A hunter's life. 2b9 



the woods. So don't be afraid of your daddy beinpf tired 

 out. by a green boy." 



" Well," said he, "it's all right; if you think you can 

 go through with it, we will make the trial." 



So we appointed a day to start on our trip ; and when 

 the time arrived, we took with us a horse, to carry our pro- 

 visions as far as we w^ould have a road to travel on. 

 When we came to the outskirts of the settlement, we 

 there left our horse, and entered the wilderness. 



We traveled until evening, when we found ourselves in 

 Virginia, far beyond our knowledge ; but we also disco- 

 vered fine hunting-ground along the river, on either side. 

 Finding that the farther we went the less game was to be 

 seen, we agreed to go back to the river, and accordingly 

 turned our faces again in that direction. 



Our purpose being not to kill game, but to find where 

 it was, so that we might return and settle on a place to 

 hunt for a month, we selected the locality along the river. 

 As soon as we came to that conclusion, we began to look 

 around for a deer, on which to make our supper ; and at 

 last we saw four ; but they ran until they got almost out 

 of sight. At length one stopped within range, which I 

 shot, breaking its thigh ; and night being near, we started 

 our dog off to catch it. But it got into the river, and 

 baffled him until it was so dark that we could not see to 

 follow it. 



We then built a fire in the thick laurel, and remained 

 there till morning. During the night the dog returned to 

 us, when we saw that he had killed the deer ; but we were 

 determined to lie there all night. We had a poor time of 

 it ; the ground being muddy, and the laurel so thick that 

 we could not procure wood to keep us warm. 



Morning came at last, and we were glad of it. After 

 we had eaten a dry breakfast, we started the dog forward 

 to show us where the deer was ; and after traveling a mile 



