A NIGHT HUNT UP THE CUNGAMUNCK. 499 
with a thick bough, kept that in motion with his words; 
for he seemed to have a desperate sort of feeling that he 
must keep up our courage and his own by talking, or else 
we would be compelled to give in! He amused us in this 
trying interval with many stories of his bold adventuring 
through these northern snows (a fortunate contrast!) in 
hurting the dangerous moose. While Piscator puffed his 
segar—patiently fought in open battle his myriad foes, and 
smiled appreciatingly through his torture as the stories sped. 
How I admired the superhuman heroism of the man! 
I could not help enjoying the forlorn and» melancholy 
efforts of the guide to be merry in his suffering. But the 
night settled rapidly, though it brought no alleviation of the 
plague of flies, which on warm evenings most abound after 
sunset for some hours. Now George stepped cautiously to 
the stern of the boat, and taking the candles from the box, 
proceeded to light them and place them in the triangular 
box on the staff at the bow. Then with great care we 
noiselessly took our seats, and he paddled the boat with 
surprising stillness up the outlet. Mine was the foremost 
seat—as allotted—and though the light above shone power- 
fully upon the shrubs and grass in front of us on the side 
of the channel, yet not one ray of it fell upon me! So 
with a far-thrown light before us, we glided in darkness up 
the channel, seeing every blade of grass as we advanced, 
while we were ourselves unseen! But the sky had now 
clouded, and the white mist began to curl up before us, and 
we only saw the.rank grass and elder bushes in advance as 
it lifted at intervals. 
We glided through the white-wreathed silence for awhile, 
with the mash plants and grass showing through the gloom 
on one side, and the tall shrubs on the other, when suddenly 
there is a splashing to our right—the boat stops—splash ! 
splash! splash! off they go with ,a loud whistle as they 
plunge away—two deer are gone! They had been frightened 
