CH. XXXIV. TRACKS OF DEER. 227 



before you fire." After waiting a little with his 

 gun pointed towards the place, Donald fired one 

 barrel, and then as they rose the other. The 

 latter killed none — " ut rnos fait." However, as 

 only four rose (two of which, both mallards, fell 

 to my two barrels), I presumed that he had done 

 some execution with his first shot ; and sure 

 enough he had riddled two most effectually. 



The place where the ducks had been feeding 

 was a bright green spot in the midst of the snow, 

 caused by the spreading of the waters of a fine 

 unfreezing spring. Around it, also, were the 

 tracks of several deer who had been cropping the 

 green herbage, and had evidently sunk to their 

 knees at every step which they made in the soft 

 ground. Two snipes also rose while we were 

 picking up our ducks. 



As we ascended higher the river grew more 

 rapid, and was the only object in our view which 

 was not perfectly white. Having finished our frugal 

 luncheon, and swallowed a modicum of whisky, 

 we again " took the road," as Donald was pleased 

 to express it, although road there was none. 



The grouse had entirely disappeared, and we 

 saw no living creature excepting a pair of gray 

 crows, who alighted under the bank of the river. 

 " There will be more of those fellows there," said 



