100 ACROSS THE SUB-ARCTIC* OF CANADA. 



by our dare-devil young Westerner, and on this occasion, 

 quickly availing himself of my offer, he started down 

 the steep hill at a break-neck pace, followed by John, 

 in a bee-line for the wolverine. 



No sagacious Indian cunning, of which we so often 

 read, was brought to play in the hunt. It was merely 

 a question of which could run the faster and keep it up 

 the longer. The wolverine is not a swift animal, nature 

 having provided him with only short limbs, but on this 

 occasion he used such as he had to the very best possible 

 advantage, and with a rolling gait made his way ofF 

 across the rough stony plains at a record-breaking pace. 

 His pursuers were, however, soon observed to be gain- 

 ing on him, and as the distance between the runners 

 gradually lessened, the race became exciting, even to 

 me, looking on from the hill-top. 



Once or twice in their wild chase the men had bad 

 tumbles, but recovering themselves, continued to gain 

 on the wolverine until they had almost overhauled him. 

 Then " bang " went the revolver, and the glutton, un- 

 hurt, dodging around some rocks, was almost run upon 

 by Francois, who in his excitement fired again, and at 

 the same time took a header. It appeared as if he had 

 shot himself instead of the wolverine, but he had done 

 neither ; he had only experienced another bad tumble 

 on the rough, rocky ground. Gathering himself up 

 again, Fra^ois followed in hot pursuit, making a most 

 determined chase, but just as he was about to do the 

 tragic act, Mr. Wolverine disappeared among the broken 

 rocks, and could not any more be found. 



Thus ended the hunt, and the men, greatly disgusted,. 

 wearily recrossed the plain and climbed the hill. 



