, they frequently take nothing else with them, as this 

 IS usually sufficient to kill any deer. A rapping blow across 

 the head with this club caused the buck to drop back into 

 the water, with his courage considerably cooled. 



However, it soon renewed the fight, and as it caught most 

 of the blows aimed at its head upon its immense horns, the 

 man found he had both a tough and a dangerous job before 

 him. The deer, in the meantime, was making gradually for 

 the shore, and the hunter saw that it would effect its escape 

 at last, if he continued to fight— so he directed all his efforts 

 to turning it off from shore, shouting at the same time to his 

 comrade for help. He was nearly worn out with fatigue, 

 and had received several severe blows from the horns^ of 

 the deer, when his friend came to his assistance and shot 

 it through the head. 



It was now nearly dark, and with four deer as the result 

 of one day's sport, they returned perfectly satisfied, as well 

 as worn out, to their shantee for the night. This day's 

 work, though an unusually successful one, will stand in its 

 modes and incidents, for a pretty fair epitome of the sport 



