August 19

August 19, 1878

Second hunt  ❧  Finally brings back deer ❧ Sets out for Jacksonville ❧ Deadset determination to kill squirrel ❧ Arrives home
⇓ Download (3.13 Mb)
Page 30

Aug 19th 1878

            Heard the gentle racket of Mr Fiddler moving around in the kitchen getting breakfast[.] remembering the injunction of Mr Prim I [hastily?] arose from my lethergic couch and prepared a f for a morning hunt[.] it was when I looked at my watch five o[‘]clock. so shouldering my gun and whistling to my dog I struck out up the road for the purpose of killing a deer or any thing that came in my way of the game kind.  after having gone about a mile without seeing any sign I began almost to despair of success but glancing up the hill side I saw a deer standing broadside stepping up to a tree[.] I fired and the deer gave a [lunge?] forward and fell getting up again 
⇓ Download (2.78 Mb)
Page 31

it [ran?] about ten step[s] and fell dead shot through the heart. I shouldered the deer (it was a yearling) and carried it to camp[,] much to the surprise of the rest of the crew.
            We started at 15 minutes past seven for home, I riding in advance of the rest for several miles when at last Jerry [Sennan] overhauled me at Jack Layton[‘]s[.] [there?] I [me?]1 a young fellow by the name of Nail2 with whom I had gone to school several years previous. He knew me but I did not recognize [me??]3
            Mr. [Recoph]4 presented us with a bucket of splendid peaches and Mr. [Laudary bought some watermelons[.]

Footnotes:

1: maybe meant to be “met”

2: A “James Nail” is mentioned in one of Fiddler’s accounts, according to Knutson.

3: Maybe supposed to be “him”?
4: Possibly Acoph? Miller’s hand seems to be getting tired
⇓ Download (3.06 Mb)
Page 32

withall we feasted most gloriously[.] I rode ahead again and coming to the bridge on applegate Jerry had treed a Gray Squirrel. I shot five times with my pistol,  with out success, then waited for the wagon and got the shotgun then shot both barrels at the squirrel but failed to bring it out of the tree but killed it nevertheless. Again got ahead of the wagon and kept ahead all the way[.] Stopped a few minutes at Mr Bolt[‘]s but jogged along soon after. met [U- ?] Smith about 7 miles from Jacksonville walked aways, arrived at [Harling[‘]s] old stand 3 miles from town about 2 o’clock
⇓ Download (2.52 Mb)
Page 33

there met [Mat?*] Shannon. had two glasses of lager and some lunch after stopping for about an hour [Mat?*] and I road into town together arrived home all save and sound save the effect of my injuries in the Cave.
Thus ended a very profitable trip, my weight on arriving was 152 pounds.
Thus [endeth?] one chapter in my life.
                                                            Robert A. Miller. 

Footnotes:

1: Or Mal?