TURNER.] HUNTING DEER. 251 



vital spot, endeavoring- so to wound the beast that it will have only 

 enough strength to enable it to attain the shallow water or shore, and 

 not to wander off. Among the hundreds of times I have had the 

 oiiportuuity to witness this, I never knew a deer wounded with the 

 spear to turn back to swim in the direction from wliieh it came. They 

 appear to dread the water, and strive mosi, frantically to regain the 

 land where, if mortally wounded, they stand j the limbs gradually 

 diverging to sustain their trembling body; the eyes gazing piteously 

 at the foe, who often mocks their dying struggles, or pitches a stone 

 at their quivering legs to make them fall. A convulsive struggle as 

 the blood fills the internal cavity, a sudden pitch, and the life is gone 

 without sigh or groan. As many of the herd as can be speared are 

 quickly dispatched and the entire number secured if possible. It is 

 supposed that the ones which return to the shore wlience they came 

 give the alarm and frighten otlier arrivals away from the starting 

 point. The hunters strive to prevent their return, and will often allow 

 two, near the camp, to escape in order to pursue the letreating animal. 



Those which have been killed and are lying in the water are dragged 

 on land and skinned. The pelt is taken off as that of a beef is when 

 skinned by a butcher. The ears and the skin of the head are left on. 

 The body is opened and the viscera are removed. The intestines are 

 freed from the fat; the stomach is cleansed of the greater portion of its 

 contents, and the blood which collected within the cavity is scooped up 

 with the hands and ladled into that receptacle; and both are reserved 

 for food. The heart and liver are taken to the camp, where they help 

 to form a variety in the animal food of these people. Other portions of 

 the flesh are also consumed. The sinew, which lies along the lumbar 

 region just below the superficial muscles, is exposed by a cut, and with 

 the point of a knife or ti]) of the finger loosened from its adherent flesh. 

 One end, usually the forward end, is detached and a stout thong tied to 

 it, and it is Jerked from its attachment by a vigorous pull. It requires 

 a strong person to remove this tendon from the body of a lean animal. 

 A stroke of the knife frees the wide layer of sinew from blood and 

 particles of flesh. This is now laid aside for awhile, then washed to 

 free it from the blood, which would stain it dark in color and also tend 

 to diminish the strength of the fibers by rotting them. It is now spread 

 out and allowed to dry. The body is cut across the small of the back 

 and laid aside. The head is severed from the neck and discarded if 

 there be no portion of the horns which is needed to serve some purpose, 

 such as a handle for a knife or other tool. If the head be that of a 

 young deer it is often taken to the camp and pat into ai>ot and boiled 

 in the condition in which it comes from the field. When cooked for a 

 long time it becomes very soft; the nuiscles of the jaw being reduced 

 to a semigelatinous condition, which makes an excellent article of 

 food. 



The tongue is invariably taken out entire, and is considered the 



