xxii PROCEEDINGS. 



wise partial, especially in winter. The cases were securely lashed 

 across-ship, and the vessel started with favourable auspices. Alas, 

 I have now to chronicle disaster ; they made a capital run, almost 

 within sight of Boston light, when one of our terrible mid-winter 

 gales sprang up from the south-west, and drove them nearlv the 

 whole distance back. For nearly a week was the vessel most merci- 

 lessly buffeted, whilst the seas dashed over her; and under the 

 influence of intense frost everything on board was coated with 

 huge masses of ice. Suffice it to say, that the two smaller moose 

 died from the roughness of the passage and their cramped position.. 

 The survivor would doubtless have perished likewise, had not two 

 cages been knocked into one so as to allow her to lie down and 

 stretch her limbs. This she always did when the weather was 

 heaviest, invariably lying with her head towards the seas; and she 

 was landed in Boston, and thence by train at New York in excellent 

 health, and without a gall or scratch. This fine cow whose value, 

 I almost omitted to mention, was greatly enhanced by her being 

 heavy with calf was joyfully received by the agent for trie King 

 of Italy, and shared with a herd of thirty wapiti (also the property 

 of his majesty, and alike awaiting a passage to Europe), the atten- 

 tions of many visitors in the Empire City. 



Although the passage which has proved so disastrous to the 

 poor moose was unusually rough and protracted, even for a sailing 

 vessel, we have a wrinkle here in connection with shipment of large 

 animals of the deer tribe. Close packing, even with lots of 

 padding, will not answer. Applied, perhaps, to short voyages, 

 and where the animal is restive, it may do ; but the exhaustion from 

 a cramped and long-^continued position, where it has to bear every 

 shock as part and parcel of the ship, has proved fatal in the cases 

 noted. On the opposite side, witness the largest moose quietly 

 lying down in bad weather as soon as chance to do so was allowed 

 her, and her always adapting her position to the motion of the 

 vessel and the run of the sea. I, therefore, agree with Mr. Downs 

 in the idea that a crate shaped like a hen-coop, well padded on the 

 sides, and especially above, is the best form of cage for transport- 

 ing large animrls of the ruminant order on long sea-voyages. 



