54 NEWFOUNDLAND CARIBOU 



she had come, and of course, the combined herd followed 

 without the slightest hesitation. Evidently I must do like- 

 wise. So slinging the camera over my back I went after them, 

 not directly on their trail, for that would have taken me 

 through an almost impassable swamp, but parallel along some 

 fairly open hills. To my annoyance I discovered that a 

 river lay directly in my way. As it was too deep, too rough, 

 and, I may add, too cold to wade I had to search for a better 

 way across. A fallen tree offered the chance and in fear and 

 trembling I crossed the slender bridge in safety, camera and 

 all. This delay, which at the time I considered unfortunate, 

 gave the animals a chance to get far ahead, perhaps even 

 they had already crossed the barren, in which case the hunt 

 would be at an end as the whole country was so thoroughly 

 cut up with tracks ; there would be no way of telling 

 which way they had gone. Fortunately the long years which 

 I have spent alone in the woods, studying animals, have taught 

 me to go as noiselessly as possible, never stepping on a dry 

 twig if it could be avoided, and never letting branches strike 

 my clothing. This habit of years proved a friend to-day ; I 

 had no idea that the animals were within half a mile or more 

 of me and was therefore going along at a pretty good speed, 

 when suddenly I caught sight of the white flank of a Caribou 

 not more than twenty feet away. It was a lucky escape, for 

 had I gone a few steps further, she must certainly have got 

 my wind and given the alarm. I quickly walked back a 

 little distance to be sure that I had not passed any others, but 

 the one already seen was evidently the last of the herd, all 

 the others being scattered through the woods ahead. It is 

 needless to say that the utmost caution was necessary 

 if I would avoid any chance of arousing their suspicions. 

 Each step forward had to be most carefully considered and 

 every bush scrutinised to see whether or not it concealed a 



