THE MOOSE WAS BELOW ME. 181 



I knew must nevertlieless be verj^ close at 

 hand. 



The wind was blowing steadily up the ravine, 

 and I was afraid to make straight for the 

 dead spruce tree, for fear the moose might 

 have moved through the willow scrub higher 

 up the stream, after I had lost sight of it, 

 in which case had I crossed the swamp below 

 it would have got my wind and I should never 

 have seen it again. I therefore skirted round 

 the willows just within the cover of the spruce 

 trees, until I struck the stream some one hun- 

 dred yards above, and as I had then crossed no 

 tracks in the snow I knew the moose was 

 below me. 



I now worked carefully back through the 

 willow scrub towards the dead tree near which 

 we had first seen it, holding my rifle at the 

 ready and stepping very slowly and cautiously 

 so as to make no noise. No doubt the soft 

 new snow and the murmuring of the water 

 running down the little creek close on my 

 right were ia my favour. 



As I advanced very slowly step by step. 



