264 FORTY-FOUR YEARS OF 



me there was game near. 1 moved on until the dog took 

 the tracks of a large herd of deer, which had so recently 

 passed that I expected to see them every moment. I soon 

 fuund that several old bucks were chasing a lot of small 

 deer, and that the little ones were afraid of being overtaken 

 by their pursuers. I increased my speed, to overtake 

 them ; but round and round they went, crossing my tracks 

 twice or three times. By this time the rain had increased, 

 until it began to run down my back plentifully, when 1 

 gave up the chase, and endeavored to return to the camp. 

 Off I started at a fast walk, the rain still pouring down in 

 torrents, and soon increased my speed to a running gait, 

 looking for the camp all the time, but could see nothing 

 of it. Still on I ran, until I thought that, in my hurry, 1 

 might have passed it, and was leaving it behind me. I 

 then stood a moment to collect my thoughts, and shouted 

 with all my strength, but received no answer. I turned 

 back, and ran until I felt sure I had gone far enough, and 

 shouted again at the top of my voice, but still could obtain 

 no answer. 



Tlien thinking the camp was behind me, after all, 1 

 turned again, but to no purpose. I now began to think 

 seriously of laying out all night ; and as it was then get- 

 ting too dark to shoot, I deemed it prudent to begin to 

 prepare a resting-place, while I could see to do so. I 

 went in search of some place of slielter, but could find 

 nothing better than a crooked old hemlock, which had 

 been injured many years previously, and which the bears 

 had gnawed so much, that there was a great quantity of 

 rosin plastered over the whole side of the tree, which was 

 much flattened by the injury it had received in years gone 

 by. I chose that tree for my shelter, and set about build- 

 ing a lire, but the ^aln put it out as soon as I made it. 1 

 tried it again and again, until I saw that it was useless to 

 try it any nvore, though 1 had wood in plenty. I then 



