SOUTHERN ARIZONA 219 



pleasure, his only protection a leather collar, from 

 which hung a bell to warn any hunters against 

 mistaking him for a wild animal. He was known 

 to the settlers and the Mexicans about the coun- 

 try, and was frequently seen ten miles away from 

 the house. He became famous in the region, 

 receiving the name of " The deer with the bell." 

 Often on his rambles he was accompanied by 

 several of the dogs, and not infrequently by the 

 entire troop. 



The fawn began to be very playful when six or 

 eight weeks old, and every morning would go to 

 the bed of the canon and get a drink, and then 

 gambol about on the small piece of level ground 

 there, an exercise in which the dogs soon joined. 

 After twenty minutes or half an hour of such 

 playing, Venado, for so we called him, would 

 run rapidly up the hill on the other side of the 

 canon, away from the house. If the dogs did 

 not follow, he soon returned and began to play 

 with them again, but only for a few minutes, when 

 he once more started up the hillside ; now, per- 

 haps one or two of the dogs, or maybe all of 

 them, joined him. The dogs were essential as 

 watchmen, in so remote a spot, and prolonged 

 absence on their part added to the danger always 

 present from the Apaches and other intruders. 

 So it was necessary, when Venado endeavored to 

 entice his comrades to take part in his excursions. 



