252 FORTY-FOUR YEARS OP 



I called and called the dog, but he sat on the shore bok 

 ing on, without attempting to move. 



After awhile, it occurred to me to throw him under the 

 water, and drown him ; whereupon I braced my right leg 

 against his left side, and with my arms jerked him sud- 

 denly, when down he came with his feet toward me. Then 

 it was that my whole front paid for it, as his feet flew like 

 drum-sticks, scraping my body and barking my shins, till 

 ambition had to give in to necessity, and I was not only 

 compelled to let him up, but even glad to help him to his 

 feet again, though I still held on to his rough horns. From 

 the long scuffle, my hands beginning to smart, and my arms 

 to become weak, I took another plan. 



I threw him again, and as he fell I twisted him around 

 by his horns, so as to place his back toward me and his 

 feet from me. Then came a desperate trial, for as this was 

 the only hope I had of overcoming him, I laid all my 

 strength and weight on him, to keep him from getting 

 upon his feet again. This I found I could do, for the 

 water was so deep that he had no chance of helping him- 

 self, for want of a foothold. There we had it round and 

 round, and in the struggle my left foot was accidentally 

 placed on his lowermost horn, which was deep down in 

 the water. 



As soon as I felt my foot touch his horn, I threw my 

 whole weight on it, and put his head under the water, 

 deeper than I could reach with my arm. I thought that 

 was the very thing I wanted ; but then came the hardest 

 part of the fight, for the buck exerted all his strength and 

 activity against me, while I was in a situation from which 

 I dare not attempt to retreat. 



I was determined to keep his head under, although 

 sometimes even my head and face were beneath the water ; 

 and if I had r^t been supported by his hprns, which kept 

 me from sinking down, and enabled nie to stanti firmer 



