DEER-KILLING EXTRAORDINARY. 145 



The fire was burning bright which Conwell had only 

 lately left, and it was no small quantity of venison that 

 I put down to roast. Having appeased my appetite, and 

 fed Bearsgrease, I laid down again to rest. After an 

 hour's time, as Conwell did not return, I set off' again ; 

 it was still very cold. As I was passing a small ravine 

 I saw a young buck feeding, without the slightest suspi- 

 cion of danger. As I was within distance, I aimed and 

 fired ; he fell as if shot through the brain, but my ball 

 had struck too high, so that at the moment when I came 

 up to seize him he recovered himself, and rose on his 

 forelegs. I saw on the instant that there was no time to 

 lose, and threw myself upon him. The dog had also 

 seized him, and I was in the act of drawing my knife to 

 plunge in his throat, when he 1 made a sudden effort, and 

 we all three tumbled down a declivity of nine or ten feet. 

 In falling I had dropped my knife, which fell among the 

 stones, and I felt much pain in my head and left side ; 

 but neither I nor Bearsgrease had let go our hold. The 

 poor animal made most desperate efforts to escape, and 

 with our greatest exertions it was hardly possible for us 

 to hold him. Without a knife there was but one method 

 of securing him ; a cruel one, indeed, but if I had to bite 

 his neck through with my teeth I would not let him go. 

 I threw him over on his side, and smashed his forelegs with 

 a sharp stone. Thus crippled, Bearsgrease could hold 

 him ; I jumped up, found my knife, and ended the poor 

 creature's torments. 



I succeeded in slinging it with a great deal of trouble, 

 my left side paining me exceedingly ; however I managed 



to climb up the steep, recovered and loaded my rifle, and 

 10 



