36 THE GREAT NORTH-WEST 



from the ground, or these brutes will reach it by leaping. 

 Bears sometimes discover, and succeed in tearing down 

 game so deposited ; but the disappointed wolves and 

 foxes will hover around for days, and the returning hunter 

 often secures a wolf pelt or two from the would-be robbers. 



I should certainly never have been able to find my 

 way back to the camp ; but the Indian seemed to take 

 a bee-line to it, and without difficulty found our way. 

 After experience made me a better woodman ; but without 

 a careful noting of objects and bearings it is very easy 

 to become inextricably lost in these vast forests. The 

 Indians, though seeming to go carelessly along, are really 

 most acute observers, noting objects that seem very 

 commonplace to novices, and though making none but 

 mental notes, never forgetting a mark or sign. 



Owing to the character of the ground and other 

 circumstances, I can give no idea of the distance traversed 

 on this occasion ; but we did not reach Sam and Andrew 

 until nearly nightfall. They were somewhat alarmed at 

 our prolonged absence ; but exceedingly glad of the 

 supply of meat, for their scanty stock of provisions was 

 all but exhausted, and very few hares could be knocked 

 down, those animals, as a result of being disturbed, 

 having become very shy. 



Our companions had had but poor luck with the 

 traps, only one fox having been captured during our 

 absence. The opinion was that the wolves had not yet 

 come south in any great number. It is not to be 

 assumed from these words that Canadian wolves make 

 regular migrations; but they follow game which does, 

 long distances (hundreds of miles) locally. Moreover the 

 wolf is a shifting, restless animal, and much hi the habit 

 of making changes in its hunting-ground. 



The next morning Tom and Andrew went for the 

 rest of the cariboo meat, taking the hand-sleigh with 

 them, and leaving the care of the traps to Sam and me. 

 When we made our rounds we found three of the traps 



