FOREST LIFE PLAY. 29 



leg was broken, and then he must have perished of pain 

 and hunger, a worse death than that from the hunter's 

 rifle. 



Going down stream in the morning, the trout were 

 abundant but shy. Hooks and baits were dangled be- 

 fore them in the most tempting manner, but not a single 

 mouthful would any trout among them take. Tired of 

 this, a line, with a weight attached, was let down quietly 

 among them, with a number of bare hooks tied to it. A 

 sudden jerk, and one of the largest was hooked by the 

 tail, and, together with some half dozen more, actually 

 dragged out of the water in this way, tail foremost ! A 

 novel mode of catching fish, undoubtedly. 



Hitherto the hunters had made no use of their dogs. 

 Game was so abundant that they were not needed. One 

 coursing match, however, was had with them that ended 

 pleasantly enough for the deer. The dogs, doubtless, 

 thought differently of it. 



The deer was upon a small island in the lake by which 

 the hunters were camped; and having stationed tlieir 

 boats so as to prevent his reaching the shore, if he tcok 

 to the water, the dogs were sent to the island. IE less 

 than five minutes the stillness was broken by the sudden 

 and fierce cry of the dogs, who had just started their 

 game. Away they went in full cry after him, making 

 the hills and woods ring again as he swept along, doub- 

 ling and winding, with them still at his heels. Presently 

 he made his appearance close to the hunters ; who, car- 

 ing more for the excitement of the chane than the capture 

 of the deer, received him with such a volley of st >uts 

 and halloos, as fairly frightened him back again intc the 



