140 PORTY-FOUR YEARS OP 



nud made an exc(;IU;i>t shot. I had shot him through th* 

 body. Beiiifj; a small animal, we carried him to the other 

 two, and then went home. 



By this time the wind had raised to almost a hurricane, 

 and as we passed out of the beech into the chesnut ground, 

 we encountered a large flock of turkeys. Friend proposed 

 lliat we should kill a turkey a-piece for our litttle wives, 

 and shoot off-hand, to try our skill. He fired first, and 

 down came a turkey. They were all on the trees, and he 

 had taken the nearest one. 



" Now," said he, "beat that if you can." I then took 

 the next best chance, fired, and down came another turkey. 

 "Well," said he, "if Clark and Dewitt don't do better 

 than I ever knew them to do heretofore, the buckskin will 

 be ours." 



We left the high ground, fearing that some of the trees 

 would be blown down on us ; and as we were making all 

 speed toward a shelter, we met a fine buck, running to get 

 out of the storm. As he was within ten steps of us, I 

 aimed my gun at him, and fired, after which he made but 

 a few jumps, and fell dead. We took out his entrails, car- 

 ried him to the place where the horses would have to pass 

 in going for the bears, and pushed for Dr. Brooke's as fast 

 as we could walk, where we arrived about noon. Clark 

 and Dewitt were waiting for us, and they had killed one 

 doe, all told. 



They seemed surprised to hear that we had killed three 

 bears, one buck, and two turkeys. The Doctor treated us 

 to as much good whiskey as we wanted to drink, and gave 

 us our dinner. After dinner, we all took a shot at a small 

 paper, when Friend and I beat them at that also. We 

 were well able to do that ; for Friend was a good shot, 

 and there were few to be found anywhere who could beat 

 me. We then all went home, and hunted no more together 

 during that fall. 



