CHAPTER XXV. 

 SKITTERING AND BOBBING. 



ONCE, when in Florida, two of us had gone several miles 

 up a river one day for deer and turkeys. When the sun 

 was nearly down we had one deer, and had located several 

 more, and also had found a turkey-roost near by. We con- 

 cluded, instead of returning down the river to camp, to 

 build a fire and sleep under a tree, so as to be on the ground 

 at daylight in the morning, with the strong probability of 

 another deer or several turkeys. 



We did not wish to cut into the venison, as we intended 

 to give it to a " cracker" family near our camp, the head 

 of said household being down with " the shakes." We had 

 only the liver of the deer for supper, and wishing to vary 

 it with some other viand, concluded to try for a Black Bass 

 in the river. 



Happening to have a fish-hook in my pocket, I cut off a 

 piece of the deer's tail, and made a " bob." Then, cutting 

 a long, slender pole, and tying the bob to the end with a 

 piece of strong twine some three feet long, we got into the 

 boat, my comrade paddling and I manipulating the bob. 



The sun was at the edge of the horizon, a huge ball of 

 crimson fire, the atmosphere being somewhat smoky from 

 fires kindled by the Indians to burn off the old grass in 

 order to make a fresh " burn " for the deer to feed on. 



The river expanded just above into quite a shallow lake, 

 well grown with lily-pads, bonnets and saw-grass, through 

 17 (193) 



