20 ACCESSIBLE FIELD SPORTS. 



man's skill to keep the craft's liead straight. For 

 many minutes we did not appear to have gained 

 an inch ; the perspiration ran down my face, and 

 even lodged in my eyes ; but there was no time for 

 rest, no desire for respite; each succeeding stroke 

 equalled its predecessor in strength. At length, we 

 commenced gaining a further inducement to renewed 

 exertion and the paddle was dipped deeper and 

 handled still more swiftly. Inch by inch we crept up, 

 at first slowly, then more rapidly, till but twenty yards 

 severed the victim and destroyer. I was about to drop 

 my paddle and seize my gun, when Master Redskin in- 

 formed me, " Not time yet ! " On we advanced ;/ ten 

 feet at most intervened. Mr. Chippewa gave the 

 desired permission, and as I pitched my gun to the 

 shoulder he veered the canoe a point or two to the left. 

 A sharp report followed, and the water boiled with the 

 ineffectual efforts of the stricken animal. Quickly the 

 birch bark was shot up, and just as the deer was disap- 

 pearing it was grabbed by the ear, and after several 

 ineffectual efforts lifted on board. Know you, reader, 

 that a dead deer will sink ; and although I remem- 

 bered it not at the time of drawing the trigger, my 

 double-barrel was loaded with No. 6, which at that 

 short range, and pointed at the back of the head, 

 almost instantaneously destroyed vitality ; and, however 



