FIRST DEER IN AMERICA. 19 



till the echoes and his voice were blended in one pro- 

 longed, deep, musical note. My pulsation increased 

 as the sound approached, my whole nervous system 

 was in a state of extreme tension ; even clasping my 

 gun, setting my teeth, only gave me temporary relief, 

 and never from that day to this has my excitement 

 been so intense. "Look! look!" said th,e Indian, 

 and, following the direction of his hand, I saw a 

 splendid doe breasting the water and heading for the 

 middle of the lake. Like all green hands, my first 

 prompting was to start in pursuit ; but my more wily 

 friend put a veto on that proposition, begging me to 

 restrain my impatience till the quarry got well out 

 from land. Long very long appeared the next few 

 moments. But it was evident I was not boss* 'only a 

 deck hand of very ordinary acquirements. Remon- 

 strance was, therefore, out of the question ; so sub- 

 mission, with the best possible grace, was adopted. By 

 this time the doe had got nearly a quarter of a mile 

 out for few animals swim so fast as deer when the 

 signal was given to commence the chase. Never did 

 oarsman more energetically pull never did race-horse 

 more gallantly struggle ; every thew, every muscle was 

 brought into play, and what I lacked in skill was made 

 up in vim. It, however, took all the dusky gentle- 

 * American for " master." 



