The Moose. 



211 



rank grass, and the stream wound through it rather slug- 

 gishly in long curves, which were fringed by a thick growth 

 of dwarfed willows. In one or two places it broadened 

 into small ponds, bearing a few lily-pads. This meadow 

 had been all tramped up by moose. Trails led hither and 

 thither through the grass, the willow twigs were cropped 

 off, and the muddy banks of the little black ponds were 

 indented by hoof-marks. Evidently most of the lilies had 

 been plucked. The footprints were unmistakable ; a 

 moose's foot is longer and slimmer than a caribou's, while 

 on the other hand it is much larger than an elk's, and a 

 longer oval in shape. 



Most of the sign was old, this high alpine meadow, sur- 

 rounded by snow mountains, having clearly been a favorite 

 resort for moose in the summer ; but some enormous, fresh 

 tracks told that one or more old bulls were still frequent- 

 ing the place. 



The light was already fading, and, of course, we did 

 not wish to camp where we were, because we would then 

 certainly scare the moose. Accordingly we pushed up 

 the valley for another mile, through an open forest, the 

 ground being quite free from underbrush and dead timber, 

 and covered with a carpet of thick moss, in which the feet 

 sank noiselessly. Then we came to another beaver-meadow, 

 which offered fine feed for the ponies. On its edge we 

 hastily pitched camp, just at dusk. We tossed down the 

 packs in a dry grove, close to the brook, and turned the 

 tired ponies loose in the meadow, hobbling the little mare 

 that carried the bell. The ground was smooth. We threw 

 a cross-pole from one to the other of two young spruces, 



