THE MOOSE. 177 



oppoi'tunit}' for attack. Directly the moose saw us 

 off they were, slowly, however, and their feet sinking 

 deep into the snow. The dogs were emboldened and 

 sprang after them, but still preserved a respectable 

 distance. 



I cannot tell whether it was by chance or arrange- 

 ment, but the three moose started off in three 

 separate directions. jMcLean went after the first, I 

 after the second, and one of the Indians gave chase 

 to tlie third. At first, the animals outstripped us 

 in speed, and mine managed certainly to keep at a 

 distance of from six to eight gun-shots. Presently, 

 however, large clots of blood proved that the hard 

 snow had wounded him severely in the legs, and I 

 began to have hope. The cover was so thick that it 

 was impossible to see the quarry, even at a short 

 distance, but I could hear the heavy breathing, and 

 the fracture of the branches which he broke as he 

 rushed on. The farther we rushed on, the louder 

 grew the noise of the breaking branches, and the 

 redder the snow with the blood of the moose. The 

 dogs were barking away like mad creatures, and on 

 I rushed until I came to an opening in the forest, 

 where the moose had turned to bay upon the dogs. 

 The hounds had made a circle round him of some 

 six or seven yards' distance, where tlie}^ remained 

 snapping their teeth, without daring to approach 

 any closer. 



The moose I had in view vras a noble creature. 



Tor. I. N 



