A hunter's life. 93 



Bins, which were nearly as large as the seat of a chair. 

 On, and on we went ; but finally I proved too long-winded 

 for Yansickle, and left him far behind. 



When I drew near the hindmost deer, the foremost 

 ones, being tired out, had stopped to take breath. The 

 last one, attempting to pass by those in front, leaped into 

 the deep snow, where he stuck fast, when I caught hold 

 of him, with the intention of tying him ; but he was too 

 fat and strong for me, as the snow had not been long on 

 the ground. lie was also ill-natured, and fought viciously 

 until Louis came up, who had a hawk-bill knife in his 

 pocket. I took this knife, and with it cut the throat of 

 the buck, and left him with my companion. With the 

 knife in my pocket, I ran after and soon overtook the 

 others, as they were crossing a small branch with steep 

 banks on each side. A large tree, which had fallen over 

 the stream, lay a short distance from the ground, and many 

 leaves had drifted under it. One of the bucks, being hard 

 pushed, and greatly frightened, threw himself under this 

 log among the leaves, and thus escaped my notice, as 1 

 was watching the deer in front of him. I passed by, and, 

 after pursuing the others some distance, caught a very large 

 buck, which I undertook to tie ; but he fought me despe- 

 rately, and was so strong that I could not handle him. 



While I was engaged with that buck, hearing Louis hal- 

 looing behind me, I seized the animal, cut his throat, and 

 ran to the relief of my friend ; thinking, as I ran, that he 

 had fallen among the rocks and broken his leg, as the 

 ground over which I had passed was very rocky, and full 

 of holes. I said to myself, as I was running to him, " If 

 he has broken a leg, I will first take my rope and tie him 

 to a tree, when I will pull his leg straight, and set the 

 bone ; after which I will tear up some clothes and wrap 

 tliem round the limb, scrape a place clear of snow down 



