The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-05-13
CORRESPONDENCE
LETTERS FROM VIRGINIA.
A Deer Hunt.
A Deer Hunt.
No. 23.

MESSRS. EDITORS: wv nile NUMBER OF
your readers doubtless know as much, and
some of them probably great deal more,
about Deer driving than do, yet hope
to be able to invest the hunt | am about
to relate with interest enough to make it
readable to those with whom such sport
may be novelty.
A number of years ago, when l was a
younger and much more active man than
am at present, it fell to my lot to act a
somewhat prominent part in "drive,"
in, which l acquitted myself about as
creditably as in the bear-hunt with
Wilburn Waters, Of which tried to give
you q faint outline in my last letter.
Col. Addison White, at that time a men,
Der of Congress from Kentucky, (now a
resident of Alabama) was spending few
weeks in our town, (of which he is a
native) and as he was, as he still is, a
genial, whole souled gentleman, splendid
shot, and excessively fond of Hunting, those
of his friends here who kept hounds and
were also fond of the sport, made up hunt
for his qualification, and repaired to the
mountains with tent and such creature
comforts, both solid and liquid, as were
deemed necessary for sojoum of several
days in the woods. Arriving at the bank
of the river, some ~ miles from town, we
pitched our tent, made huge fire of logs
in front of the opening, partook of supper
and fed the waiting dogs all standing round
in couples. This accomplished, some
stretched themselves upon their blankets,
others amused themselves at "old sledge"
and other pastimes, while the "drivers,"
lone of whom | was which," as College
boys sometimes say, divided the dogs
among them, filled their haversacks and
bottles, and for the purpose of making an
early start proceeded to the mountain, a
few miles away, to rest beneath the giant
hemlocks, where, deprived of the hilarity
and good cheer of the encampment, they
enjoyed the soothing influences of the
voices of the night.
For the benefit of those of your readers
who may not be familiar with the molus OPP
era,adi of deer drive, it may not be out
of place to give brief explanation. All
except the drivers take stands. Deer, in
warm weather, usually seek the highest,
coolest and most inaccessible peaks in the
mountains, and when started from their lairs
run certain well-known routes, and make
for the nearest stream, at certain points or
crossings, which hunters call stands"
Nine deer out of ten, and nine times out
of ten, if started in the same range, will
which are all known to practical hunters.
On the occasion referred to, Col. White
was stationed at one of the best stands on
the bank of the Holston, and it fell to my
lot, as before stated, to be one of the dri-
vers. Early in the morning, while all was
serene and quiet, aud the wild-fowers were
bending beneath the moisture that Nature
had distilled upon them, untethered my
impatient canine companions and started
them upon their mission. They had trail
ed off but short distance, when they
"opened" in lively and eager chorus, soon
dumped" large four-pronged buck, in full
view from where l was standing, which,
from the direction he took, was satisfied
would attempt to cross the river at the
stand occupied by Col. White. Believing
this, followed on as rapidly as possible,
and was surprised when reached the river
and had crossed to the stand to learn from
the.Colonel that he had neither heard a
dog nor seen deer. But, while we were
talking about it, we heard a solitary dog
coming down the bank of the stream, on
the same side with us, and moment after
we saw the buck-the same had seen in
the mountain several hours before-going
out on the opposite side, 1870 yards above,
as was subsequently ascertained by actual
measurement. The deer, not being as close
ly pressed as is sometimes the case, had
circled around awhile in the hills, crossed
above through an unguarded stand, and
was now trying to elude the dogs by re-
crossing the river and making back towards
the mountain. But, as before said, we saw
him going out on the opposite side, 1870
yards above us, and seeing that Col. White
was about to shoot, suggested that the
game was too far off and running too fast
for rifle, and he would miss him, but he
replied he would be sure to miss if he
didn't shoot, and blazed away. The buck,
with as much noschalance as if nothing had
happened, shook the water from his TANKS
and disappeared in the underground. My
own impression was that the ball had not
reached him, but the Colonel commended
that he had struck him, and that the wound
was fatal. TO settle the question beyond