Reminiscences of Sixty Years in Public Affairs, Vol. 1Boutwell, George S. (George Sewall)
History
Reminiscences of Sixty Years in Public Affairs, Vol. 1
Boutwell, George S. (George Sewall)
Boutwell, George S. (George Sewall), 1818-1905; United States -- Politics and government
After a time the light fell upon a deer. He raised his head and
gazed upon the light. Burr moved with the boat without making a
ripple and finally he held the boat with his oar and ordered me to
fire. This I did, and the deer ran for the shore, Burr pushed his
boat to the quag, took the jack, and followed the track. At the
distance of about fifteen rods he found the deer unable to move. Burr
applied his knife to the throat of the animal, and then dragged him to
the boat and we lifted him in. As Burr turned the boat he said, "Did
you her the deer whistle on the other side of the lake when you fired?"
I said no. Burr said they whistled and he was going over to see if we
couldn't get a shot. I referred to my promise to Hoyt, which Burr
answered with an oath of disapproval. As I saw no reason for getting
another deer I was disgusted with the new movement, and neglected to
re-load the empty barrel. When we reached the other side, we could
hear deer moving in the water among the tall grass, but we could not
see them. After a time I became interested in the undertaking, and I
raised myself upon my feet for the purpose of looking over the tall
grass. At once I was seen by a deer, and he made for the shore without
delay. In the excitement of the moment I discharged my remaining
barrel. The deer stopped suddenly, raised his tail, and whistled. I
thought that I had shot him, and that he would soon fall into the
water. I said to Burr, "How am I to get that deer?" Burr said, "I
don't know; you haven't hit him yet." The deer stood for a minute
within good range and fully exposed. Luckily I had only an empty gun,
or otherwise I might have killed a deer for which we had no use--for
which there could have been no excuse. The whistle of the animal was
a note of exultation and a notice that he was unharmed. Had he been
wounded he would have run without waiting to explain his condition.
This was the only success in deer hunting by any of the party. Hoyt
went out several times, to return a disappointed man.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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