THE DEER AND THE CUYOTES. 137 



pitiable to see a poor stag, with his tongue 

 swollen and lolling out of his mouth, take to 

 water, cross and recross the rivers, and shape 

 his course up and down the stream to destroy 

 his scent and make the pack throw up. It is 

 of little use ; the gaunt cuyotes appear shortly 

 on their long trot, and, on arriving at the 

 river, some take one side and some the other, 

 some go up stream, and others down ; and 

 the successful party acquaints the remainder 

 of the scent being recovered by a peculiar 

 howl. It would be no use for the hunter to 

 shoot the stag if he passed close even, espe- 

 cially if he had been long hunted, as the flesh 

 would, from being so heated, in that climate 

 turn putrid in two or three hours. But it is 

 possible sometimes to save the poor beasts 

 life ; for, except the first time, when, not 

 being aware the deer was hunted he got a 

 ball from me, I have always let him pass, 

 and, hiding myself near the trail, given a 

 couple of shots to the leading cuyotes, which 

 is quite enough to make the remainder turn 

 tail and give up the pursuit. If the poor 

 stag has been long on foot, he seldom benefits 

 by his escape ; he makes to the nearest 

 stream, and a circling flight of vultures soon 

 gives notice that the struggle for life has been 



