OR, THE LAKE LANDS OF CANADA. 203 



me to approach him more cautiously, and quickly com- 

 menced firing again. He discharged his rifle four times 

 in rapid succession, from this point, at a full-grown cow 

 that was standing not more than seventy-five yards from 

 him, although partially hidden from his view by an inter- 

 vening evergreen. This animal now, in entire disregard 

 of these polite attentions, started off on a shambling trot, 

 and was followed by George Ross, who continued to blaze 

 away at varying intervals during a chase which was kept 

 up for nearly a mile, when it became apparent to the pur- 

 suer that the old cow was getting the best of the race. 

 When this animal passed beyond the reach of the captain's 

 bullets, it is putting it very mildly to say that he was dis- 

 gusted with the results. This feelinof of dispfust was visible 

 in all his movements, as well as in his facial expressions. 

 Words were not adequate to express his feelings. Having 

 remained silent a few minutes, he suggested that we pro- 

 ceed to the spot where the cow was standing when he 

 fired the shots, and make an examination of the surround- 

 ings. This was now done, but only increased his feelings 

 of diso^ust ; inasmuch as we failed to find the slightest 

 trace of injury to the animal, not even a single drop of 

 blood or a lock of hair, on the newly-fallen snow, although 

 there was the unmistakable impress of the animal's feet 

 in it. In this examination only a single point was settled 

 in the affirmative, to our mutual satisfaction, viz., the cap- 

 tain had undoubtedly been firing at a living moose, and 

 not at an apparition, which might have been conjured up 

 in certain brains. Let the reader, how^ever, here under- 

 stand that the captain is not a sportsman against whom 



