A hunter's life. 296 



things, his feet were so much frozen that his toes rattled 

 on the floor. All was done for him that was possible ; 

 still, he could not walk a step next day, while I was not 

 frozen at all. 



Next morning, Hugh and Johnson's son mounted two 

 horses and went for the buck, and I turned my face toward 

 "Milk and Honey." 



I traveled on, but it was so cold that I could not hunt 

 any that day. On getting to ray camp, I found a fire still 

 there, which other hunters had left. I built it up again, 

 and contented myself by it that night. The next day, 

 being more moderate, I killed two good deer, and brought 

 them into the camp. 



Day after day I killed more or less, every hour expect- 

 ing Hugh to join me ; but he did not come at all. I still 

 continued to bring in meat, and hang it on a pole ; but 

 one morning one of my best saddles of venison was gone, 

 and I could not tell what had taken it. 



There was a small creek close by, which was covered 

 with ice sufficiently strong to bear a man, and all round 

 the camp the snow was so trampled down that no track of 

 the thief could be seen. 



Having a steel-trap not far distant, I brought it, set it 

 immediately, and again went off hunting. When I re- 

 turned in the evening, I commenced cooking my supper, 

 and had seated myself to eat, when I thought of my trap, 

 and went to the place where I had set it; but it was 

 pone. 



" Well," said I, " I expect your foot is in it ; and if that 

 18 so, your scalp will pay me for the venison you stole last 

 night." 



Discovering where the trap had been drawn along down 

 the creek, I followed the track until I found my gentleman 

 thief -vhicb proved to be a huge catamount — in proportion 

 to its size, I believe, the most savage creature in the 



