A FALL HUNT IX THE ROCKIES. 377 



tail buck ; but before we had gone another step, to my 

 intense mortification I realised all at once that our 

 deer was suddenly on his feet, and off on the dead- 

 run as though nothing had happened. The timber 

 was so thick that I had no chance to put in another 

 shot. Arrived at the spot where he had lain, we found 

 no more of him than a pool of blood, and that only. 



Tom sententiously remarked that it was only a 

 " crease " shot ; but I was in no mood to be put off 

 with theories of that kind, and decided at once to 

 have him at any cost So we started on his trail, 

 the dog long ere this in full chase. He took us down 

 to the river, and then our troubles began, for we found 

 the dog at fault, and no tracks on the opposite bank : 

 however, we hit it off again, only to find that he had 

 recrossed higher up. So it went on first one side 

 of the river, then the other. It was now snowing 

 fast, and the water was icy cold ; but we were wet 

 through now, and reckless. I suppose we crossed 

 that river twenty times that afternoon, slowly work- 

 ing out the trail. At last we could find no tracks 

 at all, and so decide that he is keeping in mid-stream. 

 Each of us take a bank, therefore, and work up. At 

 last we are in sight of some big falls, some hundred 

 feet high, only approached up-stream through a nar- 

 row i-'unm with precipitous side. Surely this mighty 

 fall must bar the way, thought we ! 



" And deemed the stag must turn to bay 

 AVhere that huge rampart barred the way : 



