80 BUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST. 



woods, whence he had broken cover. From that shelter, 

 however, the dogs soon chased him into the water ; only 

 to be driven back again to dry land. A second attempt 

 to take water was again frustrated, and he retreated, 

 baffled, to the thickets. Thrice was he coursed round 

 the island, the hunters facing him wherever he attempted 

 to escape. At last he plunged desperately into the lake, 

 and swam towards the shore three-quarters of a mile off, 

 his tormentors contriving again to disappoint his design, 

 and compel him to land on a little shrub-covered island, 

 not more than half an acre in size, and that stood at 

 about the distance of half a mile down the lake. When 

 he neared this he sprang on the shore, frantically looking 

 on all sides for some hiding-place, or means of escape. 

 None was to be had ; whichever way he turned, there 

 was one of the hunters ahead of him, shouting and driv- 

 ing him nearly mad. This way and that rushed the poor 

 beast in vain, till in despair he took up his post among 

 the bushes, that covered a knoll in the middle of the 

 island ; and there, after tossing his head up and down, as 

 he looked from one to another of his enemies, he waited 

 for what might come. He at length quietly lay down. 

 Fortunately for him the hunters had had all they wanted, 

 a coursing match ; and, satisfied with his performance, 

 they rowed away, leaving him to recover at leisure from 

 his exertions. Once rid of them, he swam to the main 

 land, and speedily disappeared among his own forests. 



Let us see the hunters going to dinner, before we leave 

 them. There are pieces of moose, (a very clumsy kind 

 of deer peculiar to northern countries, and in northern 

 Europe called the elk,) and bear's meat, spitted on long 



