AMPHIBIOUS COMBATS. 191 



of putting on the percussion cap, there was 

 none. 



Although I was positively sure the moose 

 would be frozen stiff in that hole in the morn- 

 ing, the fascination of the sight kept me stand- 

 ing there on the rocks watching her struggles. 



I must have stood there for two full hours, 

 as the sun of the short November day began to 

 get near the treetops, and a cold, cutting north 

 wind began to blow. 



The poor moose was now swimming about 

 very slowly, and at times turning up gn her side. 

 This told me the end was not far off. 



The last look I gave she had part of her head 

 resting on the ice, and her body was floating 

 on its side. Then I recrossed the point and 

 paddled home as fast as I could. 



Next morning we got a large canoe out of 

 winter quarters, and with my two men we pad- 

 dled back to the point, supplied with ropes and 

 axes. The night had been a cold one, and had 

 increased the thickness of the ice sufficient for 

 us to walk upon. We cut a couple of long pines, 

 or levers, and went out to the hole. The head 

 was frozen just in the position I had last seen it, 

 and this kept the body from sinking. Our first 

 precaution was to chop the ice away about the 

 carcass and get ropes about it. Then we got 



