THE MOOSL'. 245 



mountains, and make, or at least did make, it dangerous for 

 a stray naturalist or Nimrod to seek knowledge or pleas- 

 ure in their country. The red men capture it by means 

 of pitfalls and traps made of fallen trees ; but their most 

 successful mode is to lie in wait near its watering-places 

 and shoot it from under cover when it comes to drink. 

 They never follow it for hours and days as their brethren 

 in Canada do for the simple reason that they can obtain 



THE MOOSE. 



food fs good with much less trouble, and that they are 

 thoroughly indifferent to such feelings as the enthusiasm 

 of the chase. One thing may be said in favor of the In- 

 dian, and that is, that he seldom destroys the life of a val- 

 uable animal needlessly ; hence, probably, the reason why 

 lie and all wild animals dwell in close proximity; where- 

 as the presence of a white man will send them scampering 

 off in a very short time, and the chances are that they do 

 not return. To this fact might be attributed the expulsion 



