SUBORDINATE PRINCIPLES. 223 



I believe that where such is the case there is generally 

 an echo that perplexes the deer so that he knows not 

 whence the sound comes. 



Sometimes a strange noise like that of a shot from 

 a rifle will so perplex a deer that he will not run at 

 all until he not only knows what it is but knows its 

 direction. We saw an instance of this in the last 

 chapter. To some this may have appeared a trifle 

 overdrawn. But I know numerous cases of a deer 

 standing while a dozen bullets whizzed around him, 

 at short range too; and have one well-attested case of 

 a gentleman shooting out five cartridges he had in 

 his Winchester, and then refilling and emptying it 

 twice, making thirty-five shots at a single deer only a 

 hundred yards away. He told me this himself; and 

 two of his companions counted the shots. 



Such a fool does mere curiosity sometimes make 

 of deer that they will stay to investigate the noise 

 even when they see the shooter plainly. Once, while 

 returning from a hunt that I had to give up because 

 of an attack of sick headache, I saw three deer run up 

 a range of low hills quarter of a mile from the wagon. 

 I made a detour and got above and nearly ahead of 

 them; but was so weak and exhausted by running 

 and climbing with the headache that I could scarcely 

 stand. While waiting to catch my breath and let my 

 hand get a little steadiness, they came directly in 

 plain sight of me. Seeing that they would pass out 

 of sight in a minute if I did not shoot, I commenced 

 operations. I had a Sharp's rifle and eighteen car- 

 tridges in my belt and one in my rifle. Those deer 

 stopped within sixty yards at the first shot, and one 

 stood there until I fired away the last shot. I tried 

 my very best to miss them entirely; but about the 



