The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-07-05
AN ADVENTURE WITH PIRATES.

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Il for l could see its blood upon the
bushes through which it had rushed
after receiving the shot. thought of
going back for my horse before pursuing
it. had left him tied to tree some
two or three hundred yards back, the
better to approach the game. While hes
itating, | noticed clear sky through the
timber on three sides-right, left and in
front. This could be caused only by the
river, as the whole bottom land was cover
ed with thick cottonwood forest. 1t
must be bend in the stream, forming a
sort of peninsula, with an isthmus of not
more than a hundred yards in width,
my position being about midway between
the recurvings of the river. In this case
the buck would be in trap, and could
not get back into the bottom-land without
passing me within shot. His only alter
native would be to take to the water,
which he might do, or might not AS it
was the broad Mississippi, he likely
would not; but, in any case, the horse
would be of no use there; and hastily
reloadng, walked on.
had no difficulty in taking the trail
Of the stricken animal, Under the shad-
ow of the moss-trellised trees, the soil was
damp, and the " slot" was conspicious-
the more so, that the antlered monarch of
the forest evidently had been laboring in
his flight. Once again | saw gouts of
blood upon the palmettos, brushed off
from his bleeding hanks,as he ran through
them.
| soon reached the edge of the river,
and there saw his hoofmarks in the mud
that selvedged the sloping bank. There
were no return tracks; therefore he had
taken to the river. 1t was the Missis-
sippi' as have said, but not the main
stream At glance, | saw it was "cut-
of"-a small, wooded island interposing
itself between me and the great Father
of Waters" Beyond doubt, the deer
had swan off to the island, there, equal
ly beyond doubt, as l supposed, to lie
down and die.
lie was splendid buck, with not less
than a dozen tines" upon his antlers-
| had noticed this while drawing bead
upon him. | wanted him for trophy,
and was determined to have him. But
how the branch stream though not
over hundred yards in width, was Of
rapid turbulent current. Stripped, l
could swim it, though not comfortably,
or carry dry gun-ce certainly not to
bring back with me the carcass of large
deer. The horns, perhaps l might.
Better the trophy than nothing.
had half made up my mind to strip
and swim to the i, and, when | bethought
me of boat, though of little hope Of
there being any near.
Along the river for miles there was no
habitation | had hunted there before
and knew it. For all this by a sort of
involuntary inspiration, l glanced inter-
negatively around, with my eyes sweep
ing whatever of water-surface was in
sight.
There was a boat in sight, but it was a
fiat "a regular broad horn" and, of
course, unavailable for my purpose. 1t
was far out in the main-stream, beyond
the wooded iset, which it had already
passed. As / set my eyes upon it, it was
Just running jotting point below; and
as its great steering oar disappeared from
my sight, could make out on the stern
beneath, painted in rudely-shaped letters
the name,
NANCY"
The Nancy could be of no use to me
and at once dismissing her from my mind,
| was about to commence stripping, when
a canoe, shooting round the upper end Of
the islet, came right down the cutoff.
There were two men in it, They were
in their shirt-sleeves-re shirts, at that,
a good deal soiled and faded. Their
features were shaded by broad-brimed
wool hats, also the worse for wear. |
did not stop to scrutinize either their
dress or features, but at once hailed
them.
g want to cross over to the island ;
will you take me-"
What dye want to cross thar for p
GIVE wounded a deer-a fine buck.
He has swum there. He is dying or
dead before this. | want to get him.