THAI'. XIII. 



THE CARIBOU. 



213 



lines of huge boulders perched on the summit of bare 

 rocks towards the north-east seemed greatly magnified, 

 and stood like giant sentinels on those weather-worn hills. 

 I returned to camp to prepare for a trip to the snow- 

 white rock, which had excited our curiosity and speculation 

 the day before ; Pierre went to examine the bear-tracks, 



BEAR LAKE. 



which he pronounced to be those of a young one, not 

 more than two years old. 



/ 



The caribou* is the mainstay of the Montagnais and 



* Tlie Caribou, or American Tleindeer (T(/rti//(/nx hasta/is, Agass.), .some- 

 times called the Woodland Caribou, to distinguish it from the Barren Ground 

 Caribou. 



When pursued, the caribou immediately makes for a swamp, and 

 follows the margin, taking at times to the water and again footing it over 

 the firm ground, and sometimes turning towards the nearest mountain, 

 crosses it by another morass. If hard pressed by the hunters (who now and 

 then follow up the chase for four or five days), the animal ascends to the 

 highest peak of the mountain for security, and the pursuit becomes veiy 

 fatiguing and uncertain. Upon one occasion two men followed up several 

 caribou for a whole week, when, completely tired out, they gave up the 

 chase, which was then continued by two hunters, who at last succeeded in 

 killing a couple of the animals at long shot. Sometimes, however, fresh 



