THE LAST DAY AT CHEE-HA. 215 



with " Big Thunder " sleeping on his thigh. It was 

 anomalous thunder : it uttered no sound that day. 



Then came G. P. E , of Smilie's. He made 



no puns, but wore a serious visage ; meditating, 

 perhaps, how he might provide new subjects for his 



infirmary ! Then came T. E. S , of the 



" Bluff," (the Loveleap of our former histories) 

 a sportsman accomplished in all the mysteries of 

 wood-craft yet not so resolved in sport as to swim 



a river after a buck. Then came T. K. S. E , 



of " Balls " at that time a stripling, yet willing, 

 like David, to encounter Goliah himself, it he came 

 in the shape of a buck or devil-fish ! And, lastly, 

 came myself sometime " Piscator," but now 

 " Venator," if your courtesy will allow him the 

 designation. Three drivers, and upward of twenty 

 hounds, completed the equipment for the hunt. 



We assembled at " Social Hall ;" and sending the 

 drivers and hounds to enter the wood from the 

 direction of " Smilie's," proceeded to occupy all the 

 prominent passes of the " White Oak," stretching 

 along, at intervals, from the flood-gate dam to 

 "Sandy Bun." My own stand was taken at the 

 head of a long pond, or chain of ponds, which, 

 approaching closely to the " White Oak," stretched 

 away toward the southeast, until it found its out- 

 let in Wright's Bay. I stood at the head of this 



