But the
venison was nearly all gone; and after breakfast Jacob and Edward,
with the dog Smoker, went out into the woods. Edward had no gun, as he
only went out to be taught how to approach the game, which required
great caution; indeed Jacob had no second gun to give him, if he had
wished so to do.
"Now, Edward, we are going after a fine stag, if we can find him,
which I doubt not; but the difficulty is, to get within shot of him.
Recollect that you must always be hid, for his sight is very quick;
never be heard, for his ear is sharp; and never come down to him with
the wind, for his scent is very fine. Then you must hunt according to
the hour of the day. At this time he is feeding; two hours hence he
will be lying down in the high fern. The dog is no use unless the stag
is badly wounded, when the dog will take him. Smoker knows his duty
well, and will hide himself as close as we do. We are now going into
the thick wood ahead of us, as there are many little spots of cleared
ground in it where we may find the deer; but we must keep more to the
left, for the wind is to the eastward, and we must walk up against it.
And now that we are coming into the wood, recollect, not a word must
be said, and you must walk as quietly as possible, keeping behind me.
Pages:
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57