ccasion, I was followed by a
fine-looking hound, which had been presented to me a few days before by
a fellow-sportsman. I was anxious to test his qualities, and, knowing
that a mean dog will not often hunt well with a good one, I had tied up
the eager Bravo, and was attended by the strange dog alone. A brisk
canter of half an hour brought me to the wild forest hills. Slackening
the rein, I slowly wound my way up a brushy slope some three hundred
yards in length. I had ascended about half way, when the hound began to
exhibit signs of uneasiness, and, at the same instant a stag sprang out
from some underbrush near by, and rushed like a whirlwind up the slope.
A word, and the hound was crouching at my feet, and my trained Cherokee,
with ear erect, and flashing eye, watched the course of the
affrighted animal.

"On the very summit of the ridge, full one hundred and fifty yards,
every limb standing out in bold relief against the clear, blue sky, the
stag paused, and looked proudly down upon us. After a moment of
indecision, I raised my rifle, and sent the whizzing lead upon its
errand. A single bound, and the antlered monarch was hidden from my
view. Hastily running down a ball, I ascended the slope; my blood ran a
little faster as I saw the gouts of blood' which stained the withered
leaves where he had stood. One moment more, and the excited hound was
leaping breast high on his trail, and the gallant Cherokee bore his
rider like lightning after them.

"Away--away! for hours we did thus hasten on, without once being at
fault, or checking our headlong speed. The chase had led us miles from
the starting-point, and now appeared to be bearing up a creek, on one
side of which arose a precipitous hill, some two miles in length, which
I knew the wounded animal would never ascend.

"Half a mile further on, another hill reared its bleak and barren head
on the opposite side of the rivulet. Once fairly in the gorge, there was
no exit save at the upper end of the ravine. Here, then, I must
intercept my game, which I was able to do by taking a nearer cut over
the ridge, that saved at least a mile.

"Giving one parting shout to cheer my dog, Cherokee bore me headlong to
the pass. I had scarcely arrived, when, black with sweat, the stag came
laboring up the gorge, seemingly, totally reckless of our presence.
Again I poured forth the 'leaden messenger of death,' as meteor-like he
flashed by us. One bound, and the noble animal lay prost