42 STALKS ABROAD 



but took a very secondary part in for a good ten 

 minutes. The big bull's voice was quite unmistakable, 

 and we paid no attention to the smaller beasts who 

 answered his hoarse challenges at a respectful dis- 

 tance. Why we were not noticed a dozen times 

 I don't know, as we were again right in the middle 

 of the herd, and in a patchy kind of way could see 

 wapiti between the tree trunks all around. 



At length after an unusually exhausting flank 

 movement, we heard him bugling just behind a 

 rise in the ground. From the sound he seemed to 

 be coming our way. We crawled very carefully 

 down among the fallen timber, but in spite of all 

 our care came right on to a big cow, who instantly 

 stuck her nose up in the air and assumed a most 

 disdainful expression. I have been told that a cow 

 will bark like a hind if suddenly alarmed, but have 

 never heard one do so myself, for which, on the 

 present occasion, I was devoutly thankful. She 

 was standing behind a tree with only her neck 

 showing, and for the twentieth time that morning 

 I thought the game was up. Then, just as she 

 gathered her feet up and disappeared into the 

 thicket with a crash, the big bull let out a terrific 

 roar apparently just over our very heads. At the 

 best of times you want good sight when stalking, 

 and in a wood it is more necessary than ever. There, 

 as against a background of snow or an open sky-line, 

 the correct proportions of a head are apt to become 

 distorted, and though it is easier to judge the head of 



