THE WEST SHORE.
8
One aummer morning, as the gray dawn Btole down
Into the valley from tho mountain lops, Minuke took his
bow and quiver of flint-pointed arrows and salliod forth
to replenish with fresh venison the depleted larder. Ere
j he began to ascend the mountains he saw across the
J glistening surface of the dew-bathed grass the wide
j branching antlers of a large buck, which was browsing in
a small thicket of rose briars that grew on the edgo of
T the valley. As he approached, the doer raised his head
1 and gazed at him with his large lustrous eyes, but ere he
oould fit an arrow to his bowstring bounded nimbly away.
Not far distant the mountains olosod down abruptly upon
, w the valley, hedging it in with a wall of rock, Bave at tho
point where the river rushed through a narrow gorge in
a foaming torrent Into the gorge sprang the door,
closely followed by the hunter, until he reached a point
where it opened out again into a wide valley. Near the
head of the gorge the stream poured into it from a steep
and rocky ravine, falling in a high cascade whoso voice
resounded from the rocks and filled the gorge with a
ceaseless roar.
Instead of entering the broad valley the flooing door
turned up the ravine and bounded nimbly from orag to
crag, where it was impossible for human foot to follow,
and was Boon lost to view. Undaunted by this, and eager
to secure such noble game, Minuke turned back and
sought an old deer trail by which he might reach the
2 plateau- above. Ere ho gained the top his eyes were
i gladdened by a sight of antlers nodding in a grove of
4 wild cherry trees on the plateau beyond. Cautiously he
f stole forward from rock to rock until near his proy, and,
fitting an arrow to his bow, witli sure eye and steady
i hand he drew it to the hoal Tlion lotting il fly from
t the string he sprang forward, confident of finding his
game lying upon the ground; but the buck was gono,
$ while not even a drop of blood upon the loaves or grass
told him his arrow had reached its mark. Tho hunter
? was bewildored. His chase had disappeared, and lie
knew not which way to turn in pursuit Boyond the
grove the plain was covered with groon grass and dotted
, here and there with groups of red pine, while a shining
lake, source of the cascade below, reflected the now rising
sun whose beams sought tho water through the drooping
. branches of willows that fringed iU shores.
The hunter, panting from the fatigue and excitement
1 of the chase, ran to the lake to quench his thirst in its
: cool waters; but as he stooped to drink he Baw reflected
before him the antlored head of the buck. Forgetting
his thirst he sprang to his feet nnd was rewarded with a
sight of fresh tracks in tho moist earth, and following
I the direction of these with his eye he was gladdoued by
I a glimpse of the deer, already a long distance away.
I Thirst and fatigue were forgotten, and tho hunter thought
only of the noble game and the joy of his parents at seo
f ing him return with it upon his shoulders. For miles he
followed the track, clearly defiuod in tho damp earth,
I until he reached the base of a high mountain rising from
the plateau, its steep sides densely covered with tinibor.
i The track led him into this forest, which at first consisted
of large trees not too olose together, through whose
branches the sunbeams glinted and the shadows of whose
giant truuka lay slanting upon tho ground. As he ad
vanced the wood became densor and darkor and tho un
derbrush thick and dillioult to ponotrate. Tho tops of
the giant pines interlaced and shut out the buii, while
prostrate trunks, mosB oovored and almost hidden by
trailing vinos, barred his way. Slowly ho followed the
trail as it wound in and out among the treoB and thiukots
gradually asconding tho steep slope,
Deopor and doeper he entorod the forest, whoso gloom
became more intense as he progressed, filling his heart
with an awe, which was deepened by tho mournful howl
ing of a wolf, tho crying of wild birds and tho groaning
of tho tree tops, whoso intorwovou branohos rubbed
against each other as tliey swayod in the broozo. Finally
the hunter became completely bowildorod, wandorod
from tho trail, and after vaiuly Becking it again realiod
that ho was lost in the heart of this denso and cheerless
foroHt. Relieved now from tho excitement of tho ohaso,
tho pangs of hunger, and thirst mado thoir prosouoe felt
for many hours had elapsod sinco ho breakfasted in his
wigwam, and tho violent exertions he had mado had
parched his lips and throat He sought long for tho
faint trail he had been following, and had almost aban
doned hopo of finding it,, when his ear caught tho
babbling Bound of a running stream. With a shout of
joy he turned toward it nnd forcing his way through tho
thick undergrowth and fallon timber, ho soon reachod a
small rivulet of icy cold water. He drank a deep and
refreshing draught lying on tho grassy bank with his
faco thrust into tho water, and then, rising to his feet
followed tho oourso of a trail which he observed running
along tho bank of tho stream.
Minuke had followed tho trail but a short distanoo
when a blinding Hood of sunlight burst upon him, as he
emergod from tho dark wood into a beautiful grassy
ghulo. His eye was fascinated by tho scene. O'or the
ground, carpotod deeply witli moss and grass, trailed
masses of wild clematis, here and there climbing the
trunks of giant pines and depending in graceful festoons
from the branches. Through the contro of tho glado ran
tho sparkling rill, its banks Iwrdorod with wild syringas,
whoso perfume filled tho air with sweetness. Minuko
was entranced. Wild bramblo berries bordered the vale
and tempted him to appease his hunger; and filling his
fire-bag with tho luscious fruit, he throw himself down
un the soft green carpet, with his buck resting against
the mossy trunk of a fallen pine, and abandoned himself
to the luxury of his repast .Boon, however, his thirst
and hunger satisfied, Ids fatigued limbs relaxed from
exertion nnd his senses held captive by the Iniauty of tho
scene and tho murmuring musio of tho stream, ho was
lost in refreshing slumW. Ere ho awoke tho shades of
twilight had begun to gather, and the dark shadows'of
tho trees fell athwart tho little valo. His half-aroused
senses were called into sudden activity by hearing his
name culled by some unseen person. He sprang to his
feet and gnzed around in bewildoriuout, and though he