the complete writings-3-第7章

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　band　of　pink　along　the　sky　above　the　tree…tops；　the　evening　star　was　a　perfect　circle　of　light；　a　hoop　of　gold　in　the　heavens。　　We　whirled　and　reeled；　and　reeled　and　whirled。　　I　was　willing　to　give　the　malicious　beast　butt　and　line；　and　all；　if　he　would　only　go　the　other　way　for　a　change。

When　I　came　to　myself；　Luke　was　gaffing　the　trout　at　the　boat…side。　After　we　had　got　him　in　and　dressed　him；　he　weighed　three…quarters　of　a　pound。　　Fish　always　lose　by　being　〃got　in　and　dressed。〃　　It　is　best　to　weigh　them　while　they　are　in　the　water。　　The　only　really　large　one　I　ever　caught　got　away　with　my　leader　when　I　first　struck　him。　　He　weighed　ten　pounds。




IV

A…HUNTING　OF　THE　DEER

If　civilization　owes　a　debt　of　gratitude　to　the　self…sacrificing　sportsmen　who　have　cleared　the　Adirondack　regions　of　catamounts　and　savage　trout；　what　shall　be　said　of　the　army　which　has　so　nobly　relieved　them　of　the　terror　of　the　deer？　　The　deer…slayers　have　somewhat　celebrated　their　exploits　in　print；　but　I　think　that　justice　has　never　been　done　them。

The　American　deer　in　the　wilderness；　left　to　himself；　leads　a　comparatively　harmless　but　rather　stupid　life；　with　only　such　excitement　as　his　own　timid　fancy　raises。　　It　was　very　seldom　that　one　of　his　tribe　was　eaten　by　the　North　American　tiger。　　For　a　wild　animal　he　is　very　domestic；　simple　in　his　tastes；　regular　in　his　habits；　affectionate　in　his　family。　　Unfortunately　for　his　repose；　his　haunch　is　as　tender　as　his　heart。　　Of　all　wild　creatures　he　is　one　of　the　most　graceful　in　action；　and　he　poses　with　the　skill　of　an　experienced　model。　　I　have　seen　the　goats　on　Mount　Pentelicus　scatter　at　the　approach　of　a　stranger；　climb　to　the　sharp　points　of　projecting　rocks；　and　attitudinize　in　the　most　self…conscious　manner；　striking　at　once　those　picturesque　postures　against　the　sky　with　which　Oriental　pictures　have　made　us　and　them　familiar。　　But　the　whole　proceeding　was　theatrical。

Greece　is　the　home　of　art；　and　it　is　rare　to　find　anything　there　natural　and　unstudied。　　I　presume　that　these　goats　have　no　nonsense　about　them　when　they　are　alone　with　the　goatherds；　any　more　than　the　goatherds　have；　except　when　they　come　to　pose　in　the　studio；　but　the　long　ages　of　culture；　the　presence　always　to　the　eye　of　the　best　models　and　the　forms　of　immortal　beauty；　the　heroic　friezes　of　the　Temple　of　Theseus；　the　marble　processions　of　sacrificial　animals；　have　had　a　steady　molding；　educating　influence　equal　to　a　society　of　decorative　art　upon　the　people　and　the　animals　who　have　dwelt　in　this　artistic　atmosphere。　　The　Attic　goat　has　become　an　artificially　artistic　being；　though　of　course　he　is　not　now　what　he　was；　as　a　poser；　in　the　days　of　Polycletus。　　There　is　opportunity　for　a　very　instructive　essay　by　Mr。　E。　A。　Freeman　on　the　decadence　of　the　Attic　goat　under　the　influence　of　the　Ottoman　Turk。

The　American　deer；　in　the　free　atmosphere　of　our　country；　and　as　yet　untouched　by　our　decorative　art；　is　without　self…consciousness；　and　all　his　attitudes　are　free　and　unstudied。　　The　favorite　position　of　the　deerhis　fore…feet　in　the　shallow　margin　of　the　lake；　among　the　lily…pads；　his　antlers　thrown　back　and　his　nose　in　the　air　at　the　moment　he　hears　the　stealthy　breaking　of　a　twig　in　the　forestis　still　spirited　and　graceful；　and　wholly　unaffected　by　the　pictures　of　him　which　the　artists　have　put　upon　canvas。

Wherever　you　go　in　the　Northern　forest　you　will　find　deer…paths。　　So　plainly　marked　and　well…trodden　are　they　that　it　is　easy　to　mistake　them　for　trails　made　by　hunters；　but　he　who　follows　one　of　them　is　soon　in　difficulties。　　He　may　find　himself　climbing　through　cedar　thickets　an　almost　inaccessible　cliff；　or　immersed　in　the　intricacies　of　a　marsh。　　The　〃run；〃　in　one　direction；　will　lead　to　water；　but；　in　the　other；　it　climbs　the　highest　hills；　to　which　the　deer　retires；　for　safety　and　repose；　in　impenetrable　thickets。　　The　hunters；　in　winter；　find　them　congregated　in　〃　yards；〃　where　they　can　be　surrounded　and　shot　as　easily　as　our　troops　shoot　Comanche　women　and　children　in　their　winter　villages。　　These　little　paths　are　full　of　pitfalls　among　the　roots　and　stones；　and；　nimble　as　the　deer　is；　he　sometimes　breaks　one　of　his　slender　legs　in　them。　　Yet　he　knows　how　to　treat　himself　without　a　surgeon。　　I　knew　of　a　tame　deer　in　a　settlement　in　the　edge　of　the　forest　who　had　the　misfortune　to　break　her　leg。　　She　immediately　disappeared　with　a　delicacy　rare　in　an　invalid；　and　was　not　seen　for　two　weeks。　　Her　friends　had　given　her　up；　supposing　that　she　had　dragged　herself　away　into　the　depths　of　the　woods；　and　died　of　starvation；　when　one　day　she　returned；　cured　of　lameness；　but　thin　as　a　virgin　shadow。　　She　had　the　sense　to　shun　the　doctor；　to　lie　down　in　some　safe　place；　and　patiently　wait　for　her　leg　to　heal。　　I　have　observed　in　many　of　the　more　refined　animals　this　sort　of　shyness；　and　reluctance　to　give　trouble；　which　excite　our　admiration　when　noticed　in　mankind。

The　deer　is　called　a　timid　animal；　and　taunted　with　possessing　courage　only　when　he　is　〃at　bay〃；　the　stag　will　fight　when　he　can　no　longer　flee；　and　the　doe　will　defend　her　young　in　the　face　of　murderous　enemies。　　The　deer　gets　little　credit　for　this　eleventh…　hour　bravery。　　But　I　think　that　in　any　truly　Christian　condition　of　society　the　deer　would　not　be　conspicuous　for　cowardice。　　I　suppose　that　if　the　American　girl；　even　as　she　is　described　in　foreign　romances；　were　pursued　by　bull…dogs；　and　fired　at　from　behind　fences　every　time　she　ventured　outdoors；　she　would　become　timid；　and　reluctant　to　go　abroad。　　When　that　golden　era　comes　which　the　poets　think　is　behind　us；　and　the　prophets　declare　is　about　to　be　ushered　in　by　the　opening　of　the　〃vials；〃　and　the　killing　of　everybody　who　does　not　believe　as　those　nations　believe　which　have　the　most　cannon；　when　we　all　live　in　real　concord；perhaps　the　gentle…hearted　deer　will　be　respected；　and　will　find　that　men　are　not　more　savage　to　the　weak　than　are　the　cougars　and　panthers。　　If　the　little　spotted　fawn　can　think；　it　must　seem　to　her　a　queer　world　in　which　the　advent　of　innocence　is　hailed　by　the　baying　of　fierce　hounds　and　the　〃ping〃　of　the　rifle。

Hunting　the　deer　in　the　Adirondacks　is　conducted　in　the　most　manly　fashion。　　There　are　several　methods；　and　in　none　of　them　is　a　fair　chance　to　the　deer　considered。　　A　favorite　method　with　the　natives　is　practiced　in　winter；　and　is　called　by　them　〃still　hunting。〃　　My　idea　of　still　hunting　is　for　one　man　to　go　alone　into　the　forest；　look　about　for　a　deer；　put　his　wits　fairly　against　the　wits　of　the　keen…　scented　animal；　and　kill　his　deer；　or　get　lost　in　the　attempt。　　There　seems　to　be　a　sort　of　fairness　about　this。　　It　is　private　assassination；　tempered　with　a　little　uncertainty　about　finding　your　man。　　The　still　hunting　of　the　natives　has　all　the　romance　and　danger　attending　the　slaughter　of　sheep　in　an　abattoir。　　As　the　snow　gets　deep；　many　deer　congregate　in　the　depths　of　the　forest；　and　keep　a　place　trodden　down；　which　grows　larger　as　they　tramp　down　the　snow　in　search　of　food。　　In　time　this　refuge　becomes　a　sort　of　〃yard；〃　surrounded　by　unbroken　snow…banks。　　The　hunters　then　make　their　way　to　this　retreat　on　snowshoes；　and　from　the　top　of　the　banks　pick　off　the　deer　at　leisure　with　their　rifles；　and　haul　them　away　to　market；　until　the　enclosure　is　pretty　much　emptied。　　This　is　one　of　the　surest　methods　of　exterminating　the　deer；　it　is　also　one　of　the　most　merciful；　and；　being　the　plan　adopted　by　our　government　for　civilizing　the　Indian；　it　ought　to　be　popular。　　The　only　people　who　object　to　it　are　the　summer　sportsmen。　　They　naturally　want　some　pleasure　out　of　the　death　of　the　deer。

Some　of　our　best　sportsmen；　who　desire　to　protract　the　pleasure　of　slaying　deer　through　as　many　seasons　as　possible；　object　to　the　practice　of　the　hunters；　who　make　it　their　chief　business　to　slaughter　as　many　deer　in　a　camping　season　as　they　can。　　Their　own　rule；　they　say；　is　to　kill　a　deer　only　when　they　need　venison　to　eat。　Their　excuse　is　specious。　　What　right　have　these　sophists　to　put　themselves　into　a　desert　place；　out　of　the　reach　of　provisions；　and　then　ground　a　right　to　slay　deer　on　their　own　improvidence？　　If　it　is　necessary　for　these　people　to　have　anythi