primitive
fire-pans.

A method similar to this is practised by the hunters of the North, who
go at night in boats or canoes to the edges of ponds to which deer
resort to feed upon lily-pads. There this method of hunting is called
"jacking" for deer, and the fire-pan, or "jack," is fixed in the bow of
the boat, while the hunter, rifle in hand, crouches and watches beneath
it.

Their first attempt at fire hunting was made by the boys on foot in the
woods near the mill; but here they made so much noise in the underbrush
that, though they "shined" several pairs of eyes, these vanished before
a shot could be fired at them. In consequence of this ill-luck they
returned home tired and disgusted, and Mark said he didn't think fire
hunting was very much fun after all.

Soon after this, however, Frank persuaded him to try it again, and this
time they went on horseback. Both the Elmer horses were accustomed to
the sound of fire-arms, and warranted, when purchased, to stand
perfectly still, even though a gun should be rested between their ears
and discharged.

This time, having gone into a more open country, the hunters were
successful; and having shot his first deer, and being well smeared with
its blood by Frank, Mark came home delighted with his success and
anxious to go on another hunt as soon as possible.

The country to the east of Wakulla being very thinly settled, abounded
with game of all descriptions, and especially deer. In it were vast
tracts of open timber lands that were quite free from underbrush, and
admirably fitted for hunting. This country was, however, much broken,
and contained many dangerous "sink holes."

In speaking of this section, and in describing these "sink holes" to
the Elmers one evening, Mr. March had said,

"Sinks, or sink holes, such as the country to the east of this abounds
in, are common to all limestone formations. They are sudden and
sometimes very deep depressions or breaks in the surface of the ground,
caused by the wearing away of the limestone beneath it by underground
currents of water or rivers. In most of these holes standing water of
great depth is found, and sometimes swiftly running water. I know
several men who have on their places what they call 'natural wells,' or
small, deep holes in the ground, at the bottom of which flow streams of
water. Many of these sinks are very dangerous, as they open so abruptly
that a person might walk into one of them on a dark night before h