Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-04-21
sEcoNp pAY-rHE DEER HUNv.

never was n fish OF any Kind IN this creek longer
,hOn your little finger. Good day. sir
SECOND pAY--THE DEER HUNT.
Returning from my lucky fishing excursion,
reached the camp just in time to secure portion
Of the rough dinner which had been prepared,
and 10 get:ready to Join the afternoons " drive"
was tilotnted.Upon a shaggy--and am inclined
to believe vicious, NATURALIZATION pony, former |
lY the property of the celebrated Jim Bowie, the
very animal that he rode nj the bloody fight at the
Alamo in Texas, and which had accompanied that
strange, chivaIric InaR threugh many wild
scene Of peril Had the poor animal been en-
lowed with the faculty OF speech, he could have
related mnny story Of the adventures aud dan.
srrs through which he had borne his fearless mas
| ter. Though now well advanced in years consd-
| erabe vigor yet remained in his frame his eye
was bright, and a vast deal Of that excellent spe-
| cies OF wisdom which comes from experience,
was manifested by his expressive, grave and thot-
| ful countenanoe. If any thing, he looked little
too pedanic, and in his behavior displayed rather
| too much dogmasnl but these are faults Tor
which quddruped can be forgiven more readily
| than many two legged animal. Mounted upon
| the pony, with my gun resting upon the ponmel
of the saddle, rotled to the stand allotted me,
where YVES directed 10 wait until the deer we
| expected 10 start up should pass me. la taking
my position met with but one slight accident. -
! The poRy perfectly we'll understood TINT | was
not destined TO witch the world with noble horse
|
| he thought proper, without previous warning, 10
test my skill in a sort Of flying leap. The ascend
| ing part was very easy and very pretty but when
| he chose to bring lis fore feet TO the ground o.
gain, was " taken with leaving" and landed in
| pile OF brush about rod distant from my prop
seat in the saddle. II my equaniin'ty toas sone-
| whit disturbed with this operation, nm sure the
| pony did not feel at all astonlshed, Tor he stood
gazing AT the neekly and so deRurely, that for
the life OF me- whatever my misgivlngs, l could
not conclude The accident was done on purpose"
Alter had assumed my "stand' the afternoon
dragged on very quietly. Hour after hour gded
Ivy, but still the deer came not. Once or twice
thought heard The distant baying of the hounds,
but they did not see lit 10 disturb my solitary
treat. When the sun was about setlng gather
ed up "my dads" aud retraced my steps to the
Springs The hunters struggled in one by one, all
unsuccessful.
Four or five of US, for the time, determined to
be free from care, passed that night in fun and
froic: though often admonshed by The older hun
tiers that we should he reused cut of our beds be-
, fore day-break, yet we made the woods ring with
our crazy merrment, and it was not until some
OF the 'short hours" had fled, that we sought the
refreshments Of sleep. The leaders were as good
as their word, for we had hardly INDUCED in de-
{ cent nap, before the blowing of horns and The it,
dsscribabie bowling aud yelping of about forty
hounds called us forth. hssty breakfast was
swallowed, and we again scattered. Being par
, toned to he placed in the path the animal would
naturally take il started and not stationed as had
previously been done, where n deer had not been
seen for at least thousand years. Accordingly
was directed to 60 to spot where the path
crossed the creek, and 10 be especially watchiu
ard vigilant for the driver 'tident that hi
3 should start an old buck, with whose haunt hi
Q was well acquainted. Almost every huIter in TIT
4 region had been favored with shot, ut some pc
Rod at this old tenant OF the forest, but he sIi
g roamed his native woods free and independent
and seemed determined 10 toss his antlers at hi
= will in his own domain ] wendell my way Il
the creek, by the gray lgt of the dawnng day
d and took my station. II was an hour at least, be
S fore the "hounds opened and | strained my ca
Q to catch the direction. They wero mile or wv
from me- Tor the sound of their voices came faint
# ly, grew yet fainter, and finally ceased altegethe
r in the Gisiance. Another hour slowly fed, an
81 the silence gave evidence that my companion
Is were far far away in the chase. AT last l drew
IS pocket edition of the Lady of the Lake from m
o wallet, and plunged into SCOTS glorious descrp
d lion of mountain scenery and of the mounlai
n chase
"a 'sThe anered monarch OF the waste
r Sprang from his heathery couch in haste,
AZ But e'er his fleet he took,
a The dew drops from his flank he shook,
v" Like crested leader proud and high,
Raised his beamed frontlet to the sky
4, A gazed down the dale,
- A moment snuffed the tainted gale,
Z. A moment listened to the cry,
az That thickened the chase drew nigh
III Then the head-most foes appeared,
~ With brave bound the copse he cleared,
IN And stretching forward free and far,
In Sought the wild heaths Of Uam-VaT"
~, s,;rr bn,