The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-10-09
A DAYS SPORT In THE adj
RONDACKS.

4 ! 80 $500 A-OA~@AAb "a -
The guides are up and stirring before
lit is fairly light, and the sun has not
risen above the tree.tops when Rauts
bald head appears between the tent
flaps, and he reminds US Of our SOL
emn promise to make an early start.
! The air is eager and nipping, and We
hurry to get dressed, putting On an
extra coat, and sitting down with a
little shiver to a breakfast of stesmipg
coffee and venison steak and potatoes
steve is already starting into the
woods with the hounds. He fsstens
their chains to his belt, and sets of
with a long, swinging stride, following
no path, but making for certain
ridge far back in the forest, where he
hopes to find stag or two not yet
a1akeud from their morning nap.
1t will be q hard tramp, through
swamps and thickets, jungle of un-
derbrush and tangles OF fallen wood,
With the dogs pulling and tugging al
his belt, and nosing the ground impa-
tiently for scent. After an hour or
two, if be finds fresh track. he will
let one of them loose, and then go on
to start a second, and, II he can, q
third. The dogs are noble creatures
two of them thorough hounds with
long hanging ears, and the other q
rough Scotch dog, with the keenness
and pertinacity that belong to his
race. They will follow the track with
'untiring Yigor, crawling through the
densest slash OF burned and fallen
timber, rushing along the more open
hardwood ridges, threading the tan
gled alder thickets, dashing through
marches, swimming narrow streams,
until at last the deer crosses some
runway where hunter stands, or
takes some larger water, and is cap
tured or escs pee. Then, if there be
no one there to take the dog in, he
turns and follows his track back until
be comes to the camp, and oreeps In,
wet and hungry and tired. to lie down
by the fire, and wait for his master to
feed him.
In the mean time We have finished
our preparations. and are pushing
out in our boats to take pose; sion Of
the watch grounds The light mist
of the morning is curling up in fan
tastic shapes from the water, and the
air is yet unwsrmed by the SUN, as
we turn away each to his appointed
station-one on q little pond some
three miles up winding stream,
another on an island at the head OF
the lake, another down at Red Island,
and Peter alone, for be is a ready
oarsmap, has charge Of the island in
front OF the camp. 1t is tiresOme
work watching alone, for your eyes
must DE strained 10 catch the first
sight of the deer as he enters the
water, or moves, visible only as
black spot. across the surface. Fancy
often plays sou tricks. 30 that float
iDg piece Of wood, or q i1on swim
ming across some distant bay, seems
to be deer's head, and you set out
in pursuit. and almost break your
back, until you discover your mis-
take.
But If you have a good guide with
you, you may leave the larger part of
the watching to his sharp eyes, and
fld shady place, amuse yourself
with a book. or watch the ants crawl
ing through the grass forest. or lie
and dream, letting your thoughts
wander lazily along the curving
shores and among the drifting clouds.
Presently there comes faint sound,
very different from those constant
noises OF the woods and waters 10
which you have been listening.
Reub Strengthens himself On the pro
jecting limb Of the dead pine where
he is sitting. Hsra! q faint note of
q hounds voice coming over the trees.
Il is Jack. He is running Now the
C 1sse is coming toward us. You can
hear toe sharp ringing bark distinc-
tly. How eagerly he runs! There is
q moment of silence. BE is puzzled,
Or is struggling with some difficulty.
Now the cry rings out again in quick.
clear notes. The wind sweeps it |
away, and then brings it back with |
new power. I! grows fainter and
fainter. He is passing around some |
nilI or ridge in the forest. He is
turning away. No, here he comes
again, clearer and louder than eveIs
He is making for the lake. But what
Is this? The music ceases. Then
t begins more slowly. The deer has
made turn. and is swinging away
Tor Stony Pond. Jack follows him,
and his voice grows fainter, and then
IS lost as he passes back into the |
orest, We are dissp pointed.
We look down the lake again.
suddenly Peters boat puts out from
he island where he is watching. He
g pulling for dear lite. He must see
something. We will go down. Reub's
,inewy arms make the oars bend, and |
he boat flies through the water. Do
you SEQ that dark spot moving out
rom the shore? It is deer, buck, |
| noble head. Peter is still little in
advance of us. But the deer swims
ast. Will he get aWsy9 Peter pulls
,ravely, and at last his boat shoots
the stsg and the point for
rhich he was making, The great l