THIRTY TEARS A HUNTER. 135 



and held their heads remarkably higb, for deer. As 

 we floated nearer them we discovered that they were 

 elk. "We both leveled our rifles to fire together, but 

 tne smoke from the torch blew into my face so that I 

 could not see to take aim. Clark fired, however, and 

 one of the elk leaped from the water, and fell heavily 

 to the earth. Then ensued a scene which I shall 

 never forget. The frightened animus rushed to the 

 shore, and seeing their shadows on the bluff bank, in 

 the flickering light of our torch, took them for new 

 enemies, and turned again iuto the water, roaring so 

 that the very earth seemed to tremble. They dashed 

 down the stream, a few rods, clashing their hoofs 

 and antlers together, then turned and again went to 

 the shore a short distance below us. During the whole 

 time I was so blinded by the smoke that it was im- 

 possible to use my rifle with any effect. As they 

 approached the bank they were again frightened by 

 the immense shadows moving in front of them, and 

 dashing again into the water, they struck for the 

 opposite shore. We lay directly in the course they 

 took, and in the rush two of them leaped over the 

 canoe between Clark and myself, and a third ran 

 against one end and overturned it. The light being 

 extinguished, there was nothing to excite their fears, 

 and they all ascended the bank, and made off. The 

 water into which we were precipitated was but about 

 three feet deep, and we reached the shore without 

 difficulty. We then righted our canoe and proceeded 

 to bail out the water with our hatg. As it was a 

 very large one, this was a work of much labor. Our 



