298 WILD SPORTS IN THE FAR WEST. 



turkey ; once I heard the report of C.'s rifle. "WTien I 

 returned to the camp I made a good ^re, spread my 

 blanket, placed my rifle in readiness, and laid me down 

 to rest. About sunset I heard a light step ; at first I 

 thought it was a deer — it was Con well, without game 

 or dog. He sat down by my side on the blanket, and 

 observing that he supposed I must be very hungry, he 

 gave a faint smile, and said that he could fast until to- 

 morrow evening. He might well laugh. He said his 

 dog was after a deer which he had shot, and, judging 

 from the marks, he must have been hit in the fleshy 

 part of the haunch ; the dog, being young, could not be 

 called off after once catching the scent, and dog and deer 

 were soon out of sight. 



While he was talking, Bearsgrease rose up and 

 snuffed the air ; Conwell thought it must be his dog 

 who had found his trail. As I supposed so too I took 

 no notice, until I thought I heard a short bark, and 

 Bearsgrease, growling lightly, gave me a significant 

 look. I jumped up with my rifle, and in a minute a 

 noble buck, with horns laid back, rushed by at full 

 speed, at about twenty paces from the camp. I sent a 

 ball into him, and my dog was instantly close on his 

 heels. He did not run far ; my ball had broken the 

 left leg, and passed through the right. After running 

 about 200 paces, he sprang into the Richland, on whose 

 banks we were encamped, and seemed resolved to sell 

 his life as dearly as possible. The dogs were upon him, 

 but, as they were forced to swim, while he touched the 

 bottom, he had not much difficulty in shaking them off 

 again. Conwell remained lying as if it were no con- 

 cern of his, so I seized his rifle, ran to the bank, ended 



