256 SPORTING ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 



crashing of the boughs and bushes. Realizing the truth 

 of the old adage that a stern chase is a long one, even after 

 a wounded moose, I concluded to cut to the right in a 

 straight line, as he seemed inclined to keep more in that 

 direction than in any other, and to head him off, or at least 

 to induce him to halt by stopping the noise behind him ; 

 and acting on this idea, I tore through the woods as rap- 

 idly as possible, and after running about what I should 

 judge to be a mile, I emerged on a glade, but, on scanning 

 it, I could see nothing animate there. I walked over a por- 

 tion of it, and scrutinized the ground for "signs" as care- 

 fully as the pale moon would permit me, but I could find 

 no indications of the presence of a moose. Feeling sorely 

 disappointed at my want of good-luck, I concluded to go 

 back to camp ; but, on re-entering the forest, I could not 

 tell in which direction it lay. I started, however, toward 

 where I supposed it was, and wandered about for two 

 hours, yet I seemed as far away from it as ever. Realizing 

 the fact that I was actually getting lost in an unknown 

 forest, my feelings were anything but cheerful, and I began 

 to upbraid my own thoughtlessness for daring to follow an 

 animal in a region of which I knew nothing, and did not 

 even take the precaution to note. I did not know what to 

 do. To rest, I could not ; and to keep wandering aimlessly 

 about I felt to be worse than useless, as every step might 

 take me farther away from succor. After thinking the 

 matter carefully over, I concluded to stop where I was un- 

 til morning, if I could not get a response to some shouts, 

 and try to retrace my footsteps by the tracks they had 

 made. I commenced hallooing accordingly, but after keep- 

 ing it up at intervals for half an hour, I stopped it, and re- 

 signed myself to fate. 



Feeling fatigued, I sat down beneath a huge fir, placed 

 my head against the trunk, and was soon fast asleep ; and 

 when I awoke the next morning the bright rays of the sun 

 were streaming through my leafy chamber. On arising, I 

 felt quite stiff, the night dew having chilled, and my un- 

 usual position cramped me. Giving myself half a dozen 



