IN TIMBER AND BRtlLEE. 243 



though by that time it is probable that the really fine 

 heads, which are always the first to become clean of 

 velvet, have fallen. Of course in the present instance 

 we were bitterly disappointed, but there was no help 

 for it, and the trophy would at least serve as a memory 

 of the trip. 



Having skinned the stag, we once again crossed the 

 river and continued our journey. It was almost dark 

 when we struck the waters of the river, and as we had 

 been informed that we should meet with no quick 

 water on our homeward journey, we concluded that we 

 might safely push on after dark. As a matter of fact, 

 until half-past ten that night we continued to strike 

 rapid after rapid, several of which, in the obscurity, 

 necessitated wading, so that it was an uncommonly 

 chilly party which finally built a large fire upon the 

 bank, round which we crouched till dawn. As the 

 night had been very still and cold, it was no surprise to 

 us in the morning to find the still water, which now 

 became more frequent, frozen to a depth of some 

 inches. The ice was too thick to break, so we were 

 forced to cache the canoe and pursue our journey on 

 foot. It had previously been arranged that a buck- 

 board should be in waiting at a spot where a permanent 

 camp was pitched, some thirty miles closer to our 

 hunting-ground than the nearest village. Between six 

 and seven hours' walking along open hillsides brought 

 us to the tent, about which we found a number of men, 

 among them our driver, who, it appeared, had met 

 with an accident and damaged his eye in an altercation 

 with a compatriot. We ate a hasty meal, after which 

 the driver, who seemed to be a somewhat surly indivi- 

 dual, informed me that he had no intention of taking 



R 2 



