THE GRAVE OF THE SILENT HUNTER. 195 
table game and speed, he went sweeping through the thick, 
primitive woods at a pace that would have terrified any other 
sportsman on the open ground, clearing at flying leaps the 
most extravagant perils, without notice, and always close with 
the chase, cheering in ringing halloes his noble hounds; or, on 
our long rides to the distant hunting grounds by night, car- 
rying chorus to some wild hunting song in the shrill blasts of 
his curled bugle, cr to some touching balled of the ancient 
chivalry, poured from his manly lips, rolling its soft accom- 
paniment in mellowed clamors through the echoing hills, he 
was still the splendid and consistent ideal of the north-Ken- 
tucky fox-hunter of the generation following Clay and Crit- 
tenden ! 
We soon knew each other; and, as there were many points 
of earnest congeniality between myself and the wild hunter, 
we soon became frequent and inseparable companions, par- 
ticularly on the’ long hunts to this rude region I have de- 
scribed. 
It was now the last of November that we started with 
hound and horn for the hills, on the grand hunt of the year. 
A snow storm had commenced the over night, and none but 
a true hunter can realize the bounding delight with which 
the first snow storm is welcomed. Then only comes his en- 
joyments in highest perfection! Now the game of every 
kind is not only within his reach, but is in its highest 
condition. He can himself trace it for miles and miles away 
through the deep snow, until brought to bay at last, it falls 
before his unerring aim. He has an exulting’ consciousness 
of his independence, even of his dogs, for nothing can escape 
his practiced eye and tireless patience. The most exciting 
of all hunts are proverbially those in the snow; byt in the 
northern States they become disgusting very soon, as they 
quickly degenerate into the merest butcheries, where the 
snow, from three to four feet, remains upon the ground for 
three or four months, with a crust over it just strong enough 
