THE V/IIITETAIL DEER. 



55 



deemed likely that the deer will pass; and 

 one man, who has remained on horseback, 

 starts into the cover with the hounds ; oc- 

 casionally this horseman himself, skilled, as 

 most cowboys are, in the use of the revolver, 

 gets a chance to kill a deer. The deep bay- 

 ing of the hounds speedily gives warning that 

 the game is afoot ; and the watching hunters, 

 who have already hid their horses carefully, look 

 to their rifles. Sometimes the deer comes far 

 ahead of the dogs, running very swiftly with 

 neck stretched straight out ; and if the cover 

 is tiiick such an animal is hard to hit. At 

 other times, especially if the quarry is a young 

 buck, it plays along not very far ahead of its 

 baying pursuers, bounding and strutting with 

 head up and white flag flaunting. If struck 

 hard, down goes the flag at once, and the 

 deer plunges into a staggering run, while the 

 hounds yell wilh eager ferocity as they follow 

 the bloody trail. Usually we do not have to 

 drive more than one or two bottoms before 

 getting a deer, which is forthwith packed be- 

 hind one of the riders, as the distance is not 

 great, and home we come in triumph. Some- 

 times, however, we fail to find game, or the 

 deer take unguarded passes, or tlie shot is 

 missed. Occasionally 1 have killed deer on 

 these hunts; generally I have merely sat still 

 a long while, listened to the hounds, and at 

 last heard somebody else shoot. In fact such 

 hunting, though good enough fun if only tried 

 rarel}', would speedily pall if followed at all 

 regularly. 



Personally tin; chic f excitement I have had 

 in connection therewith has arisen from some 



