64 PKAIEIE AND FOREST. 



pipes with baccy. Still we slept soundly, and day had 

 well broken before either turned out. A hurried cup of 

 coffee and a few morsels of cold meat and biscuit sufficed 

 for breakfast, so that ere the sun had risen over the 

 neighbouring hill we were en route for the scene of 

 action. The country that we traversed was covered, but 

 not densely crowded, with hard wood so open, in fact, 

 that a fair shot would severely have punished woodcock 

 which had taken shelter in a similar locality. After 

 tramping three miles, the Indians leading, and I causing 

 much amusement by a succession of catastrophes from one 

 snow-shoe overlapping the other, a halt was made, and the 

 expression of the guide spoke plainly of the vicinity of 

 game ; without questioning, we turned off to the left, still 

 following in single file. Stooping low, and slowly 

 advancing for some moments, we came upon a yard but, 

 alas ! deserted ; but such had not been long the case. 

 Our dark-skinned companions were jubilant; visions of 

 moose-meat floated before them, and straight they directed 

 their steps to the place of exit, for the occupants had 

 winded us earlier than expected. To a novice but one 

 track appeared, yet the Indians held up four fingers to 

 indicate that number of inmates. Soon we found their 

 information correct ; for, after a pursuit of an hour and a 

 half, we perceived our game a bull, cow, and two 

 calves going over a neighbouring swell. The reason of 

 the deceptive appearance of the trail is caused by the cow 

 and calves stepping as nearly as possible in the footsteps 

 of the bull, who on such occasions invariably leads. 

 Just as we supposed ourselves on the verge of success, 



