242 FORTY-FOUR YEARS OF 



which they would tie round the log, when I would pull out, 

 cud up as high as I could, and hitch it fast, and then let 

 down another rope, with which I would draw the other 

 end of the log up still higher than the first. Thus, with 

 great labor and difficulty, all the logs and boards which 

 covered the barn were properly placed, and we had it 

 under cover in less than three weeks. We finished on Sa- 

 turday evening, at ten o'clock, and rested finely on Sunday. 

 All the time we had fine weather, and the moon gave suf- 

 ficient light for me to finish my work and prepare to go 

 into the woods. 



On Monday morning, I took my gun and set out for the 

 Little Crossings. When I got into the hunting-ground, I 

 perceived something as white as snow lying at the foot of 

 a tree, which, as I came nearer, I saw was a large rabbit. 

 As I did not wish to fire my gun at him, I took a club, 

 and went round the tree, thinking to kill him by striking 

 at him from behind it. But I missed him, and out he flew, 

 like a streak of lightning, with the dog after him, yelping 

 at every jump. 



The dog was soon left so far behind that he got ashamed, 

 and gave up the chase ; though it was not an unprofitable 

 one, for they started up a fine buck, which, as he ran within 

 gunshot of me, I shot through the ribs, when he made but 

 a few jumps, and fell dead. I dressed him, and took all 

 one side of his ribs to roast that night ; but, in hanging 

 him up, I got a great deal of blood on me. 



After having put his carcass away, I started ofl' on my 

 intended course, and was walking through a clear piece of 

 ground, when, while looking at a small patch of fallen 

 timber, in which a thicket of briars had grown up, out 

 bounced a pretty little buck. 



He had a steep hill to run up, and I knew he would stop 

 before he reached the top. I stood ready, and when he 

 did st'^p, I fired ray gun as soon as possible ; whereupon, 



