. DEATH OF THE CARIBOO. 275 



into a jelly ; but the latter, spite of the pain he Buffered, 

 would not relax his grasp. 



While this skirmish took place between the two beasts, 

 who, by their size, reminded me of the fable of the lion 

 and the fly, Monai endeavoured to hamstring the cariboo. 

 The Indian had been seen by the animal, who, wheeling 

 round with the rapidity of lightning, darted upon him, 

 and would have killed him on the spot, if his antlers had 

 not missed their aim. But Moiiai threw himself on his 

 face, and escaped with a slight wound in the shoulder 

 from the cariboo's heels. Mr. Howard meantime had 

 reloaded his rifle ; but his powder was wet, and would not 

 catch fire. 



Thanks to repeated exertions, the cariboo shook off 

 Jack, and once more rushed upon Moiiai. The latter, 

 while the dog again plunged his claws into the animal's 

 neck, sustained the shock, and seizing the cariboo by the 

 antlers, contrived to fling him upon the snow. Mr. 

 Howard immediately leapt forward, knife in hand, and 

 plunged it up to the handle in the breast of the colossal 

 beast. 



In one supreme effort the noble animal hurled Monai 

 over his head ; then, falling back upon the ground, ren- 

 dered his last breath with an agony that chilled the soul. 



As I have already confessed, an invincible terror had 

 chained my hands and fettered my feet from the begin- 

 ning of the struggle : I had not even the sang-froid 

 necessary for refastening my snow-shoes and reloading 

 my rifle ; nevertheless, I can permit no one to turn me 

 into ridicule, except those of my fraternity who may 

 once in their lives have found themselves buried undei 



