A llflHTER'S LIFE. 253 



than if I had no support, that stream miglit have been 

 calU'd, with great truth, " the troubled water;" for I know 

 that if it was not troubled, I was, for often I wished my- 

 self out of it. I know that the buck would have had no 

 objection to my being out ; though he probably thought 

 that, as I had come in to help that savage dog, he would 

 give me a punch or two with his sharp points, to remem- 

 ber liim by. Indeed, that was what I most dreaded ; and 

 it was my full purpose to keep clear of them, if possible. 



In about two minutes after I got my foot on his horn, 

 and sank his head under water, things began to look a 

 little more favorable ; for I felt, his strength failing, which 

 gave me hopes of getting through the worst fight I had 

 ever been engaged in during all my hunting expeditions. 



When his strength was but little. I held fast to his upper 

 horn with my left hand, and keepi'ig my foot firmly on his 

 lower horn, I pressed it to the bottom of three feet water, 

 and, taking out my knife, when his kicking was nearly over, 

 I let his head come up high enoug^U to be within reach, 

 when at a single cut I laid open the one side of his neck, 

 severing both blood-vessels. This relieved me from one 

 of the most diflBcult positions in which^ '^rring all my life, 

 I bad been placed for the same length o' Wme, 



8S 



