A LONG DEER HUNT. 827 



he would be up with the sun in the morning, and not 

 return till he could boast of not having been beaten 

 by a broken- legged deer, when there was enough snow 

 to track. My defeat had similarly operated on myself, 

 so that we mutually agreed to devote the morrow, blow 

 or snow, to re-establish our tarnished honour. The 

 morning was well suited for our task, still and clear, 

 with just sufficient frost in the atmosphere to give zest 

 to travelling. The track was easily found, my back 

 track being taken as the guide to where I had my 

 adventure with the turkey. 



In ten minutes we again had our game afoot, but 

 without getting a shot, the animal having doubled 

 round before lying down, and, consequently, rising 

 behind us. The bed where he had passed the night was 

 soiled with blood, and other indications were such as to 

 justify us in hoping early success. Although perseve- 

 rance is generally rewarded, it was not so on this occa- 

 sion. Hour after hour slipped by, the game appeared 

 to moderate its pace in accordance with ours, just 

 keeping sufficiently far ahead to be out of range. 

 The badness of the walking (for a thaw had com- 

 menced), the continued disappointment, and the diffi- 

 culty of following through the bush, commenced 

 to operate upon our spirits, and, but that we struck 

 a more open range of country where the travelling 



