OR, THE LAKE LANDS OF CANADA. 225 



The captain's prediction was fulfilled. The ground .was 

 covered this morning with a light, tracking snow, and still 

 the storm continued. We started, immediately after break- 

 fast, in search of moose. The storm soon ceased ; the 

 clouds disappeared ; the sun shone out brightly, which 

 caused the snow on the trees to melt rapidly. The 

 search for moose was a failure, but we did succeed in 

 finding an old bear's path, which led from a small brook 

 to the carcass of a dead moose, which we concluded had 

 evidently died of disease, inasmuch as we were unable to 

 find any mark of injury that had been inflicted by the 

 sportsman. This animal had probably been dead about 

 six weeks, and was greatly emaciated at the time of his 

 death. We discovered, by our examination, that one knee- 

 joint had been extensively diseased. The animal had evi- 

 dently suffered with severe suppurative arthritis, which was 

 complicated by a necrosis of all the bones entering into this 

 joint. The antlers were imperfectly developed and still 

 covered with velvet. This carcass was found about six 

 miles distant from those on Moose Hill. The indications 

 favored the opinion that the bear had been feeding on 

 this body several weeks, since the path was well worn and 

 much of the carcass had already been consumed. 



Having now paid our respects to the path and the dead 

 moose, we began a search for old bruin, who was soon 

 started from a thicket near his food-supply ; and here we 

 discovered his fresh tracks in the newly-fallen snow. We 

 now started on this trail, which was easily followed, but 

 soon halted and held a consultation in regard to the best 



method of procedure. We had left Camp Lake with rations 



15 



