standing near the edge of the water, partially hidden by the trunk of a
fallen pine, when we both fired our rifles at the same instant. This
did not, however, drop him, for he bounded across the island, and took
the opposite channel in gallant style.

As the distance from which we fired was less than a hundred yards, we
concluded that one of us at least had hit him. Reinforced by my old
hound Towler, who, attracted by the firing, had joined us, we recrossed
the river, and put the dog on the track. Towler was in high spirits,
and soon made the wood ring with music pleasant to the hunter's ear.

We momentarily expected to see our quarry again take the water; but
from the continued howling of the hound in the same spot, I began to
think the buck was standing at bay, which was really the case; for on
my near approach he was busily employed with his head down, keeping off
old Towler by making sudden plunges at him every now and then. The
moment he saw me, he made a rush for the river, but as he passed me on
the full bound, I fired at his fore-shoulder; and though he still
continued his course to the river, I knew by the jet of blood which
followed my shot that his fate was sealed. Near the river he made a
sudden turn, striking his head against a hemlock tree, and at the same
instant a shot from my companion stretched him lifeless on the ground.
And thus concluded an exciting chase of more than two hours.

This was the largest buck I ever killed, for he weighed, after he was
skinned and dressed, two hundred and thirty pounds. We found that four
out of the five shots had hit him. The last shot I fired, cut away the
small end of his heart, though he actually managed to run thirty or
forty paces afterwards.