178 A DAY AT CHEE-HA. 



not in time to prevent the success of the masterly 

 manoeuvre by which the buck, baffling his pursuers, 

 was now seen straining every nerve to regain the 

 shelter of the wood. I made a desperate effort to cut 

 him off, but reached the wood only in time to note 

 the direction he had taken. It was now sunset, and 

 the white, oustpread tail of the deer was my only 

 guide in the pursuit, as he glided among the trees. 

 " Now for it, Boxer show your speed, my gallant 

 nag." The horse, as if he entered fully into the pur- 

 pose of his rider, stretched himself to the utmost, 

 obedient to the slightest touch of the reins, as he 

 threaded the intricacies of the forest ; and was gain- 

 ing rapidly on the deer, when plash ! he came to a 

 dead halt his fore legs plunged in a quagmire, 

 over which the buck with his split hoofs had 

 bounded in security. What a baulk ! " but here 

 goes " and the gun was brought instantly to the 

 shoulder, and the left-hand barrel fired. The dis- 

 tance was eighty yards, and the shot ineffectual. 

 Making a slight circuit to avoid the bog, I again 

 push at the deer and again approach. " Ah, if I 

 had but reserved the charge, I had so idly wasted !" 

 But no matter, I must run him down and gaining 

 a position on his flank, I spurred my horse full upon 

 his broad-side, to bear him to the ground. The 

 noble animal (he was a noble animal, for he traced, 



