226 THE MOOSE 



moose country, the wanderer strode into the 

 domesticities of some of his tribe. A bad-tempered 

 old bull, with one eye missing, had attached to 

 himself two cows with yearling calves ; another, 

 a fine, upstanding young animal, whose horns in no 

 way matched, for all their Kenai pasturage, those 

 carried by the alien from afar, had contented him- 

 self with the society of one soft-eyed cow, young, 

 and pretty as a moose cow can be. 



The one-eyed moose had drilled his small harem 

 into fine order, and kept vigilant watch lest his 

 belongings strayed towards the browsing grounds 

 ranged over by the much handsomer younger bull, 

 whose cow often edged in the direction of the old 

 beast. Often as she did so her outraged lord was 

 after her on the instant, and cuffing her about none 

 too gently, showed her the error of such ways. 



Hanging on the heels of the well-guarded females 

 were many bulls, two and three year olds, who were 

 kept at a respectful distance from the cows they 

 admired so much by the constant rushing charges 

 of the bulls in possession. To say that their lives 

 were strenuous is to convey but little idea of the 

 state of tension. They had no time to eat, to 

 rest, to sleep. 



