130 Spurt and Life. 



used to carry with me while hunting for other game, in case 

 an opportunity should arise for using it. One September day, 

 whilst riding along the dense timber at the base of the Tetons, I 

 struck fresh moose tracks in the thin layer of snow. As they led 

 into a dense swamp at the southern end of Jackson's Lake, I 

 thought I would see how my call worked ere I entered the swamp. 

 Dismounting from old Boreas, I was idiotic enough to leave my 

 rifle in the sling on the horn of my Mexican saddle, intending, of 

 course, to take it out prior to tying up my horse to a tree. 



Imitating the bull's call, with which I was more familiar than 

 with that of the cow, almost the first note was answered by the 

 rush of my would-be prey, who came forth into the open from the 

 fringe of the dense alder brush with such an alarming suddenness, 

 that it not only took away my breath, but scared out of its wits my 

 otherwise reliable old hunting horse, standing untied at my side. I 

 suppose it must have been the unwonted sight of a horse kicking 

 up its heels and galloping off that attracted the curiosity of the old 

 bull, for he stood stupidly staring at the disappearing horse for 

 quite two or three minutes, apparently taking no notice whatever 

 of my motionless self less than thirty yards off, a small bush half 

 hiding my body. 



When Boreas's form had disappeared, and the sound of the 

 wooden stirrups clattering against trees had died away, the old 

 bull quietly turned and retired at a walking pace to the brush from 

 whence he had issued. 



It was hours before I caught up Boreas, who, for a wonder, had 

 not added injury to insult, for my rifle had received no damage 

 whatever. That I haunted the swamp for the next week need 

 hardly be added, but it was all in vain ; there was not an ounce of 

 curiosity left in the 1500 or 2ooolb. avoirdupois of that moose. 



In an interesting article on the distribution of the European elk 

 or elch and the American moose, in the Field (September 2nd and 

 9th, 1899), the writer states that, among other places, the moose is 

 to be met with in the Rocky Mountains, " especially near the 

 sources of the Elk River." There are dozens of Elk Rivers in the 



