162 WILD SPORTS IN THE FAR WEST. 



thirteen, were nice lads, and worked hard with their 

 father to make their way in the Morld happily and 

 honestly. 



Uhl came in in the afternoon from a place belonging 

 to Yon G., about two miles off. He looked very pale 

 and wretched, still suffering severely from ague. I was 

 delighted to pass a short time here among Germans, 

 where I could speak my mother-tongue to my heart's 

 content, and live like a man. Peaches and watermelons 

 grow here in great abundance, and were a treat which I 

 had long been deprived of. 



On the second day I went down the river to Von 

 G.'s, who kept the ferry, and in whose house I had 

 passed the night two years ago, on my first arrival. 

 He received me kindly and hospitably. He was a 

 keen sportsman and capital shot, and was extremely 

 lucky in shooting by torchlight, a practice in which he 

 had acquired such perfection as often to shoot three or 

 four deer in a night. On one niglit when I went out 

 with him, he shot a noble buck, hitting him right in 

 the heart, although he could not see his body, and 

 could only judge of his position by the light reflected 

 from his eyes, and by their movement. I shall 

 describe this sort of shooting more jDarticularly here- 

 after. I also attempted it, but without success, from 

 want of practice, having yet to learn all the fine 

 touches. "We saw the eyes of three wolves, but they 

 were frightened by the fire, and would not come 

 near us. 



My health was still far from good ; and being one 

 day wet through by a sudden shower, I was again 

 attacked by ague, and obliged to lie fallow for a couple 



