Outguessing a Bull 



turning him out into the deep water of the lake. I 

 found that I could paddle a little faster than he could 

 swim, as he was undoubtedly badly wounded, so I stopped 

 long enough to take off my mackinaw, which had m-ateri- 

 ally impeded my efforts up to this moment. With my 

 mackinaw under my knees and my rifle handy, I settled 

 down to a comfortable race with the moose, my object 

 now being to head him off from landing across the lake 

 from the camp. I caught up to him just as he struck 

 dry land, and succeeded in turning him again towards 

 deep water and camp. He swam a few rods, and then 

 evidently suddenly resented the fact that he was being 

 driven at will around the lake, for he turned as quick 

 as lightning, and with his front feet thrashing the water 

 tried to climb in the front seat of the canoe. He prob- 

 ably fancied a ride rather than a swim. I shouted at 

 him and turned that canoe quicker than I had ever 

 turned a buoy in a canoe race. The moose headed again 

 for deep water and the other side of the lake. By 

 paddling first on one side, then on the other, I succeeded 

 in keeping him straight until we reached nearly the 

 middle of the lake, when he again viciously swung 

 around and struck at the canoe. Having had the 

 previous experience, I was ready for this move, and 

 succeeded in getting out of his way and turned him back 

 on his course. As we approached the landing in front 

 of the boat-house, Charlie was standing on the shore 

 and undertook to shout directions. The moose heard 

 him, turned sharply to the left, and made a bee-line 

 for the western shore. At this point he swam so fast 

 that it was all I could do to keep up to him. I was 

 afraid if he got in among the trees I would lose him, so I 

 again dropped the paddle, picked up the rifle and fired 

 two shots at him. 



One shot went through his ear, as I afterwards dis- 



121 



