DEER-SHOOTING AT THE " SALT LICK." 357 



and exhaustion overpowered me, and I fell fainting or 

 at least senseless to the ground. How long I may have 

 remained so, I cannot say. When I recovered my 

 senses, it was quite dark. I got up to collect myself 

 and consider where I was, when I heard a deer, which 

 had got scent of me, spring, blowing and snorting, out 

 of the Hck, and bound away over the diy leaves. 



I went, in the first place, to a running stream, close 

 by, and took a long hearty draught. Feeling considerably 

 refreshed, I made a fire on the platform, and sat under- 

 neath, wrapped in my blanket, patiently awaiting the 

 approach of game. In less than an hour a young buck 

 advanced with light and cautious tread. I heard him 

 for ten minutes on the dry rustling leaves, before he 

 came within sight. ^Vlien he appeared, he was about 

 forty paces off, so that I could distinguish the outline 

 of his form, as he stood still staring at the fire, his eyes 

 shining like Iavo stars out of the dark background. 

 He cautiously advanced a few steps, coming nearer the 

 lick, and looking almost Avhite in the light of the fire. 

 I whistled : he stopped and raised his head ; my ball 

 passed through both shoulder blades, and he died with- 

 out a cry. 



Transgressing all the rules of the crafl, I neither 

 reloaded nor remained quiet in my place to await a 

 second ; but rushed out, dragged him to the fire, broke 

 him up, and in a very few minutes, portions of him 

 were put down to roast. I then reloaded, and kept a 

 sharp look-out. Probably the smell of roasting meat 

 kept others away; for though I heard snorting and 

 stamping, I saw no more for the present — but my 

 stomach could not hold out any longer. 



