UNTRODDEN WILDS. 19 



moment to greet his intrusion with a stare of 

 indifference. 



The question now arose in my mind, which of 

 these animals was, under existing circumstances, 

 best suited as food to my palate, for I had now 

 before me a choice ; but as the buck was rather low 

 in flesh, rough in coat, and unquestionably a veteran 

 in years, I decided for beaver-flesh, and took aim at 

 the nearest of the two cronies hobnobbing on the 

 sand -flat, stretching him lifeless ere the echoes of the 

 report had died away. The uninjured beaver fled ; 

 took to the water, dived, reappeared, looked around, 

 halted, and turned about, as if intent on learning 

 why he was not followed by his companion ; while 

 the buck stood still, evincing symptoms of nervous 

 curiosity. ' Good ! ; thought I to myself. ' At length 

 I have gained a sanctuary that (lately, at least) has 

 not been contaminated by the presence of man/ The 

 utter ignorance which these timid representatives of 

 the animal kingdom evinced of the danger attending 

 the white man's thunder was just ground for such 

 a supposition. 



