A PIONEER’S ADVENTURE. 
A. A. BRIGGS. 
In the early 70’s the forests of the Mus- 
koka district abounded in game, including 
deer, bears, wolves, black and silver foxes, 
ctc. Game laws were almost unknown, 
and the gun of the early settler was in con- 
stant use. Our homestead was in the Parry 
sound district, and was surrounded by wild 
roses and creeping vines. At the foot of 
one of the many hills ran a trout stream, 
whose limpid, shaded waters attracted the 
wild animals and birds. 
While fishing for trout in this stream I 
saw a big deer running up the side of the 
hill. Behind it was a dog, howling and 
fast losing ground. As the dog _ ap- 
proached the top of the hill he gave out. 
The buck was the largest I had ever seen, 
and I was naturally anxious to get a shot 
at him. As he had been disturbed while 
drinking at the brook, I thought he would 
not return for some time. Accordingly, I 
wound up the line, went home and ate my 
supper. 
The next morning I saw what appeared 
to be cattle in the vicinity of the stream, 
but soon discovered they were deer. I 
reached for my rifle and pushed up the 
window, thinking I could get a shot, but 
the deer heard me, and in a moment they 
were off. Still I was sure the buck that 
dashed up the hill the day before was 
among them. Wild with excitement, I ran 
to the creek. There I tried to think of 
some ruse to entrap the buck. An idea 
occurred to me, and going to the house I 
hunted up the largest straw hat in the 
place, and, putting it on, returned to the 
stream. I followed a covey of grouse for 
a while, more to pass away time than to 
kill, as it would be an hour or so before 
the buck returned. 
Looking about for a hiding place, I saw 
some tall, thick grass among a lot of 
bushes, and there I concealed myself. Mak- 
ing sure my body and limbs were invisible, 
I pulled down the big hat and, with the 
rifle under my arm, waited for the stag. 
Nearly an hour passed before I heard a 
sound. Presently the buck appeared, and 
a grand and stately creature he was. 
must have been greatly unnerved, for my 
arm was shaking so much I feared the 
animal would see the movement in the 
grass and dart off. My view of him, too, 
was unsatisfactory, for I had to blink with 
one eye through a little hole I had made 
in the hat. What I saw was sufficient to 
show that he suspected danger, for he 
kept bellowing and tossing his head around 
as if infuriated. 
103 
While I was watching him 3 more heads 
came in sight a little distance behind 
the buck. These were the doe and 2 
fawns, who, seeing the stag gazing around 
anxiously, were too timid to come near- 
er. Suddenly I saw the antlers of the 
buck moving in my direction and thought 
my end was near. My fingers, which in- 
stinctively sought the trigger, twitched 
nervously, though the idea of shooting 
never occurred to me. The buck sniffed 
around 3 or 4 seconds, with his eyes 
fixed on the hat, then began slowly to re- 
treat. Now, if ever, was the time to shoot; 
his head was raised and his breast toward 
me. But, no. I would wait and see what 
the stag would do. Presently he uttered 
a low, dismal sound and in an instant the 
other deer were beside him. At first 
they looked around perplexedly, but soon 
moved toward the brook and drank. The 
old buck never stirred. He was now 
within a few yards of me, still keeping his 
eyes in my direction. 
At length the deer, having finished 
drinking, went away. The buck, seeing 
this, retraced his steps to the edge of the 
stream, and for the first time took his 
eyes off the place where I was _ hidden. 
Seeing the doe and fawns were over the 
fence, he lowered his head, gulped a 
mouthful of water, was up in a second and 
off, leaping the old rail fence with the 
greatest ease. 
I lay for a moment wondering if I was 
dreaming, but the drumming of a grouse 
near me and the rippling of the brook soon 
dispelled the idea. Alas! had any of the 
settlers seen me? If so, my reputation as 
a marksman was ruined. I had been ac- 
knowledged the best shot for miles around, 
but if the story was told that I, with a 
rifle in my hand. allowed 4 deer to escape 
within a few yards of me I would be the 
laughing stock of the settlement. 
I left the stream with a strange feeling. 
My desire to hunt had vanished. When I 
told my experience at home they were 
rather touched by the incident. But to 
this day the people of the district never 
heard that the man who for years had 
never refused a shot at game had al- 
lowed sentiment to stay his hand on one 
occasion. 
To-day the scene is changed. The old 
log house has fallen to decay; civilization 
has driven the game Northward. Only 
the old pines still cast their shadows on 
the rippling brook, which flows on as 
ever. 
