A BUSINESS DAY AT CHEE-HA. 205 



" I'll tell you what, Loveleap," said I, " this is 

 sorry sport to me! I have little of the Osbald- 

 istone in me, and relish not these hard rides against 

 time ; the deer, it seems, are grown so timid from 

 the ' corruptions of a long peace,' that they trust 

 neither to their legs nor wind ; but push, on the first 

 alarm from the dogs, directly for the river. Eide 

 back, if it pleases you ; for myself I decline a third 

 heat, and shall rub down and cool off here." 



The indefatigable Loveleap turned back to renew 

 the hunt, while I remained to intercept the deer, if, 

 on another start, he should repeat the same run. 

 The period of his absence seemed long. I dis- 

 mounted ; and throwing the reins over my horse's 

 head, left him to graze at will, while I seated nay- 

 self on the small mound of earth which dignifies 

 this spot with the name of Fort : and as the dark 

 waters of the Ashepoo glided noiselessly by, fling- 

 ing here and there a bubble to the surface, which 

 broke or disappeared to give place to other bub- 

 bles ; and as the leaves, fanned by a gentle south- 

 ern air, fell rustling from the surrounding trees to 

 mingle with and be lost in the earth that received 

 them, 1 mused, and bethought me that they were 

 but too apt emblems of human fortunes, and human 

 life ! "Where were the original lords of this soil, 

 whose dark forms glided, in by-gone days, through 



