OFF AGAIN AFTER GAME. 179 



yet it was not without its charms. For instance, every 

 now and then you were entangled by the thorns of the 

 black locust, or if your slippery moccasins caused you 

 to fall, you might be sure of finding some of them con- 

 veniently placed to receive you. 



I returned to the camp about noon, exhausted and dis- 

 pirited, and found my old comrade stretched quietly by 

 the fire. He said he had been waiting for me about a 

 couple of hours ; that it was very clear there was no 

 game to shoot ; and I was now of the same opinion. 

 Heartily sick of the useless fatigue, we shouldered the 

 skin and our blankets, and left the place with heavy 

 hearts and weary limbs. 



It was long after dark when we arrived at Conwell's 

 home, and received the usual kind welcome, and w r e were 

 heartily laughed at, when, instead of bringing provisions, 

 we fell, like famished wolves, upon every thing eatable 

 that came in our way. A long draught of fresh milk 

 did me, above every thing else, an immensity of good. 



I would willingly have enjoyed a day's rest ; but Con- 

 well who, in spite of his deep gashes, which were not 

 yet healed, was as fresh and strong as ever aaer his first 

 meal, and could not remain quiet under the circum- 

 stances impressed on me the necessity of trying again, 

 otherwise people would believe that we had lost the power 

 of shooting a deer. So we were off again before noon, 

 gained the source of the Hurricane, rode across the 

 " Devil's Stepping Path," a narrow rock with a precipice 

 on each side, left the Pilot-rock on our left, and came 

 towards evening into the pine forests, where we were sure 

 of finding kindlers. Descending the steep side of a 



