194 BIRCH BROWSINGS. 



leisurely browsing. We had several times crossed 

 their trail, and had seen that morning a level, grassy 

 place on the top of the mountain, where they had 

 passed the night. Instead of being frightened, as I 

 had expected, they seemed greatly delighted, and 

 gathered around me as if to inquire the tidings from 

 the outer world, perhaps the quotations of the cat- 

 tle market. They came up to me, and eagerly licked 

 my hand, clothes, and gun. Salt was what they were 

 after, and they were ready to swallow anything that 

 contained the smallest percentage of it. They were 

 mostly yearlings and as sleek as moles. They had a 

 very gamy look. We were afterwards told that, in 

 the spring, the farmers round about turn into these 

 woods their young cattle, which do not come out again 

 till fall. They are then in good condition, not fat, 

 like grass-fed cattle, but trim and supple, like deer. 

 Once a month the owner hunts them up and salts 

 them. They have their beats, and seldom wander 

 beyond well-defined limits. It was interesting to see 

 them feed. They browsed on the low limbs and 

 bushes, and on the various plants, munching at every- 

 thing without any apparent discrimination. 



They attempted to follow me, but I escaped them 

 by clambering down some steep rocks. I now found 

 myself gradually edging down the side of the mount- 

 ain, keeping around it in a spiral manner, and scan- 

 ning the woods and the shape of the ground for some 

 encouraging hint or sign. Finally the woods became 

 more open, and the descent less rapid. The trees 



