Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-02-14


that If had desired / could have al
most touched them with my outstretched
hand. They we're absolutely dszed with
the strong light that was thrown upon
them.
Neither of ns spoke, aud If we-moved
hand or foot we did It with the utmost
caution. 1t is as onishing how loud
noise is made by the touch of a boot or
paddle against the side of the skiff in
the night, and the utmost caution must
be taken lest the quick-eared denizens
Of the forest hear it and vanish.
Silently we hoated on, impelled by
Steve's paddle, which did not leave or
break the water, but moved in the
steady sweep known only to the Indian
and the experienced hunter.
From the forest came wild cries of
marauding animals and discordant howl
ings of the great owls. Among the
weeds, upon the shore, huge frogs
croaked and screamed in many keys !;
ever and anon the cracking OF twigs and
sticks in the forest indicated the pres
ence of some large animal, and upon
the water, occasionally, the hoarse
quack, quaek, of flock of dusky ducks,
or the preate, preate of summer ducks,
fell upon the ear.
Suddenly heard splash short dis
tance before us, near the shore, as if a
large animal were walking in the water.
Steve heard it at the same moment, and
giving the boat slight shake, the sig
nal agreed upon between US if deer
were near, he slowly padded toward the
sound.
Silently cooking the gun, and resting
it upon the gunwale of the skiff, I
watched and waited. In a few moments
saw the deer standing in the water,
feeding upon the lily pads and the foliage
of the willow bushes. He was huge
buck, splendid fellow, and a prize
worth carrying back to camp. Steve
had before the hunt assured me that he
could paddle the skiff up to deer in
the water at night, so that if L wished, I
might touch it with my hand. I now
gave him the opportunity, and 80 near
did we approach to the deer'that / could
have poked it with a setting-pole, if I
had had one.
Gazing upon the animal with admir-
ing eyes, I watched his every motion as
he waded about in the water, browsing
the leaves; at length notioning to Steve
to back off few rods, I took aim for the
bucks heart and pulled the trigger; the
animal gave leap clear of the water and
dropped dead.
The load report echoed and reverber-
ated from mountain to mountain and
died away in the distance; the frogs, for
a moment, ceased their clamor, and
everything was silent as the desert.
In short time, however, the wild
cries among the woods and waters re-
commenced; the report of gun, if un-
accompanied with any other sound, not
causing more alarm than would clap
of thunder, and it is fact often men
toned by hunters, that one may shoot
several deer in the same pond at night
if he makes no other noise than the dis
charge Of his rife.
Steve padded up to the deer, and
drawing his hunting knife, bled the ami
NAL and then pulled it into the boat. 1t
was huge beast, one of the largest
bucks ever saw, and it settled our skiff
pretty we'll in the water.
Glad of the opportunity to stretch my
legs, that had become cramped from
having been kept in one position SO
long, stood up in the boat; but I was
soon glad to take my seat again, on
Steve's informing me that it would be
bad joke if the boat was to upset, as he
could not swim stroke; for myself, /
had no fears, for am good swimmer,
and could probably have taken care Of
both of US; but I did not care to get a
wetting at that time of night.
As I took my seat I reached my hand
over the gunwale and found that there
was still three inches to spare.
"What shall we no now ?" whispered
Morse as he resumed his seat and pad
die. "Shall we try for another or go
back to the outlet ?"
81 don't know what to say" I replied
in low tone. eff shoot another can
we save it Isn't the skiff pretty full
now ?"
"Bless you," replied Steve, "I've
had good deal more in her than we've
got now; just as you say, however"
AS he evidently was not fully sated,
and knowing that two deer could be dis
posed of by our large party at camp, we
continued along the shore in search Of
another buck.
The character of the shore soon
changed, becoming rocky and covered
with evergreens instead of alders and
willows. Skirting this point we moved
more rapidly, Steve evidently feeling
sure that no deer would be found there.
Once or twice we heard the whistling
snort of deer, but none were i'll the
water, and we soon approached another
line of willow. covered marsh.
Suddenly loud splash was heard i'll
the water, and deer sprang out and
crashed through the bushes and van
ished. We had made no noise what
ever, and /, for moment, wondered d
what had given the alarm; but I re-
membered / had just before swung the
lantern around suddenly upon its pivot,
30 as to throw the light out upon the
water, and the sudden flash had startled
the game. In jack-hunting for deer,
one must always move the lantern SLOW
ly and with the most even motion posi-
BILE.
Again we moved on, and before ten
minutes had passed the splash Of
another deer was heard in the water
ahead of us, and we approached the
spot. The vivid light soon revealed the
animal standing like a red statue on the
edge of the water; he evidently regarded
our approach with suspicion, and would
take flight on the first sign of danger.
sat with my gun cooked, and when !
could see the glisten of his eyes, l pull.
ed the trigger. At first thought had
missed him, for he did not move, but
soon he took two or three stumbling
steps and dropped to the ground; be-
fore we had reached him he was dead.
Morse bled him as he had done the