American Big-Game Hunting 



my continued and violent exertions in the 

 light air, — being almost up to timber-line, — I 

 sank upon the ground, and could not refrain 

 from smiling at the forlorn appearance we 

 presented. 



Blowing like porpoises, their tongues loll- 

 ing out, covered with blood from their own 

 and the buck's wounds, the dogs lay extended 

 at full leng-th. An examination revealed that 

 Kentuck's mouth was split almost to his ears, 

 and there was a hole in his abdomen from 

 which his entrails protruded, besides several 

 minor cuts, Maida was more bloody than 

 hurt, having lost several patches of skin, and 

 hair enough to pad a saddle. As for myself, my 

 antelope-skin shirt and overalls were ripped 

 and bloody, one sole was torn from my heavy 

 hunting-boots, elbows and knees were skinned 

 by the sharp ledges of slate and loose quartz 

 scattered about, and I had a badly cut lip and 

 several loose teeth. I considered my great- 

 est injury the damage to my rifle. It was 

 one that I had made to order by Freund, 

 of Denver, being a 45 -caliber, heavy octa- 

 gon barrel, Springfield needle-gun movement, 

 with set triggers and curled maple pistol-grip 



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