ON THE RIVER. 245 



on an exploring expedition up Moose River. Moose 

 were undoubtedly in the country somewhere, for they 

 answered the calls whenever they were made. They 

 poled along up the river, intending to stop morning 

 and evening and call for moose when the weather 

 was suitable. 



It was hard work, but they pushed on, cutting 

 away the overhanging boughs and shoving aside 

 the driftwood with their poles. About the middle 

 of the afternoon of the first day they reached a place 

 where the river widened into a small lake. Just as 

 they rounded the point into the little lake a moose calf 

 was seen standing in the water. The calf started 

 through the brush to the woods and Dyche shot as it 

 was disappearing in the thicket. Again and again 

 he fired, sometimes at the calf and sometimes at the 

 woods, but with no evidence that the wild flight of 

 the animal was impeded. Just as the last cartridge 

 in the gun was fired another calf, which had been 

 standing in the water and brush farther up stream, 

 started out, and the naturalist seized Brown's gun 

 and sent a shot after it. The boat was pushed ashore 

 and search was made for the calves, but the only 

 wounds apparent were those made in the trees. 

 There were signs that three moose had been feeding 

 near by, bat the animals had evidently gone else- 

 where on urgent business. 



They now pushed their way up the river and at 

 sundown Brown gave several calls and got an answer. 

 The grunts continued several hours, but as they did 

 not appear to come closer the hunters crawled into 

 their sleeping-bags, leaving the moose to grunt at 



