JAMES HAEEOD, OP HARKODSBUEG. 237 



killed tteir cattle, driven in their hunting-parties, and so 

 shortened their supplies of meat, that the little garrison was 

 reduced to great straits. 



At this juncture Harrod made his appearance unexpectedly, 

 on his return from one of his long expeditions. Finding the 

 condition of things, he first proposed to some of the remain- 

 ing men, that they should accompany him to one of the nearest 

 of his depots of meat. The risk was very great ; and Harrod 

 perceiving from the hesitation, that the men were not willing 

 to go, left the station that night alone, telling the women to 

 be of good cheer, that he would bring them back meat. 



He found game very shy in the morning, and as there was 

 plenty of Indian sign about, he determined to have the first 

 meat he could get, and return with it as soon as possible 

 to the relief of the station. He came in sight of a small 

 herd of deer, which were moving as if they had been lately 

 startled, and were still on the look out ; this caused him to 

 use great circumspection. It was not long before he came 

 across signs, which induced him to think that there were 

 several Indians close at hand. The daring hunter cared 

 nothing for the odds, but coolly resolved to have one of those 

 deer or lose a scalp, and of the latter there surely seemed to 

 be a great likelihood. 



This would have been foolhardiness with any other man, 

 but with Harrod it was entirely a matter of course. He had 

 never turned aside from his path for the red man, nor did he 

 ever intend to do so. He claimed those hunting-grounds, 

 too, and those deer were his, if he could vrin them, and his 

 he intended they should be. 



His circumspection was not a little increased on perceiving 

 the marks of the mocassin on the trail of the deer. These 

 were before him, and he might come upon them at any 

 moment. This did not deter him, for he saw at a glance his 

 advantage, as he was on the look-out for them, while they 

 were on the look-out for the deer, and, evidently from the 



