VIRGINIAN DEER. 67 
round him with distended mouth ; and in his hand 
a bloody tomahawk. By this he implies a destruc- 
tive menace to any who are bold enough to invade 
their territories, or to interrupt their diversion. 
“ The chase is carried on in different ways. Some 
surprise the deer by using the stale of the head, horns, 
and hide ; but the general method is performed by 
the whole body. Several hundreds disperse in a 
line, encompassing a vast space of country, fire the 
woods, and drive the animals into some strait or 
peninsula, where they become an easy prey. The 
deer alone are not the object ; foxes, racoons, bears, 
and all beasts of fur, are thought worthy of at- 
tention, and articles of commerce with the Eu- 
ropeans. 
u The number of deer destroyed in some parts 
of America is incredible ; it is pretended, from an 
absurd idea which the savages have, that the more 
they destroy, the more they shall find in suc- 
ceeding years. Certain it is that multitudes are 
destroyed ; the tongues only preserved, and the car- 
cases left a prey to wild beasts. But the motive is 
much more political. The savages well discern, 
should they overstock the market, that they would 
certainly be over-reached by the European dealers, 
who take care never to produce more goods than 
are barely sufficient for the demand of the season, 
establishing their prices according to the quantity 
of furs brought by the natives. The hunters live 
in their quarters with the utmost festivity, and in- 
dulge in all the luxuries of the country. Their 
f 2 
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