292 "VVILD SPORTS IN THE FAR WEST. 



his rifle at his cheek, carefully watching all the long 

 necks ; then he stopped, took aim, and fired. But the 

 turkey only reeled on the bough, and recovered him- 

 self. As soon as I was loaded I knocked over a second, 

 and by this time the greater part of the gang had made 

 off; but the one Conwell had hit sat still, badly 

 wounded, with the blood dropping fast. Conwell had 

 now loaded again, and shot him through the head. On 

 my asking why he had not selected another, as he was 

 sure of this one, he answered, that this was the fattest 

 and heaviest of the whole gang; and he was right. 

 Mine were both large birds, but his weighed more by 

 three pounds. He laughed, and said he had not looked 

 out for the best in vain, and told me, "when the 

 turkeys are all sitting on the trees, frightened at the 

 dogs, there is no occasion to be in a hurry to shoot the 

 first that comes — a good sportsman should choose the 

 best, which is easily done; a short thick neck is the 

 infallible sign. The leaner the turkey, the longer and 

 thinner his neck. The bird seems larger, but take care 

 to shoot the thick-necks, and I '11 wager that they ain't so 

 bad to eat." Long experience has since taught me that 

 he was right, but it required some time before I was 

 cool enough to look at the turkeys on their perch, and 

 make a choice amongst them. We opened them on the 

 spot ; for it is extraordinary how soon they spoil, even 

 in cold weather, if this is not done. TTe threw two of 

 them over the horse, wliile I shouldered the third ; and 

 in a very short time we came to a sj^ring of good water, 

 and made a camp for tlie night. 



One of the results of our camping out, with supper 

 and breakfast, was the disappearance of one of the 



