HELD UP BY MOONSHINERS. 



-J. E. ALLEN. 



The events I shall relate happened sev- 

 eral years ago, but for reasons which will 

 become apparent, I have heretofore deemed 

 it unwise to give them too much publicity. 

 I flatter myself I am as courageous as the 

 average man, but I am sure discretion is 

 sometimes the better part of valor, and that 

 it is often wise to keep one's word when it 

 is pledged to a desperado. 



Five of us, including a negro boy, went 

 on a 2 weeks' camp hunt in the Gulf Ham- 

 mock. That famous hunting ground is in 

 Western Florida, and extends 100 miles 

 North and South. It is about 20 miles in 

 width, densely wooded, and alive with game 

 of many kinds. 



One bright October morning found us in 

 the center of the hammock, our 2 tents 

 pitched about 100 yards from the railroad, 

 guns in order, dogs in good condition and 

 all hands ready and eager for action. The 

 whole morning was consumed in setting up 

 camp. After lunch Donaldson, Dewson and 

 I shouldered our guns and, taking the 

 hounds, struck off into the forest in search 

 of deer. 



Our progress was much retarded by the 

 thickness of the undergrowth, but in half 

 an hour we reached a slight elevation, 

 where the ground was dry and compara- 

 tively clear. Donaldson, who had hunted 

 there before, pointed to a path which at 

 that point diverged in 3 directions. He sta- 

 tioned Dewson and me under 2 large oaks, 

 in positions commanding the 3 paths. Then, 

 cautioning us to keep quiet and not to get 

 excited, he took the dogs and made a de- 

 tour to drive the deer toward us. We had 

 not long to wait before the hounds opened, 

 at first indistinctly, then fainter and fainter, 

 until the sounds were lost altogether. After 

 a few minutes, which seemerd hours, we 

 caught the sound again, faintly at first, but 

 growing louder, and we knew the dogs 

 were coming in our direction. 



Presently a slight noise caused me to turn, 

 and there, coming up the path was a buck 

 and a doe, side by side. I barely had time 

 to fire before a large tree would have hid- 

 den them from me. It was a snap shot, 

 but at the report of my gun the doe leaped 

 into the air and fell dead. The buck 

 sheered off as my companion fired, and 

 went away on 3 legs. With a cry of "I got 

 him !" Dewson ran after the buck, and both 

 were soon lost to view. 



Donaldson came up in a few moments 

 with the dogs, and, after viewing my prize 

 and congratulating me, asked where Dew- 



son was. I said he had broken a buck's 

 leg and thought he could run him down. 

 Donaldson blew his horn and Dewson an- 

 swered far away. Donaldson laughingly 

 said, "He may have caught him; I'll go 

 lo see. Stay here until we come back." 

 And calling the dogs away from the dead 

 deer, he started. 



The buck seemed badly wounded, as he 

 left a trail of blood that was easy to follow. 

 After I was left alone I could hear Donald- 

 son's horn for a short time, but could not 

 hear Dewson's answer, and finally the forest 

 was as still as death. 



I bled the deer and tied the feet together, 

 so I could slip them over my head and carry 

 the carcass easily. Then I sat down to 

 wait for my companions. I waited some 

 time and blew my horn but got no answer. 

 I repeated the blasts at intervals for about 

 an hour, but still no response. As it 

 began to grow dark I shouldered my deer 

 and started, as I supposed, in the direction 

 of our camp. There my troubles began. 



As I re-entered the undergrowth I found 

 it difficult to proceed. The ground was soft 

 and wet in places, and my feet often sank 

 into the mud over my ankles. Occasionally 

 a loop of vine caught me or the deer, 

 and once as I stepped into a soft place 

 my gun caught in a vine and I pitched 

 headforemost into a hole, with the deer on 

 my back. I was almost strangled before I 

 could extricate myself; but I got out and 

 struggled on until it became so dark I could 

 no longer see my way. Having gained a 

 comparatively dry spot I sat down to think 

 things over. I supposed I was near camp, 

 and blew my horn, but got no answer, ex- 

 cept from the owls, with which the forest 

 seemed to be alive. 



Seeing I was in for a night of it, I pro- 

 ceeded to make myself as comfortable as 

 possible. I gathered a lot of wood and 

 made a fire. Though hungry as a bear I 

 did not want to ' cut my deer, and was 

 forced to content myself with my pipe. As 

 I settled down with my back against a tree 

 to study over the situation I heard the howl 

 of a panther some distance away, probably 

 ot the place where I had bled the deer. I 

 did not like that at all. I had a good gun 

 and plenty of ammunition, but could not 

 help feeling lonesome. To add to my dis- 

 comfort I suddenly saw, directly in front 

 of me, on the other side of the fire, a pair 

 of blazing eyes. I immediately fired at 

 them and they disappeared. 



Then to put my deer out of reach of 



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