FOREST LIFE. 125 



to disengage me, he threw out his nose, and, laying his antlers 

 back ujjon his shoulders, which formed a screen for my defense, 

 he sprang forward into a furious run, still bearing me upon his 

 neck. Now penetrating dense thickets, then leaping high " wind- 

 falls,"* and struggling through swamp -mires, he finally fell 

 through exhaustion, after carrying me about three miles. Im- 

 proving the opportunity, I drew my hunter's knife from its sheath, 

 and instantly buried it in his neck, cutting the jugular vein, 

 which put a speedy termination to the contest and the flight." 



The habits of the moose, in his manner of defense and attack, 

 arc similar to those of the stag, and may be illustrated by the fol- 

 lowing anecdote from the "E-andom tiketches of a Kentuckian." 



" Who ever saw Bravo without loving him ? His sloe-black 

 eyes, his glossy skin, flecked here and there with blue ; his Avide- 

 spread thighs, clean shoulders, broad back, and low-drooping 

 chest, bespoke him the true stag-hound ; and none who ever saw 

 his bounding form, or heard his deep-toned bay, as the swift-foot- 

 ed stag flew before him, would dispute his title. List, gentle 

 reader, and I wiU tell you an adventure which will make you love 

 him all the more. 



" A bright frosty morning in November, 1838, tempted me to 

 visit the forest hunting-grounds. On this occasion I was followed 

 by a fine-looking hound, which had been presented to me a few 

 days before by a fellow-sportsman. I was anxious to test his 

 qualities, and, knowing that a mean dog will not often hunt well 

 with a good one, I had tied up the eager Bravo, and was attend- 

 ed by the strange dog alone. A brisk canter of half an hour 

 brought me to the wild forest hills. Slackenmg the rein, I slow- 

 ly wound my way up a brushy slope some three hundred yards 

 in length. I had ascended about half way, when the hound be- 

 gan to exhibit signs of uneasiness, and at the same instant a stag 

 sprang out from some underbrush near by, and rushed like a whirl- 

 , * Old fallen trees. 



