262 WILD SPORTS IX THE FAR WEST. 



Bearsgrease dashed in with the greatest intrepidity, in 

 sj^ite of thorns and creepers. The turkey, whose fall 

 had been broken by the wild vines, had no sooner 

 touched the ground, than he made a quick run for a 

 cane-brake, and disappeared, with Bearsgrease bound- 

 ing and barking on his trail. On forcing my way 

 through the canes, I witnessed an interesting struggle 

 between the two. The dog was still young, and the 

 turkey a fellow of twenty or twenty-two pounds ; and 

 Bearsgrease, knowing that he must not injure him, 

 tried to hold him with his fore paws, whilst the turkey, 

 which was only wounded in the left wing, constantly 

 succeeded in escaping, and running a yard or two be- 

 fore the dog could pin him again. After watching them 

 for some time, I put an end to the struggle by cutting 

 off the turkey's head with my knife, and carried him 

 home. I then saddled Slowtrap's old pony, and set off 

 over the mountain to gain CoUmar's house before night, 

 leaving Bearsgrease behind me. 



The hills and rivers south of the Arkansas almost all 

 run, Hke that river, from west to east, and the hills 

 have a peculiar formation. The middle row or back- 

 bone ridge is the highest, and generally on either side 

 are two or three lower ranges of hills, running parallel 

 to the main range, and sloping more and more towards 

 the plain. All the smaller rivers which run into the 

 Arkansas from this side, have such hills between them. 

 I rode slowly up and down these hills looking out for 

 game. I had left my hunting-shirt behind, and a 

 sharp north wind began to chill me a little ; but I did 

 not like covering myself with the blanket which lay 

 across my saddle. Suddenly I saw a fox watching me 



