Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-11-22
A FIGHT WITH A DEER.
Charlie Freeman, Marrow Escap'
In Britlah Col U IN bia.


i'm British Columbia.
Archie Freeman and his brother
Charlie, SONS of d. Freeman, Ct the Cen
tinela Rancho, have just returned from a
two months hunting expedition after big
game in British Columbia. They were
very successful, and brought back a
large box filed with some very fine heads
of deer, elk, etc. The finest pair of ant
lers in the collection was only obtained
after fierce fight, in which the younger
hoy, Charlie, had a narrow escape from
being killed. On the last day OF October
he had gone up alone to Shawnegan
Lake after deer. He took a boat out,
pulled across the lake, and then went
inland about three miles, when he caught
eight of an enormous buck, and at the
| first shot brought him down. The shot
was long one, and by the time he came
to where the deer was lying he was ap-
parently in the throes of death. Putting
bis rifle against tree few yards away
the boy drew his hunting knife and ap-
preached to bleed his game. He noticed
as he approached the deer that he had
shot him through the body six or
eight inches further back than where
he had aimed to hit him. Just as he was
about to put his hand upon the horns the
deer bounded up and came at him with a
fierce thrust. His onset was so sudden
and unexpected that he nearly succeeded
in knocking the boy down, and had he
done so would undoubtedly have killed
him. But, as he charged, the young
sportsman warded off his thrust with his
left hand. In doing this the deer forced
one of the prongs of his antlers through
the boys hand just at the base of the
thumb. The young hunter knowing that
the only chance for his life was to keep
the deer from goring him, held on to the
horn on which his hand was impaled,
and with his hunting knife in his right
hand endeavored to cut the deer's throat.
For few minutes the fight was doubtful,
but the buck at length succumbed after
repeated stabs, and the deer and the boy
sank down upon the earth, one dead
and the other not much better off. The
deer's horn had lacerated the hand in q
dreadful manner. The main artery had
been severed and the blood was flowing
in streams. The boy wrapped up his
hand as we'll as he could with his hand
kerchief, and, taking his rifle, started on
his long and weary march home. He
looked back upon his dead foe, and Sec
ing that his antlers were finer than any
he had yet obtained, he determined to
| try and carry them home as a trophy of
his terrible fight. Accordingly, he cut
off the deer's head and started again.
Weak as he was from loss of blood, he
made but slow progress. When he ar
rived at his boat his real trouble began.
He could only use one hand in rowing,
and it was only after two hours hard
work that he reached the opposite shore.
He went to the nearest railway station
and took the train for Victoria, where he
had his wound dressed. He was in bed
for a dry or two, and it was three weeks
before the doctor who attended him
would allow him to start for home. The
knowledge of his mishap was carefully
concealed from his father, who wondered
why the boy did not return, and was
very much astonished when he met his
son at the station on Monday to see him
with his arm in q sling. However, the
wounded hand is nearly healed, but
Charlie will always have an ugly seal
and a pair of antlers to remind him O
his terrible fight for life on a mountain
side in British Columbia.