271 THE TABLES TURNED. 



nai, he would reserve his fire, to come, if necessary, to 

 my assistance. 



We fired simultaneously, and, without thinking, I rose 

 to see the result of my skill ; but Moiiai, seizing me with 

 a hand of iron, abruptly threw me down on the snow. 

 When I raised my head, I saw the animal at which Mr. 

 Howard had levelled his rifle trampling the snow, and 

 endeavouring, with angry eyes, to discover the place 

 where his enemies lay concealed. While contemplating 

 his immense antlers, his size and strength, I began to 

 think of the danger we were incurring. 



At the same time, Moiiai, resting his carbine on one of 

 the branches of our protecting tree; slowly took aim at 

 the cariboo, and let go the trigger : alas ! the cap missed 

 fire, and the cariboo, thus made aware of the place of our 

 ambuscade, dashed towards us, belling* with frightful 

 energy. To defend ourselves against the furious animal, 

 or to attempt to escape him by flight, was impossible, 

 considering that we were buried up to the waist in snow. 

 I was expecting to feel the antlers of the cariboo tickling 

 my ribs, when Mr. Howard's brave dog sprang forward, 

 and seized him by the lips. Meanwhile, Moiiai and Mr. 

 Howard used every exertion to readjust their snow-shoes 

 to their feet ; as for myself, less skilful than they, my 

 hands were almost paralyzed by the emotion of the danger 

 and the novelty of the chase. Happily for us, Jack had 

 not let go his hold of the animal, which he embarrassed 

 rather than retained ; so, shaking his monstrous head, 

 the cariboo dashed the dog on the snow and against the 

 branches of the tree. It seemed as if he would beat Jack 



* A technical term for the noise made by deer. 



