THE APPROACH OF WINTER 35 



(I was lame, and could not run as fast as an ordinary 

 man), and presently he fell again, and I came up and 

 finished him with a shot in the head from the Colt 

 six-shooter. 



This was my first deer, and I believe I fairly danced 

 with wild joy at my success. I know that I shouted 

 myself hoarse, and had a sore throat in consequence. 



Tom had also had a successful shot, killing his victim 

 outright, and so we were in possession of two fine deer, 

 each of which must have weighed nearly three hundred- 

 weight, for these woodland cariboo are much larger 

 animals than the barren -land cariboo of farther north. 



Tom soon came up and cut the throat of my prize, 

 and asked me to drink the warm blood which flowed. 

 With disgust I refused ; but he took a hearty draught 

 of it, and I afterwards found that this is a usual custom 

 with the Indian hunters. The warm blood of deer is 

 said to be most nutritious and supporting. I have heard 

 that the Esquimaux have the same habit. 



The disembowelling and skinning of the two bucks 

 occupied the whole of the remainder of the day, and we 

 camped for the night on the spot where we had slain 

 them. Needless to say that cariboo meat was abundant 

 enough at supper that evening, and as I was ravenously 

 hungry, I think I made the heartiest meal I have ever 

 devoured ; and my sleep after it was profound and 

 sweet, until I was aroused by the sound of a musket- 

 shot. The wolves, it seems, had been attracted by the 

 smell of blood, and Tom had shot one of them that had 

 been bold enough to come close up. 



As it was nearly dawn of day we slept no more ; but 

 took a breakfast of broiled cariboo steak, and made an 

 early start to rejoin our companions, carrying as much of 

 the meat as we conveniently could. The rest, with the 

 pelts, and that of the wolf, was placed in the lower 

 branches of the surrounding trees to be out of the way of 

 the wolves. It must be hung at least seven or eight feet 



