ii2 MOOSE HUNTING IN THE BACKWOODS 



waited impatiently for the approach of evening. It was the inten- 

 tion of Joe to call up a bull moose by imitating the voice of the cow, 

 as the pairing season was not yet over. For this purpose he manu- 

 factured out of the bark of the canoe-birch a long, trumpet-shaped 

 funnel. As we took our stand at the edge of an island of stunted 

 firs and spruce trees in the middle of the plain, we noted gladly 

 that the wind had fallen till there was a perfect stillness. It is of 

 not the slightest use to call up moose if a breeze allows them to get 

 your scent, otherwise they will circle down wind, sniff the tainted air, 

 and at once take warning. Then a full moon had risen over the 

 wilderness, and a cloudless sky assured me of sufficient light to 

 see the sights of my rifle. 



Soon commenced one of those wonderful exhibitions of skill 

 on the part of the Indian which is ever a matter of surprise and 

 admiration to the white man. Putting the birch trumpet to his 

 lips, Joe gave the call of the cow moose in a manner so startling and 

 truthful that only the educated ear of the Indian could detect the 

 counterfeit. The cry of the cow is a long-drawn-out, melancholy 

 sound, rising loud and sonorous, and falling gradually in cadence to 

 a murmur. Then it rises again strong and full, to finish off abruptly. 

 Sometimes it rends the serene stillness of the wilderness like a rifle 

 volley. At others, it is most plaintive, as when the lone Juliet of 

 the forest makes her appealing tones faintly vibrate over the low 

 cedar swamps. 



Joe knew there were moose in the vicinity by the fn >h 

 tracks, but we were hardly prepared for what followed his skilful 

 calling. 



From a ribbon-like stretch of dark green woods, which marked 

 the valley of a brook running down the side of the opposite mountain. 

 a large bull moose, attended by a cow, came out into the open 

 moonlight and stood still. From the opposite direction there sud- 

 denly appeared another large bull, which had also heard our t .ill 

 and was answering with the usual guttural croak, which is repre- 

 sented by the syllables, ' waugh waugh '. Here was an interesting 

 situation indeed ! Joe thought it best to keep perfectly still and 

 await developments. Then a startling thing happened. The m-\\- 

 comer, seeing the bull in possession of the cow, lowered his antlers 

 and charged. The other fearlessly advanced to do battle. The 

 two met with a mighty crash, and then such a play went forward 

 as is not often witnessed by man in nature's amphitheatre, wh n 

 the Hector and Achilles of the wilderness meet to fight for another 

 Helen of Troy. The fight that ensued was terrific, as might be ex- 

 pected from such powerful giants, at this season of the year in the 



