THE ADIRONDACKS 77 
marvelous rapidity, — trimmed and smoothed with 
a neatness almost fastidious, — no makeshift, but 
an instrument fitted for the delicate work it was to 
perform. 
A jack was made with equal skill and speed. <A 
stout staff about three feet long was placed upright 
in the bow of the boat, and held to its place by a 
horizontal bar, through a hole in which it turned 
easily: a half wheel eight or ten inches in diameter, 
cut from a large chip, was placed at the top, around 
which was bent a new séction of birch bark, thus 
forming a rude semicircular reflector. Three can- 
dles placed within the circle completed the jack. 
With moss and boughs seats were arranged, — one 
in the bow for the marksman, and one in the stern 
for the oarsman. A meal of frogs and squirrels 
was a good preparation, and, when darkness came, 
all were keenly alive to the opportunity it brought. 
Though: by no means an expert in the use of the 
gun, —-adding the superlative degree of enthusiasm 
to only the positive degree of skill, — yet it seemed 
tacitly agreed that I should act as marksman and 
kill the deer, if such was to be our luck. 
_ After it was thoroughly dark we went down to 
make a short trial trip. Everything working to sat- 
isfaction, about ten o’clock we pushed out in ear- 
nest. For the twentieth time I felt in the pocket 
that contained the matches, ran over the part I was 
to perform, and pressed my gun firmly, to be sure 
there was no mistake. My position was that of 
kneeling directly under the jack, which I was to 
