A Deer Hunt. 337 



main, but hastened home. Even this snatch of 

 country air did me good I must go again. Since 

 the planters have fenced off intruders and given up 

 hunting in Summer, the deer have increased beyond 

 our expectations. They have, on several occasions, 

 .started forty in a morning and once ten were in a 

 gang. 



My son W m and his wife are here to spend 



the Christmas holidays. I wish you were with us 

 to join them to-day at dinner ; we are to have a 



haunch of venison and a wild turkey. W in longs 



to get into a snipe- bog an amusement which I 

 should not much relish. Sons and daughters are 

 all well. * * * 



My little grandsons come over almost every 

 morning to join me at breakfast. With love to all, 

 and hoping to see some of you in my home. 



Affectionately yours, J. B. 



To THE SAME : 



" You asked me in your last to give you an ac- 

 count of our visit to " Liberty Hall," Goose Creek. 

 My old friend B. went up with me and we gave one 

 day to the ducks and small game, and another to 

 the deer. 



The duck-shooting was moderately good. I could 

 not crawl in the mud, or wade up to my waist in 

 water, so that I took them on the wing ; sometimes 

 I tumbled over one or two fat fellows at a shot, and 

 then again only made the feathers fly. I bagged 

 some Wood-cocks and a few Partridges ; there were 

 no Snipe, and, when I had a chance at a couple of 

 old Gobblers, I had only Snipe-shot, so I saved my 

 powder and my credit, and let the Gobblers run. 



The Deer-hunt was worth talking about. We had 

 two young fellows with us, who now and then hit r 



