San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-06-15

the light of the camp fire. The morn,
ing being exceedingly chilly, we started
ont AS soon as IL was light enough "
enable us TO see the ground distinctly
lint. though We walked rapidly, / found
nv teeth chattering despite all my ei'
forts TO stop them, while my preath
curled slowly upward in the air rs II II
were miniature Russian bath. :,
Our route led us through q dark
chasm, so terrible in its cayernous gloom
that / believe my teeth chartered n lit
tie more, while the silence was 80 OPP
pressive that felt as If 1 had the
nightmare.
We finally reached the summit OF the
chasm, and entered pine forest,where
he antlered monarchs of the mountains
were supposed to reign; but, after
walking for half an hour, we failed to
find any of them. Meanwhile the
clouds poured down a shower that wet
us 10 the skin, and, as it froze as 1T fell,
we were almost benumbed with cold.
We trudged onward, however, and trod
rs lightly on the cracking bushes as II
thew were eggs, and deer were con-
cealed in every bush. :,
Walking as carefully as we could, we
peered into every bush for the large
black eyes of our intended victims
When we reached a coppice OF trees
that skirted thread.like brook, my
companion stopped suddenly ana
pointed ahead. Looking in the direc'
ton indicated, I saw group OF deer
partially hidden in the dense shrub
berry. The leader of the party, mag
nifcent stag, held his head erect and
listened attentively for the footsteps OF
foe, while the dear little ladies OF his
family daintily nibbled at some tender
leaves, feeling safe under his powerful
protection. =,
The hunter fred ut the stag 80 quickly
that the whole band had disappeared
amid q shower of leaves before ever
thought of lifting my rifle.
"Hit," was all my companion said as
he dashed after tho fugitives. l fol-
lowed him, but was soon left so far In
the rear that I could neither see nor
hear him.
Not liking the idea of being left
alone, kept running aimlessly on. l
wanted to shout for him, but dared not.
So wandered hither and thither. l
crossed one canyon, and was about to
recross it, when I heard shot on the
opposite side. Looking in that direc-
ton, saw the hunter, rifle in hand,
standing over the PROSTATE form of the
stag. I was about to join him, when l
was astounded by seeing the apparently
dead animal spring to its feet, charge
the hunter in the most desperate man
ner, knock him down and stamp on
him. The assailed man responded to
this challenge by drawing knife and
plunging it into the neck of his assail-
ant. was so stupefied at the attack
that I looked on for some time beforel
realized the danger of the situation;
but when I recovered my wits [ has
tened to my friends assistance. 1t
took me some time to reach him, and
when I did I found him and the deer
lying on. the ground close together.
The latter was dead, and the hunter
seemed to he, for his clothes were badly
torn, he was covered with blood, and
sshe ground for radius of several yards
was trampled as if a band of gladiators
had been using it for a battle ground.
On examining my friend found that
he was wounded in the chest, arms and
legs, and completely exhausted by the
struggle. gave him a drink of water,
which so revived him that he was soon
able to sit up and tell me of his terrible
struggle for life. It was, it seems, up
to the last moment question which
would prove the victor, for whatever
advantage his knife gave the hunter
was more than counterbalanced by the
powerful antlers of his assailant, which
were used in the most effective man
ner. The hunter was about giving up
the struggle, from exhaustion, when,
by lucky blow, he cut the jugular
vein of his adversary, and both fell al
most together.
When he finished his description of
the contest, 1 led him to the stream,
where his wounds were washed. Find
ing after awhile that he was strong
enough to walk, we returned to camp,
leaving the slain animal as food for car
nivorous birds and beasts. We staid
in camp that night, and returned to his
home the next day, where he received
such primitive treatment as his half
breed wife could give him. From the
nearest railway station I sent him band
ages and medicines by messenger.
have since learned that he was confined
to the house for several months, and
that it was only his splendid constitu
ton which enabled him to recover. But
he is only a wreck of what he was, and
is totally unfit to follow his former ar